John Lyly Quotes & Sayings

If love be a god, why should not lovers be virtuous? — John Lyly

In misery it is great comfort to have a companion. — John Lyly

When adversities flow, then love ebbs; but friendship standeth stiffly in storms. — John Lyly

The greater the kindred is, the lesse the kindnesse must bee. — John Lyly

The greatest harm that you can do unto the envious, is to do well. — John Lyly

Marriage is destinie, made in heaven. — John Lyly

An Englishman hath three qualities, he can suffer no partner in his love, no stranger to be his friend, nor to be dared by any. — John Lyly

I thank you for nothing, because I understand nothing. — John Lyly

Though women have small force to overcome men by reason; yet have they good fortune to undermine them by policy. — John Lyly

Beauty - a deceitful bait with a deadly hook. — John Lyly

Things of greatest profit are set forth with least price. Where the wine is neat there needeth no live blush. — John Lyly

The true measure of life is not length, but honesty. — John Lyly

He that loseth his honesty hath nothing else to lose. — John Lyly

Water runneth smoothest where it is deepest. — John Lyly

A Rose is sweeter in the budde than full blowne. — John Lyly

If you will be cherished when you are old, be courteous while you be young. — John Lyly

Nothing so perilous as procrastination — John Lyly

None but the lark so shrill and clear;
Now at heaven's gate she claps her wings,
The morn not waking till she sings. — John Lyly

If thy wealth waste, they wit will give but small warmth. — John Lyly

The broken bone, once set together, is stronger than ever. — John Lyly

Children and fools speak true. — John Lyly

Lips are no part of the head, only made for a double-leaf door for the mouth. — John Lyly

Long quaffing maketh a short lyfe. — John Lyly

It is good walking when one hath his horse in hand. — John Lyly

Be valyaunt, but not too venturous. Let thy attyre bee comely, but not costly. — John Lyly

Gentlemen use books as Gentlewomen handle their flowers, who in the morning stick them in their heads, and at night strawe them at their heeles. — John Lyly

A merry companion is as good as a wagon. — John Lyly

The tongue, the ambassador of the heart. — John Lyly

The bee that hath honey in her mouth hath a sting in her tail. — John Lyly

The soft droppes of rain perce the hard marble. — John Lyly

To love and to live well is wished of many, but incident to few. — John Lyly

Whatsoever is in the heart of the sober man, is in the mouth of the drunkard. — John Lyly

We might knit that knot with our tongues that we shall never undo with our teeth. — John Lyly

To love women and never enjoy them, is as much to love wine and never taste it. — John Lyly

It is the disposition of the thought that altered the nature of the thing. — John Lyly

Far more seemly to have thy study full of books, than thy purse full of money. — John Lyly

The fallyng out of faithfull frends is the renuyng of loue. — John Lyly

The measure of love is to have no mean, the end to be everlasting. — John Lyly

The finest edge is made with the blunt whetstone. — John Lyly

A clear conscience is a sure card. — John Lyly

The sun shineth upon the dunghill, and is not corrupted. — John Lyly

Thou shalt come out of a warme Sunne into God's blessing. — John Lyly

It is a blind goose that cometh to the fox's sermon. — John Lyly

All men [are] of one metal, but not in one mold. — John Lyly

It is the eye of the master that fatteth the horse, and the love of the woman that maketh the man. — John Lyly

It is far more seemly
to have thy Studie full of Bookes,
than thy Purse full of money.
— John Lyly

Most high and happy princess, we must tell you a tale of the Man in the Moon, which if it seem ridiculous for the method, or superfluous for the matter, or for the means incredible, for three faults we can make but one excuse: it is a tale of the Man in the Moon.
It was forbidden in old time to dispute of chimaera, because it was a fiction. We hope in our times none will apply pastimes, because they are fancies; for there liveth none under the sun that knows what to make of the Man in the Moon. We present neither comedy, nor tragedy, nor story, nor anything, but ... that whosoever heareth may say this:
'Why, here is a tale of the Man in the Moon'. — John Lyly

[Beauty is] a delicate bait with a deadly hook; a sweet panther with a devouring paunch, a sour poison in a silver pot. — John Lyly

Children and fooles speake true. — John Lyly

A heat full of coldness, a sweet full of bitterness, a pain full of pleasantness, which maketh thoughts have eyes and hearts ears, bred by desire, nursed by delight, weaned by jealousy, kill'd by dissembling, buried by ingratitude, and this is love. — John Lyly

I have ever thought so superstitiously of wit, that I fear I have committed idolatry against wisdom. — John Lyly

The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war. — John Lyly

If all the earth were paper white / And all the sea were ink / 'Twere not enough for me to write / As my poor heart doth think. — John Lyly

To give reason for fancy were to weigh the fire, and measure the wind. — John Lyly

Do you think that any one can move the heart but He that made it? — John Lyly

Marriages are made in heaven and consummated on Earth. — John Lyly

Where the mind is past hope, the heart is past shame. — John Lyly

Rather fast then surfette, rather starue then striue to exceede. — John Lyly

It is a world to see. — John Lyly

As the best wine doth make the sharpest vinegar, so the deepest love turneth to the deadliest hate. — John Lyly

As love knoweth no lawes, so it regardeth no conditions — John Lyly

Let the falling out of friends be a renewing of affection. — John Lyly

Time draweth wrinkles in a fair face, but addeth fresh colors to a fast friend, which neither heat, nor cold, nor misery, nor place, nor destiny, can alter or diminish — John Lyly

The rattling thunderbolt hath but his clap, the lightning but his flash, and as they both come in a moment, so do they both end in a minute. — John Lyly

Whilst that the childe is young, let him be instructed in vertue and lytterature. — John Lyly

Where the countenance is fair, there need no colors. — John Lyly

For experience teacheth me that straight trees have crooked roots. — John Lyly

He that comes in print because he would be known, is like the fool that comes into the market because he would be seen. — John Lyly

The slothful are always ready to engage in idle talk of what will be done tomorrow, and every day after. — John Lyly

A comely olde man as busie as a bee. — John Lyly

Instruments sound sweetest when they are touched softest. — John Lyly

As lyke as one pease is to another. — John Lyly

Many strokes overthrow the tallest oaks. — John Lyly

Fish and guests in three days are stale. — John Lyly

Love knoweth no laws. — John Lyly

Where the streame runneth smoothest, the water is deepest. — John Lyly

All fish are not caught with flies — John Lyly

There can no great smoke arise, but there must be some fire. — John Lyly

The night has a thousand eyes. — John Lyly

The wound that bleedeth inward is most dangerous. — John Lyly

In arguing of the shadow, we forgo the substance. — John Lyly

A bargain is a bargain. — John Lyly

I am of this mind, that might and malice, deceit and treachery perjury and impiety may lawfully be committed in love; which is lawless. — John Lyly

Thou art an heyre to fayre lying, that is nothing, if thou be disinherited of learning, for better were it to thee to inherite righteousnesse then riches, and far more seemly were if for thee to haue thy Studie full of bookes, then thy pursse full of mony. — John Lyly

When parents put gold into the hands of youth, when they should put a rod under their girdle
when instead of awe they make them past grace, and leave them rich executors of goods, and poor executors of godliness, then it is no marvel that the son being left rich by his father's will, becomes reckless by his own will. — John Lyly

Maydens, be they never so foolyshe, yet beeing fayre they are commonly fortunate. — John Lyly

All is fair in love and war — John Lyly

Lette me stande to the maine chance. — John Lyly

The empty vessel giveth a greater sound than the full barrel. — John Lyly