“True gentility is ever accompanied with her inseparable adjunct, singular humanity.” Binding rank to kindness rather than to birth alone · Dedicatory epistle to Fame's Memorial, 1606 Courtesy Humanity Nobility
“Fate may be lamented, never recalled.” On grief that can mourn a loss but not undo it · Dedicatory epistle to Fame's Memorial, 1606 Fate Grief Loss
“The Golden Mean, so anciently commended, is only there perfectly observed, where true wisdom and true nobility are the special ornaments of a prepared mind.” Locating the mean in character rather than in outward show · Essay, The Golden Mean, 1613 Moderation Nobility Wisdom
“As the body's shadow is at morning before us, at noon beside us, and at night behind us; so is earthly glory.” Comparing worldly glory to a shadow that shifts with the day · Essay, The Golden Mean, 1613 Glory Time Vanity
“Men, as they are all the sons of their mothers, are all the subjects of misery; born to live few days in many dangers.” A bleak common lot, set against the need for a steady mind · Essay, The Golden Mean, 1613 Danger Misery Mortality
“Here you may view and read virtue personated in moderation: here you may know and prove moderation to be the life of virtue.” Making temperance the working principle of virtue · Address to the reader, The Golden Mean, 1613 Moderation Virtue Wisdom
“Life desired for the only benefit of living fears to die; for such men that so live, when they die, both die finally and die all.” On a life that seeks only continuance and so loses everything in death · Essay, A Line of Life, 1620 Death Fear Life
“A good life aims at another mark; for such men as endeavour to live well, live with an expectation of death, and they when they die, die to live, and live for ever.” Setting a virtuous life against the fear of dying · Essay, A Line of Life, 1620 Death Immortality Virtue
“To live, and to live well, are distinct in themselves, so peculiarly as is the actor and the action.” Separating mere survival from a life aimed at worth · Essay, A Line of Life, 1620 Action Life Virtue
“To be truly good is to be great.” Defining greatness by goodness rather than fortune · Dedicatory address to A Line of Life, 1620 Goodness Greatness Virtue
“Importunity of others, or opinion of mine own, hath not urged on any confidence of running the hazard of a censure.” Disclaiming both pressure and self-conceit as reasons for publishing · Dedicatory epistle to The Lover's Melancholy, 1629 Confidence Criticism Modesty
“This piece being the first that ever courted reader; and it is very possible that the like compliment with me may soon grow out of fashion.” Marking his first printed play and already weary of the fashion of print · Dedicatory epistle to The Lover's Melancholy, 1629 Modesty Readers Writing
“I care not to please many; but where there is a parity of condition, there the freedom of construction makes the best music.” Preferring a fit audience to popular applause · Dedicatory epistle to The Lover's Melancholy, 1629 Friendship Readers Taste
“Princes have vouchsafed grace to trifles offered from a purity of devotion.” Asking that sincerity count more than the smallness of the gift · Dedicatory epistle to 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, 1633 Devotion Humility Patronage
“The gravity of the subject may easily excuse the lightness of the title; otherwise I had been a severe judge against mine own guilt.” Defending a shocking title by the seriousness of what it names · Dedicatory epistle to 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, 1633 Judgement Seriousness Writing
“Greatness cannot often claim virtue by inheritance.” Separating rank from moral worth · Dedicatory epistle to 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, 1633 Greatness Inheritance Virtue
“Where a truth of merit hath a general warrant, there love is but a debt, acknowledgement a justice.” Treating praise of real worth as a duty rather than a courtesy · Dedicatory epistle to 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, 1633 Justice Love Merit
