Henry Wotton, fue un poeta y diplomático inglés. Nacido en el condado de Kent, estudió en la Universidad de Oxford, entre 1584 y 1588 y alcanzó prominencia en la corte inglesa, durante el reinado de Isabel I de Inglaterra, aunque hubo de exiliarse a Florencia, a la caída del conde de Essex, de quien había sido secretario. Al advenimiento de los Estuardo, sirvió a Jacobo I de Gran Bretaña como diplomático en La Haya, Viena y Venecia. A su muerte ocupaba el cargo de director del Colegio de Eton. Su obra fue escasa, aunque muy interesante. Como poeta, quince de sus composiciones aparecen en las Reliquiae Wottonianae , y tradujo al inglés los Elementos de Arquitectura de Vitrubio.[1] Wikipedia
“Lord of himself, though not of lands;
And having nothing, yet hath all.”
The Character of a Happy Life (1614), stanza 6. Compare: "As having nothing, and yet possessing all things", 2 Corinthians vi. 10.
“Advised a young diplomat "to tell the truth, and so puzzle and confound his enemies."”
Attributed. E.g., Vol 24, Encyclopedia Britannica of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature, page 721 https://books.google.com/books?id=_GlJAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA721&lpg=PA721&dq=truth+wotton+confound+advice&source=bl&ots=-cGk3UDLLj&sig=ltOR1xtI9WFic1JWKiFmIZ8Yce0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVkZCsj-jRAhXCyFQKHTmsCkAQ6AEIODAG#v=onepage&q=truth%20wotton%20confound%20advice&f=false (9th Ed. 1894).
Compare Mark Twain who, in Following the Equator, said "When in doubt, tell the truth" (which is often mis-quoted as containing an additional clause providing "it will confound your enemies and astound your friends").
“Hanging was the worst use a man could be put to.”
The Disparity Between Buckingham and Essex (1651).
On His Mistress, the Queen of Bohemia, stanza 1 (1624). In some versions "moon" replaces "sun". This was printed with music as early as 1624, in Est's "Sixth Set of Books", for example.
The Character of a Happy Life (1614), stanza 5.
“An ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the commonwealth.”
Reliquiae Wottonainae (1651). In a letter to Velserus, 1612, Wotton says, "This merry definition of an ambassador I had chanced to set down at my friend's, Mr. Christopher Fleckamore, in his Album".
“He first deceased; she for a little tried
To live without him, liked it not, and died.”
Upon the Death of Sir Albert Morton's Wife (1651).
“I am but a gatherer and disposer of other men's stuff.”
Preface to the Elements of Architecture (1624).
“Here lies the author of this phrase: "The itch for disputing is the sore of churches." Seek his name elsewhere.”
Hic jacet hujus sententiæ primus author:
DISPUTANDI PRURITUS ECCLESIARUM SCABIES.
Nomen alias quære.
The Character of a Happy Life (1614), stanza 1.