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Our compell'd sins
Stand more for number than for accompt.

      — Measure for Measure, Act II Scene 4

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1-12 of 12 total

KEYWORD: cannot

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# Result number

Work The work is either a play, poem, or sonnet. The sonnets are treated as single work with 154 parts.

Character Indicates who said the line. If it's a play or sonnet, the character name is "Poet."

Line Shows where the line falls within the work.

The numbering is not keyed to any copyrighted numbering system found in a volume of collected works (Arden, Oxford, etc.) The numbering starts at the beginning of the work, and does not restart for each scene.

Text The line's full text, with keywords highlighted within it, unless highlighting has been disabled by the user.

1

Love's Labour's Lost
[II, 1]

Biron

684

I cannot stay thanksgiving.

2

Love's Labour's Lost
[III, 1]

Moth

800

A man, if I live; and this, by, in, and without, upon
the instant: by heart you love her, because your
heart cannot come by her; in heart you love her,
because your heart is in love with her; and out of
heart you love her, being out of heart that you
cannot enjoy her.

3

Love's Labour's Lost
[IV, 1]

Princess of France

988

Nay, never paint me now:
Where fair is not, praise cannot mend the brow.
Here, good my glass, take this for telling true:
Fair payment for foul words is more than due.

4

Love's Labour's Lost
[IV, 1]

Boyet

1111

An I cannot, cannot, cannot,
An I cannot, another can.

5

Love's Labour's Lost
[IV, 3]

Longaville

1381

This same shall go.
[Reads]
Did not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye,
'Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument,
Persuade my heart to this false perjury?
Vows for thee broke deserve not punishment.
A woman I forswore; but I will prove,
Thou being a goddess, I forswore not thee:
My vow was earthly, thou a heavenly love;
Thy grace being gain'd cures all disgrace in me.
Vows are but breath, and breath a vapour is:
Then thou, fair sun, which on my earth dost shine,
Exhalest this vapour-vow; in thee it is:
If broken then, it is no fault of mine:
If by me broke, what fool is not so wise
To lose an oath to win a paradise?

6

Love's Labour's Lost
[IV, 3]

Biron

1558

Sweet lords, sweet lovers, O, let us embrace!
As true we are as flesh and blood can be:
The sea will ebb and flow, heaven show his face;
Young blood doth not obey an old decree:
We cannot cross the cause why we were born;
Therefore of all hands must we be forsworn.

7

Love's Labour's Lost
[V, 2]

Rosaline

2122

Then cannot we be bought: and so, adieu;
Twice to your visor, and half once to you.

8

Love's Labour's Lost
[V, 2]

Biron

2306

I cannot give you less.

9

Love's Labour's Lost
[V, 2]

Costard

2421

Not so, sir; under correction, sir; I hope it is not so.
You cannot beg us, sir, I can assure you, sir we know
what we know:
I hope, sir, three times thrice, sir,—

10

Love's Labour's Lost
[V, 2]

Biron

2475

The pedant, the braggart, the hedge-priest, the fool
and the boy:—
Abate throw at novum, and the whole world again
Cannot pick out five such, take each one in his vein.

11

Love's Labour's Lost
[V, 2]

Biron

2583

This cannot be Hector.

12

Love's Labour's Lost
[V, 2]

Biron

2798

To move wild laughter in the throat of death?
It cannot be; it is impossible:
Mirth cannot move a soul in agony.

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