Philip Sidney
Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidneywas an English poet, courtier, scholar, and soldier, who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. His works include Astrophel and Stella, The Defence of Poesy, and The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth30 November 1554
men solitude enemy
Solitude, the sly enemy that doth separate a man from well-doing.
true-friend care breasts
Yet sighes, deare sighes, indeeds true friends you are That do not leave your left friend at the wurst, But, as you with my breast, I oft have nurst So, gratefull now, you waite upon my care.
comfort shame bounds
In shame there is no comfort but to be beyond all bounds of shame.
virtue servant willing
We become willing servants to the good by the bonds their virtues lay upon us.
mother daughter sin
Sin is the mother, and shame the daughter of lewdness.
yield sensual want
If any sensual weakness arise, we are to yield all our sound forces to the overthrowing of so unnatural a rebellion; wherein how can we want courage, since we are to deal against so feeble an adversary, that in itself is nothing but weakness? Nay, we are to resolve that if reason direct it, we must do it, and if we must do it, we will do it; for to say "I cannot" is childish, and "I will not" is womanish.
injury valiant dare
The truly valiant dare everything but doing anybody an injury.
too-much valor
Valor is abased by too much loftiness.
scoffing
...scoffing cometh not of wisdom...
sweet nature solitude
O sweet woods, the delight of solitariness!
lovers virtue scorn
Those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess? Do they call virtue there ungratefulness?
heaven world virtue
As the love of the heavens makes us heavenly, the love of virtue virtuous, so doth the love of the world make one become worldly.
world matter judgment
The judgment of the world stands upon matter of fortune.
issues secret woe
My thoughts, imprisoned in my secret woes, with flamy breaths do issue oft in sound.