15 James Shirley Quotes

James Shirley quotes

1. Devouring Famine, Plague, and War, Each able to undo mankind, Death's servile emissaries are; Nor to these alone confined, He hath at will More quaint and subtle ways to kill; A smile or kiss, as he will use the art, Shall have the cunning skill to break a heart.

2. Death calls ye to the crowd of common men.

3. The honour is overpaid, When he that did the act is commentator.

4. The glories of our blood and state Are shadows, not substantial things; There is no armour against fate; Death lays his icy hand on kings: Sceptre and Crown Must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made With the poor crooked scythe and spade.

5. Only the actions of the just Smell sweet and blossom in the dust.

1. Hark, how chimes the passing bell! There's no music to a knell; All the other sounds we hear, Flatter, and but cheat our ear. This doth put us still in mind That our flesh must be resigned, And, a general silence made, The world be muffled in a shade.

2. There is no armour against fate.

3. The honour is overpaid,When he that did the act is commentator.

4. Victorious men of earth, no more Proclaim how wide your empires are; Though you bind in every shore And your triumphs reach as far As night or day, Yet you, proud monarchs, must obey And mingle with forgotten ashes, when Death calls ye to the crowd ofcommon men.

5. How little room Do we take up in death, that, living, know No bounds!

6. There is no armor against fate.

7. Knaves will thrive when honest plainness knows not how to live.

8. When our souls shall leave this dwelling, the glory of one fair and virtuous action is above all the 'scutcheons on our tomb, or silken banners over us.

9. Death lays his icy hand on kings.

10. “The glories of our blood and state Are shadows, not substantial things; There is no armor against Fate. Death lays his icy hand on kings...”