William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
Biography information from
Wikiquote·
Portrait adapted from
Wikimedia Commons, Attributed to John Taylor (Public domain / CC0)
Also Known As
Also Known As:The Bard of Avon
Alternative Names:
The Bard
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Swan of Avon
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Bard of Avon
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Shakespeare
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William Shakspere
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Shakespere
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Shakespear
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Shakspeare
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Shackspeare
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Shakspere
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William Shakspeare
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William Shake‐speare
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William Shak‐ſpeare
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William Shake-speare
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William Shak-ſpeare
Tis the times' plague, when madmen lead the blind.
I know you all, and will awhile uphold The unyoked humour of your idleness. Yet herein will I imitate the sun, Who doth permit the base contagious clouds To smother up his beauty from the world, That when he please again to be himself, Being wanted, he may be more wondered at By breaking through the foul and ugly mists Of vapours that did seem to strangle him. If all the year were playing holidays, To sport would be as tedious as to work; But when they seldom come, they wished-for come, And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents. So, when this loose behaviour I throw off And pay the debt I never promisèd, By how much better than my word I am, By so much shall I falsify men’s hopes; And like bright metal on a sullen ground, My reformation, glitt’ring o’er my fault, Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes Than that which hath no foil to set it off. I’ll so offend to make offence a skill, Redeeming time when men think least I will.
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