Philip Massinger

thumb|Be wise; Soar not too high, to fall; but stoop to rise. Philip Massinger (1583 – 17 March 1640) 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, realism, and political and social themes. Quotes 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 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 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 He That kills himself to avoid misery, fears it, And, at the best, shows but a bastard valour. This life's a fort committed to my trust, Which I must not yield up till it be forc'd. —Nor will I. He's not valiant that dares die, But he that boldly bears calamity. The Maid of Honour (c. 1621; printed 1632), Act IV, scene iii Out, you impostors! Quack-salving, cheating mountebanks! Your skill Is to make sound men sick, and sick men kill. Virgin Martyr (1622), Act IV, scene i Be wise; Soar not too high, to fall; but stoop to rise. Duke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene ii To doubt Is worse than to have lost; and to despair Is but to antedate those miseries That must fall on us. Duke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene iii The oath in any way or form you please, I stand resolv'd to take it. Duke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene iii He that would govern others, first should be the master of himself. The Bondman (1623), Act I, scene iii What a bridge Of glass I walk upon, over a river Of certain ruin! Mine own weighty fears Cracking what should support me:—And those helps, Which confidence yields to others, are from me Ravish'd by doubts, and wilful jealousy. The Bondman (1623), Act IV, scene iii 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 Cause me no causes. A New Way to Pay Old Debts (1625), act i. sc. 3. See X me no X's 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 Grim death. The Roman Actor (1626), Act iv. Sc. 2. Compare: "Grim death, my son and foe", John Milton, Paradise Lost, book ii, line 804 But in our Sanazarro 'tis not so, He being pure and tried gold; and any stamp Of grace, to make him current to the world, The duke is pleased to give him, will add honour To the great bestower; for he, though allow'd Companion to his master, still preserves His majesty in full lustre. Great Duke of Florence (1627), Act I, scene 1 Like a rough orator, that brings more truth Than rhetoric, to make good his accusation. Great Duke of Florence (1627) Quiet night that brings Rest to the labourer, is the outlaw's day, In which he rises early to do wrong, And when his work is ended, dares not sleep. The Guardian (1633), Act II, scene iv External links Category:Playwrights from England Category:1583 births Category:1640 deaths