Ben Jonson

It is usualfor people in this country(out of pretended respectbut rather from an impertinent curiosity)to desire to seepersonsafter they aredead
It is my earnest request that no personon any pretence whatevermay be permitted to see mycorpsebu...

Drink to me, only, with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kisse but in the cup, And Ile not look for wine
The thirst, that from the soule doth rise, Doth aske a drink divine:
But might I of Jove's Nectar sup, I wou...

It will be looked for, book, when some but see Thy title,
Epigrams, and named of me,
Thou should'st be bold, licentious, full of gall, Wormwood and sulphur, sharp and toothed withal,
Become a petulant thing, hurl ink and wit As madm...

Who says that Giles and Joan at discord be
Th' observing neighbors no such mood can see
Indeed, poor Giles repents he married ever,   But that his Joan doth too
And Giles would

I have no children:
But tonight a poem came in which a small child, my daughter, appeared at the door of a half-lit room where late one night I wrote at a heavy desk
And though interruption was hardly welcome I took her to myself, just a...

This morning, timely rapt with holy fire,
I thought to form unto my zealous Muse   What kind of creature I could most desire,
To honour, serve, and love; as poets use
I meant to make her fair, and free, and wise,

Let it not your wonder move, Less your laughter, that I love
Though I now write fifty years, I have had, and have, my peers; Poets, though divine, are men, Some have lov'd as old again
And it is not always face, Clothes, or fortune, give...

I now think Love is rather deaf than blind, For else it could not be That she, Whom I adore so much, should so slight me And cast my love behind
I'm sure my language to her was as sweet, And every close did meet In sentence of as subtle feet,...

The decorously informative
Guide to Sex suggested that any urgecould well be controlled by playing tennis:and the game provided also "manyharmless opportunities for healthysocial intercourse between the sexes
"For weeks the dra...

A farewell for a Gentlewoman, vertuous and
False world, good-night, since thou hast brought That houre upon my morne of age,
Hence-forth I quit thee from my thought, My part is ended on thy stage
Doe not once hope, that thou canst t...

Don Surly, to aspire the glorious name Of a great man, and to be thought the same,
Makes serious use of all great trade he know
He speaks to men with a Rhinocerotes' nose,
Which he thinks great; and so reads verses too, And that is ...

Donne, the delight of Phoebus and each Muse Who, to thy one, all other brains refuse; Whose every work of thy most early wit Came forth example, and remains so yet; Longer a-knowing than most wits do live; And which no affection praise enough can ...

Come, my Celia, let us
While we may, the sports of love;
Time will not be ours forever;
He at length our good will sever

Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine
The thirst that from the soul doth rise Doth ask a drink divine; But might I of Jove's nectar sup, I would not change fo...

The trawl of unquiet mind drops
Great lucid streamers bar the sky ahead(bifurcated banners at a tourney)light alchemizes the brass on the bridgeinto sallow gold now the short northernautumn day closes quickly the thin coast(of grey Norway is ...

Living a whole life has three conditions: absorbing work which demands and brings fulfilment, a group of friends with whom to exchange minds, and a full love to be lost in all the time
Of these I have the easier two, but lack the third in lac...