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
There is no man suddenly either excellently good or extremely wicked; but grows so, either as he holds himself up in virtue, or lets himself slide to viciousness.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Wickedness
Commonly they must use their feet for defense whose only weapon is their tongue.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Defense, Conflict
In forming a judgment, lay your hearts void of foretaken opinions; else whatsoever is done or said, will be measured by a wrong rule: like them who have the jaundice, to whom everything appeareth yellow.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Prejudice, Judgment
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
Vice is but a nurse of agonies.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Vice
Unlawful desires are punished after the effect of enjoying; but impossible desires are punished in the desire itself.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Desire
It is doing some service to humanity to amuse innocently; and they know very little of society, who think we can bear to be always employed, either in duties or meditations, without any relaxation.
—Philip Sidney
The mind itself must, like other things, sometimes be unbent; or else it will be either weakened or broken.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Mind
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: Youth, Health
What is birth to a man if it be a stain to his dead ancestors to have left such an offspring?
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Birth
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
The end of all knowledge should be in virtuous action.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Knowledge
Fool! said my Muse to me, “look in thy heart and write.”
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Writing
A brave captain is as a root, out of which, as branches, the courage of his soldiers doth spring.
—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
Doing good is the only certainly happy action of a man’s life.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Kindness, Giving, Service
Each excellent thing, once learned, serves for a measure of all other knowledge.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Excellence
A true knight is fuller of bravery in the midst, than in the beginning of danger.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Brave, Courage, Bravery
I am no herald to inquire of men’s pedigrees; it sufficeth me if I know their virtues.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Virtue, Ancestry
Whatever comes out of despair cannot bear the title of valor, which should be lifted up to such a height, that holding all things under itself, it should be able to maintain its greatness, even in the midst of miseries.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Valor
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
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
Fear is the underminer of all determinations; and necessity, the victorious rebel of all laws.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Necessity
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
Fearfulness, contrary to all other vices, maketh a man think the better of another, the worse of himself.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Past, The Past
Come, Sleep! O Sleep, the certain knot of peace,
The baiting-place of wit, the balm of woe,
The poor man’s wealth, the prisoner’s release,
Th’ indifferent judge between the high and low.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Sleep, Relaxation
It is a lively spark of nobleness to descend in most favor to one when he is lowest in affliction.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Sympathy
My true-love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange, one for the other given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Marriage
There is nothing truly evil, but what is within us; the rest is cither natural or accidental.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Evils
Every base occupation makes one sharp in its practice, and dull in every other.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Occupation
Base natures joy to see hard hap happen to them they deem happy.
—Philip Sidney
There is little hope of equity where rebellion reigns.
—Philip Sidney
We become willing servants to the good by the bonds their virtues lay upon us.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Servants
What is mine, even to my life, is hers I love; but the secret of my friend is not mine.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Secrecy
There is nothing so great that I fear to do it for my friend; nothing so small that I will disdain to do it for him.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Friendship
Blasphemous words betray the vain foolishness of the speaker.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Profanity
There needs not strength to be added to inviolate chastity; the excellency of the mind makes the body impregnable.
—Philip Sidney
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
Among the best men are diversities of opinions; which should no more, in true reason, breed hatred, than one that loves black should be angry with him that is clothed in white; for thoughts are the very apparel of the mind.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Opinion
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
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