And oftentimes excusing of a fault
Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse,
As patches, set upon a little breach,
Discredit more in hiding of the fault
Than did the fault before it was so patched.
King John, Act iv.  Sc. 2.  SHAKESPEARE.

  Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it? 
  Why, every fault’s condemned ere it be done. 
  Mine were the very cipher of a function,
  To fine the faults whose fine stands in record,
  And let go by the actor.
Measure for Measure, Act ii.  Sc. 2.  SHAKESPEARE.

FEAR.

  Imagination frames events unknown,
  In wild, fantastic shapes of hideous ruin,
  And what it fears creates.
Belshazaar, Pt.  II.  H. MORE.

  Imagination’s fool and error’s wretch,
  Man makes a death which nature never made;
  Then on the point of his own fancy falls;
  And feels a thousand deaths, in fearing one.
Night Thoughts, Night IV.  DR. E. YOUNG.

  A lamb appears a lion, and we fear
  Each bash we see’s a bear.
Emblems, Bk.  I.-XIII.  F. QUARLES.

  Or in the night, imagining some fear,
  How easy is a bush supposed a bear!
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act v.  Sc. 1.  SHAKESPEARE.

His fear was greater than his haste: 
For fear, though fleeter than the wind,
Believes ’t is always left behind.
Hadibras, Pt.  III.  Canto III.  S. BUTLER.

His flight was madness:  when our actions do not,
Our fears do make us traitors.
Macbeth, Act iv.  Sc. 2.  SHAKESPEARE.

                 Such a numerous host
  Fled not in silence through the frighted deep,
  With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,
  Confusion worse confounded.
Paradise Lost, Bk.  II.  MILTON.

Thou tremblest; and the whiteness in thy cheek
Is apter than thy tongue to tell thy errand.
King Henry IV., Pt.  II.  Act i.  Sc. 1.  SHAKESPEARE.

To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength,
Gives in your weakness strength unto your foe.
King Richard II., Act in.  Sc. 2.  SHAKESPEARE.

                                   Fear
  Stared in her eyes, and chalked her face.
The Princess, IV.  A. TENNYSON.

  Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
  And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
  Against the use of nature.  Present fears
  Are less than horrible imaginings.
Macbeth, Act i.  Sc. 3.  SHAKESPEARE.

    LADY MACBETH.  Letting I dare not wait upon I would
  Like the poor cat i’ the adage. 
    MACBETH.  Prythee. peace: 
  I dare do all that may become a man;
  Who dares do more, is none.
Macbeth, Act i.  Sc. 7.  SHAKESPEARE.

  Tender-handed stroke a nettle,
   And it stings you for your pains;
  Grasp it like a man of mettle,
   And it soft as silk remains.
Verses written on a Window in Scotland.  A. HILL.