Philip Sidney Quotes

Philip Sidney shares grand, poetic musings on love, virtue, and storytelling that draw you into a timeless world.

39 quotes

1. My true love hath my heart, and I have his, By just exchange, one for the other given.

2. Open suspecting others comes of secret condemning themselves.

3. Who shoots at the mid-day sun, though he be sure he shall never hit the mark, yet as sure he is he shall shoot higher than who aims but at a bush.

4. A fair woman shall not only command without authority but persuade without speaking.

5. But words came halting forth, wanting Invention's stay, Invention, Nature's child, fled step-dame Study's blows, And others' feet still seemed but strangers in my way. Thus great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes, Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite: 'Fool,' said my Muse to me, 'look in thy heart and write.'

6. Come sleep, O sleep, the certain knot of peace, The baiting place of wit, the balm of woe, The poor man's wealth, the prisoner's release, The indifferent judge between the high and low.

7. That sweet enemy, France.

8. There have been many most excellent poets that never versified, and now swarm many versifiers that need never answer to the name of poets.

9. The historian:loaden with old mouse-eaten records, authorizing himself (for the most part) upon other histories, whose greatest authorities are built upon the notable foundation of hearsay; having much ado to accord differing writers and to pick truth out of partiality; better acquainted with a thousand years ago than with the present age, and yet better knowing how this world goeth than how his own wit runneth; curious for antiquities and inquisitive of novelties; a wonder to young folks and a tyrant in table talk, denieth, in a great chafe, that any man for teaching of virtue, and virtuous actions is comparable to him.

10. With a tale forsooth he cometh unto you, with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner.

11. Certainly, I must confess my own barbarousness, I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas that I found not my heart moved more than with a trumpet.

12. In the sweetly constituted mind of Sir Philip Sidney, it seems as if no ugly thought or unhandsome meditation could find a harbour. He turned all that he touched into images of honour and virtue.

13. Hard-hearted minds relent and rigor's tears abound, And envy strangely rues his end, in whom no fault was found. Knowledge her light hath lost, valor hath slain her knight, Sidney is dead, dead is my friend, dead is the world's delight.

14. Solitude, the sly enemy that doth separate a man from well-doing.

15. A popular license is indeed the many-headed tyrant.

16. Laws are not made like lime-twigs or nets, to catch everything that toucheth them; but rather like sea-marks, to guide from shipwreck the ignorant passenger.

17. It is no less vain to wish death than it is cowardly to fear it.

18. Whatever comes out of despair cannot bear the title of valor, which should be lifted up to such a height that holding all things under itself, it should be able to maintain its greatness, even in the midst of miseries.

19. Sweet speaking oft a currish heart reclaims.

20. He travels safe and not unpleasantly who is guarded by poverty and guided by love.

21. There is a certain delicacy which in yielding conquers; and with a pitiful look makes one find cause to crave help one's self.

22. The glory and increase of wisdom stands in exercising it.

23. O sweet woods, the delight of solitariness!

24. All is but lip-wisdom which wants experience.

25. Confidence in one's self is the chief nurse of magnanimity, which confidence, notwithstanding, doth not leave the care of necessary furniture for it; and therefore, of all the Grecians, Homer doth ever make Achilles the best armed.

26. Those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess? Do they call virtue there ungratefulness?

27. It depends on education--that holder of the keys which the Almighty hath put into our hands--to open the gates which lead to virtue or to vice, to happiness or misery.

28. Vice is but a nurse of agonies.

29. Great captains do never use long orations when it comes to the point of execution.

30. He whom passion rules, is bent to meet his death.

31. As the fertilest ground, must be manured, so must the highest flying wit have a Daedalus to guide him.

32. Woman was formed to admire; man to be admirable. His are the glories of the sun at noonday; hers the softened splendors of the midnight moon.

33. Much more may a judge overweigh himself in cruelty than in clemency.

34. Reason! how many eyes hast thou to see evils, and how dim, nay, blind, thou art in preventing them.

35. I am no herald to inquire into men's pedigree; it sufficeth me if I know their virtues.

36. Indeed, the Roman laws allowed no person to be carried to the wars but he that was in the soldiers' roll.

37. To the disgrace of men it is seen that there are women both more wise to judge what evil is expected, and more constant to bear it when it happens.

38. Whether your time calls you to live or die, do both like a prince.

39. When it shall please God to bring thee to man's estate, use great providence and circumspection in choosing thy wife. For from thence will spring all thy future good or evil; and it is an action of life, like unto a stratagem of war; wherein a man can err but once!