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For experience teacheth me that straight trees have crooked roots.
— John Lyly
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JL
John Lyly
playwright, writer, novelist, politician
1553 – 1606
John Lyly was an English writer, playwright, courtier, and parliamentarian. He first achieved success with his two books Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578) and its sequel Euphues and His England (1580), and then became a dramatist, writing eight plays which survive, at least six of which were performed before Queen Elizabeth I. Lyly's distinctive and much imitated literary style, named after the title character of his two books, is known as euphuism. He is sometimes grouped with other professional dramatists of the 1580s and 1590s like Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, Thomas Nashe, George Peele, and Thomas Lodge, as one of the so-called University Wits. He has been credited by some scholars with writing the first English novel, and as being 'the father of English comedy'.
All Quotes by John Lyly
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A Rose is sweeter in the budde than full blowne.
— John Lyly
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Marriages are made in heaven and consummated on Earth.
— John Lyly
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Fish and guests in three days are stale.
— John Lyly
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How at heaven's gates she claps her wings,The morne not waking til she sings.
— John Lyly
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There can no great smoke arise, but there must be some fire.
— John Lyly
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As lyke as one pease is to another.
— John Lyly
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Be valyaunt, but not too venturous. Let thy attyre bee comely, but not costly.
— John Lyly
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Though the Camomill, the more it is trodden and pressed downe the more it spreadeth.
— John Lyly
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The finest edge is made with the blunt whetstone.
— John Lyly
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I cast before the Moone.
— John Lyly
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It seems to me (said she) that you are in some brown study.
— John Lyly
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The soft droppes of rain perce the hard marble; many strokes overthrow the tallest oaks.
— John Lyly
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He reckoneth without his Hostesse. Love knoweth no lawes.
— John Lyly
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That honourable estate of Matrimony, which was sanctified in Paradise, allowed of the Patriarches, hallowed of the olde Prophets, and commended of al persons.
— John Lyly
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Did not Jupiter transforme himselfe into the shape of Amphitrio to embrace Alcmæna; into the form of a swan to enjoy Leda; into a Bull to beguile Io; into a showre of gold to win Danae?
— John Lyly
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Lette me stande to the maine chance.
— John Lyly
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I mean not to run with the Hare and holde with the Hounde.
— John Lyly
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Rather fast then surfette, rather starue then striue to exceede.
— John Lyly
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Is it not true which Seneca reporteth, that as too much bending breaketh the bowe, so too much remission spoyleth the minde?
— John Lyly
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It is a world to see.
— John Lyly
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Goe to bed with the Lambe, and rise with the Larke.
— John Lyly
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A comely olde man as busie as a bee.
— John Lyly
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Maydens, be they never so foolyshe, yet beeing fayre they are commonly fortunate.
— John Lyly
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Where the streame runneth smoothest, the water is deepest.
— John Lyly
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Your eyes are so sharpe that you cannot onely looke through a Milstone, but cleane through the minde.
— John Lyly
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I am glad that my Adonis hath a sweete tooth in his head.
— John Lyly