Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Philip Sidney (English Soldier, Poet, Courtier)

Sir Philip Sidney (1554–86) was an English poet, courtier, diplomat, and soldier. A favorite of Elizabeth I, he was the archetype of Renaissance chivalry—he was the perfect courtier and the universal gentleman. All his works were published posthumously. He strongly influenced English poetry through such works as Arcadia (1590,) a pastoral prose romance that included poems in a mixture of verse forms.

Born in Penshurst Place, Kent, Sidney tried nearly all his life to procure a military or court post, without much success. He instead poured his energies into writing, and in his late 20s, produced the first English sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella (1591,) a series of passionate love poems for the wife of another man. Widely judged Elizabethan England’s great sonnet cycle, this series begins with these words: “Fool! said my muse to me, look in thy heart, and write.” 20 years later, Sidney’s style inspired Shakespeare’s sonnets. Sidney also wrote The Defence of Poesie (1595,) the first work of literary criticism in English.

Sidney was also a courtier—he held the ceremonial position of “cupbearer to the Queen”—and a statesman, serving several diplomatic missions abroad. When defending the Netherlands against Spain, Sidney was fatally wounded at the blockade of Zutphen. Legend holds that, although weak from loss of blood himself, he passed his water bottle to another soldier who had fought with him, saying, “Thy necessity is yet greater than mine.” Sidney’s wound worsened; he died of gangrene 26 days later, at the age of 31.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Philip Sidney

Every base occupation makes one sharp in its practice, and dull in every other.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Occupation

With a tale, for sooth, he comet unto you; with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Storytelling

The ingredients of health and long life, are great temperance, open air, easy labor, and little care.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Health

He that finds truth, without loving her, is like a bat; which, though it have eyes to discern that there is a sun, yet hath so evil eyes, that it cannot delight in the sun.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Truth

Thus, with child to speak, and helpless in my throes, biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite: Fool! said my muse to me, look in thy heart, and write.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Writers, Authors & Writing, Writing

Take heed how you place your good will upon any other ground than proof of virtue.—Neither length of acquaintance, mutual secrecies, nor height of benefits can bind a vicious heart; no man being good to others who is not good in himself.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Friendship

We become willing servants to the good by the bonds their virtues lay upon us.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Servants

To the disgrace of men it is seen, that there are women both more wise to judge what evil is expected, and more constant to bear it when it is happened.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Woman

The many-headed multitude, whom inconstancy only by accident doth guide to well-doing!—Who can set confidence there, where company takes away shame, and each may lay the fault upon his fellow.
—Philip Sidney

Youths will never live to age unless they keep themselves in breath by exercise, and in heart by joyfulness. Too much thinking doth consume the spirits; and oft it falls out, that while one thinks too much of doing, he fails to do the effect of his thinking.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Health, Youth

A brave captain is as a root, out of which, as branches, the courage of his soldiers doth spring.
—Philip Sidney

Fear is more painful to cowardice than death to true courage.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Fear

But words came halting forth, wanting Invention
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Authors & Writing

There is no benefit so large that malignity will not lessen it; none so narrow that a good interpretation will not enlarge it.
—Philip Sidney

In all exigencies or miseries, lamentation becomes fools, and action wise folk.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Action

My dear, my better half.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Wife

In the clear mind of virtue treason can find no hiding place.
—Philip Sidney

Men are almost always cruel on their neighbors’ faults, and make the overthrow of others the badge of their own ill-masked virtue.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Faults

It is a lively spark of nobleness to descend in most favor to one when he is lowest in affliction.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Sympathy

Ambition thinks no face so beautiful, as that which looks from under a crown.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Ambition

Malice, in its false witness, promotes its tale with so cunning a confusion, so mingles truths with falsehoods, surmises with certainties, causes of no moment with matters capital, that the accused can absolutely neither grant nor deny, plead innocence nor confess guilt.
—Philip Sidney

Wickedness may well be compared to a bottomless pit, into which it is easier to keep one’s self from falling, than, being fallen, to give one’s self any stay from falling infinitely.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Wickedness

When it shall please God to bring thee to man’s estate, use great providence and circumspection in choosing thy wife. For from thence will spring all thy future good or evil, and it is an action of life like unto a stratagem of war, wherein a man can err but once.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Wife, Marriage

Fearfulness, contrary to all other vices, maketh a man think the better of another, the worse of himself.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: The Past, Past

Confidence in one’s self, though the chief nurse of magnanimity, doth not leave the care of necessary furniture for it; of all the Grecians, Homer doth make Achilles the best armed.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Confidence

The truly great and good, in affliction, bear a countenance more princely than they are wont; for it is the temper of the highest hearts, like the palm tree, to strive most upwards when it is most burdened.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Adversity

The general goodness which is nourished in noble hearts, makes everyone think that strength of virtue to be in another whereof they find assured foundation in themselves.
—Philip Sidney

Unlawful desires are punished after the effect of enjoying; but impossible desires are punished in the desire itself.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Desire

The only impregnable citadel of virtue is religion; for there is no bulwark of mere morality which some temptation may not overtop, or undermine and destroy.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Religion, Virtue

Approved valor is made precious by natural courtesy.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Courtesy

Wondering Whom to Read Next?

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *