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
But words came halting forth, wanting Invention
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Authors & Writing
No sword bites so fiercely as an evil tongue.
—Philip Sidney
The only disadvantage of an honest heart is credulity.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Belief, Honesty
No decking sets forth anything so much as affection.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Affection
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
It is a lively spark of nobleness to descend in most favor to one when he is lowest in affliction.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Sympathy
In actions of life, who seeth not the filthiness of evil wanteth a great foil to perceive the beauty of virtue.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Vice
Either I will find a way, or I will make one.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Persistence
They are never alone who are accompanied by noble thoughts.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Thought
Ambition thinks no face so beautiful, as that which looks from under a crown.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Ambition
In all exigencies or miseries, lamentation becomes fools, and action wise folk.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Action
Fear is more painful to cowardice than death to true courage.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Fear
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
Fearfulness, contrary to all other vices, maketh a man think the better of another, the worse of himself.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: The Past, Past
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
My dear, my better half.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Wife
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
Commonly they must use their feet for defense whose only weapon is their tongue.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Conflict, Defense
It is hard, but it is excellent, to find the right knowledge of when correction is necessary, and when grace doth most avail.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Punishment
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: Judgment, Prejudice
We become willing servants to the good by the bonds their virtues lay upon us.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Servants
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
All is but lip-wisdom which wants experience.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Experience
In victory, the hero seeks the glory, not the prey.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Victory
Who will adhere to him that abandons himself?
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Self-Discovery, Self-respect
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
Vice is but a nurse of agonies.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Vice
Without mounting by degrees, a man cannot attain to high things; and the breaking of the ladder still casteth a man back, and maketh the thing wearisome, which was easy.
—Philip Sidney
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
Doing good is the only certainly happy action of a man’s life.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Giving, Kindness, Service
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