Familiar Quotations Part 21

Act. v. Sc. 7.

That keep the word of promise to our ear, And break it to our hope.

Act v. Sc. 7.

Lay on, Macduff; And d.a.m.ned be him that first cries, Hold, enough!

KING JOHN.

Act ii. Sc. 1.

For courage mounteth with occasion.

Act iii. Sc. 1.

Thou slave, thou wretch, thou coward, Thou little valiant, great in villany!

Thou ever strong upon the stronger side!

Thou fortune's champion, that dost never fight But when her humorous ladyship is by To teach thee safety!

Thou wear a lion's hide! Doff it for shame, And hang a calf's skin on those recreant limbs.

Act iii. Sc. 4.

Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.

Act iv. Sc. 2.

To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, To smooth the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

Act iv. Sc. 2.

Now oft the sight of means to do ill deeds Makes deeds ill done!

KING RICHARD II.

Act i. Sc. 3.

Oh, who can hold a fire in his hand, By thinking on the frosty Caucasus?

Or cloy the hungry edge of appet.i.te, By bare imagination of a feast?

Act i. Sc. 3.

The apprehension of the good Gives but the greater feeling to the worse.

Act ii. Sc. 1.

The ripest fruit first falls.

FIRST PART OF KING HENRY IV.

Act i. Sc. 2.

'Tis my vocation, Hal; 'tis no sin for a man to labor in his vocation.

Act i. Sc. 2.

He will give the devil his due.

Act i. Sc. 3.

And, as the soldiers bore dead bodies by, He called them untaught knaves, unmannerly, To bring a slovenly, unhandsome corse Betwixt the wind and his n.o.bility.

Act i. Sc. 3.

By heaven, methinks it were an easy leap, To pluck bright honor from the pale-faced moon.

Act ii. Sc. 1.

I know a trick worth two of that.