Philip Massinger Quotes

Philip Massinger was an English dramatist. His finely plotted plays, including A New Way to Pay Old Debts, The City Madam and The Roman Actor, are noted for their satire and realism, and their political and social themes. Wikipedia  

✵ 1583 – 17. March 1640
Philip Massinger photo

Works

The Maid of Honour
Philip Massinger
The Bondman
Philip Massinger
The Old Law
Philip Massinger
A Very Woman
Philip Massinger
A New Way to Pay Old Debts
A New Way to Pay Old Debts
Philip Massinger
The Guardian
Philip Massinger
The Roman Actor
Philip Massinger
Philip Massinger: 17   quotes 3   likes

Famous Philip Massinger Quotes

“He that would govern others, first should be the master of himself.”

The Bondman (1623), Act I, scene iii http://books.google.com/books?id=K0cNAQAAMAAJ&q=%22He+that+would+govern+others+first+should+be+the+master+of+himself%22&pg=PA193#v=onepage.

“The good needs fear no law,
It is his safety and the bad man's awe.”

The Old Law (c. 1615–18; printed 1656), with Thomas Middleton and William Rowley.

“This many-headed monster,
The giddy multitude.”

The Roman Actor (1626), Act iii. Sc. 2. Compare: "Many-headed multitude", Sir Philip Sidney, Defence of Poesy, Book ii; "Many-headed multitude", William Shakespeare, Coriolanus, act ii, scene 3; "This many-headed monster, Multitude", Daniel, History of the Civil War, book ii, st. 13.

“Be wise;
Soar not too high to fall; but stoop, to rise.”

Duke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene ii.

“The oath in any way or form you please,
I stand resolv'd to take it.”

Duke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene iii.

Philip Massinger Quotes

“Cause me no causes.”

A New Way to Pay Old Debts (1625), act i. sc. 3. See X me no X's.

“Some undone widow sits upon mine arm,
And takes away the use of it; and my sword,
Glued to my scabbard with wronged orphans' tears,
Will not be drawn.”

A New Way to pay Old Debts (1625), Act v. Sc. 1. Compare: "From thousands of our undone widows / One may derive some wit", Thomas Middleton, A Trick to catch the Old One (1605), Act i, Scene 2.

“Virtue, if not in action, is a vice,
And, when we move not forward, we go backward.”

The Maid of Honour (c. 1621; printed 1632), Act I, scene i.

“What a sea
Of melting ice I walk on!”

The Maid of Honour (c. 1621; printed 1632), Act III, scene iii.

“Death hath a thousand doors to let out life.”

A Very Woman (1619), Act v. Sc. 4. Compare: "Death hath so many doors to let out life", Beaumont and Fletcher, The Custom of the Country, act ii. sc. 2; "The thousand doors that lead to death", Sir Thomas Browne, Religio Medici, part i, sect. xliv.

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