As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp, To guard a title that was rich before, To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, To smooth the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques the unnecessary embellishment of things that are already beautiful or valuable.
William Shakespeare's quote suggests that adding extra adornments or enhancements to something that is already significant or beautiful is both wasteful and absurd. It highlights the idea that true beauty or value does not require additional ornamentation, as such attempts can often detract from the original essence.
Themes
BeautyExcessSimplicityValueOrnamentation
In practice
Example use cases
During a design presentation emphasizing minimalist aesthetics, this quote can drive home the importance of simplicity.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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