Philip Sidney Quotes

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.

Thy necessity is yet greater than mine

Open suspecting others comes of secret condemning themselves.

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.

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.

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

Sweet food of sweetly uttered knowledge.

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.

High-erected thoughts seated in the heart of courtesy.

And thou my minde aspire to higher things;
Grow rich in that which never taketh rust.

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.

Have I caught my heav'nly jewel.

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

Poetry, a speaking picture... to teach and delight

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