William Shakespeare 1564-1616 Muh Ado about Nothing John Bartlett 1919 Familiar Quotations


1
He hath indeed better bettered expectation.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
2
A very valiant trencher-man.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
3
He wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
4
What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
5
There ’s a skirmish of wit between them.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
6
The gentleman is not in your books.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
7
Shall I never see a bachelor of threescore again?
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
8
Benedick the married man.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
9
He is of a very melancholy disposition.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act i. Sc. 1.
10
He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 1.



11
As merry as the day is long.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 1.
12
I have a good eye, uncle; I can see a church by day-light.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 1.
13
Speak low if you speak love.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 1.
14
Friendship is constant in all other things Save in the office and affairs of love: Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues; Let every eye negotiate for itself And trust no agent.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 1.
15
Silence is the perfectest herald of joy: I were but little happy, if I could say how much.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 1.
16
Lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain and to the purpose.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 3.
17
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, Men were deceivers ever,— One foot in sea and one on shore, To one thing constant never.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 3.
18
Sits the wind in that corner?
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 3.
19
Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humour? No, the world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act ii. Sc. 3.
20
Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 1.
21
From the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, 1 he is all mirth.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 2.
22
Every one can master a grief but he that has it.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 2.
23
Are you good men and true?
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
24
To be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune; but to write and read comes by nature.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
25
The most senseless and fit man.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
26
You shall comprehend all vagrom men.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
27
2 Watch. How if a’ will not stand? Dogb. Why, then, take no note of him, but let him go; and presently call the rest of the watch together, and thank God you are rid of a knave.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
28
Is most tolerable, and not to be endured.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
29
If they make you not then the better answer, you may say they are not the men you took them for.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
30
The most peaceable way for you if you do take a thief, is to let him show himself what he is and steal out of your company.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
31
I know that Deformed.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
32
The fashion wears out more apparel than the man.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
33
I thank God I am as honest as any man living that is an old man and no honester than I.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 3.
34
Comparisons are odorous.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 5.
35
If I were as tedious as a king, I could find it in my heart to bestow it all of your worship.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 5.
36
A good old man, sir; he will be talking: as they say, When the age is in the wit is out.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iii. Sc. 5.
37
O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not knowing what they do!
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 1.
38
O, what authority and show of truth Can cunning sin cover itself withal!
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 1.
39
I never tempted her with word too large, But, as a brother to his sister, show’d Bashful sincerity and comely love.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 1.
40
I have mark’d A thousand blushing apparitions To start into her face, a thousand innocent shames In angel whiteness beat away those blushes.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 1.
41
For it so falls out That what we have we prize not to the worth Whiles we enjoy it, but being lack’d and lost, Why, then we rack the value; then we find The virtue that possession would not show us Whiles it was ours.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 1.
42
The idea of her life shall sweetly creep Into his study of imagination, And every lovely organ of her life, Shall come apparell’d in more precious habit, More moving-delicate and full of life Into the eye and prospect of his soul.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 1.
43
Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves; and it will go near to be thought so shortly.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 2.
44
The eftest way.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 2.
45
Flat burglary as ever was committed.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 2.
46
Condemned into everlasting redemption.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 2.
47
O, that he were here to write me down an ass!
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 2.
48
A fellow that hath had losses, and one that hath two gowns and every thing handsome about him.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act iv. Sc. 2.
49
Patch grief with proverbs.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 1.
50
Men Can counsel and speak comfort to that grief Which they themselves not feel.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 1.
51
Charm ache with air, and agony with words.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 1.
52
’T is all men’s office to speak patience To those that wring under the load of sorrow, But no man’s virtue nor sufficiency To be so moral when he shall endure The like himself.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 1.
53
For there was never yet philosopher That could endure the toothache patiently.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 1.
54
Some of us will smart for it.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 1.
55
I was not born under a rhyming planet.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 2.
56
Done to death by slanderous tongues.
Much Ado about Nothing. Act v. Sc. 3.

Note 1.
From the crown of his head to the sole of the foot.—Pliny the Elder: Natural History, book vii. chap. xvii. Beaumont and Fletcher: The Honest Man’s Fortune, act ii. sc. 2. Thomas Middleton: A Mad World, etc. [back]

Contents -AUTHOR INDEX -CONCORDANCE INDEX -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD