---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh that thou hadst like others been all…"
description: "\"Oh that thou hadst like others been all words, And no performance.\" — Philip Massinger"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/philip-massinger-9358_language_oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all_1713115.jpg"
---

#  Oh that thou hadst like others been all words, And no…

![“Oh that thou hadst like others been all words, And no performance.” quote by Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/philip-massinger-9358_language_oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all_1713115.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/philip-massinger-9358_language_oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all_1713115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/philip-massinger-9358_language_oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all_1713115.jpg)

> “Oh that thou hadst like others been all words, And no performance.”

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker criticizes someone for being all talk and no action, lacking genuine performance.

**In simple terms:** All talk, no action

Key Takeaway

Prioritize substance over empty words

Themes

literature criticism performance

Mood

critical reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- creative projects
- leadership

Key Concepts

authenticity hypocrisy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you demonstrate authenticity in your work?
- What actions will back up your promises?

A Different Perspective

Words without deeds can erode trust

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/)

## Related quotes

> [Nothing has more words and performance than rap music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/nothing-has-more-words-and-performance-than-rap-music/)

[Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/)

> [Oh, now, now, now, the only now, and above all now, and there is no other now but thou now and now is thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-now-now-now-the-only-now-and-above-all-now-and-there-is-no-other/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [“Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor-John.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/tis-well-thou-art-not-fish-if-thou-hadst-thou-hadst-been-poor-john/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [And though thou hadst small Latin, and less Greek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/and-though-thou-hadst-small-latin-and-less-greek/)

[Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/)

> [If thou hadst thy will what wouldst thou reserve?" said Manwe. "Of all thy realm what dost thou hold dearest?" All have their worth,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-thou-hadst-thy-will-what-wouldst-thou-reserve-said-manwe-of-all/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I’ld have thee beaten for being old before thy time. LEAR. How’s that? FOOL. Thou shouldst not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-thou-wert-my-fool-nuncle-i-ld-have-thee-beaten-for-being-old/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“thou great star! what would be thy happiness if thou hadst not those for whom thou shinest!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/thou-great-star-what-would-be-thy-happiness-if-thou-hadst-not-those/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [Thou hadst, for weary feet, the gift of rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-watson/thou-hadst-for-weary-feet-the-gift-of-rest/)

[William Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-watson/)

> [Happy art thou, as if every day thou hadst picked up a horseshoe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/happy-art-thou-as-if-every-day-thou-hadst-picked-up-a-horseshoe/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-shouldst-not-have-been-old-till-thou-hadst-been-wise/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all, What hast thou then more than thou hadst before? No love, my love, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/take-all-my-loves-my-love-yea-take-them-all-what-hast-thou-then-more/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Ah! ah! wherefore didst thou not look at me? If thou hadst looked at me thou hadst loved me. Well I know that thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/ah-ah-wherefore-didst-thou-not-look-at-me-if-thou-hadst-looked-at-me/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [My bag is approaching something and taking it to another place. Like words-you take a word and by the time you've finished with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/my-bag-is-approaching-something-and-taking-it-to-another-place-like/)

[Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/)

> [I don't like words coming out of a character's mouth that I adore because not only is he a little bit duplicitous but he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-jr/i-don-t-like-words-coming-out-of-a-character-s-mouth-that-i-adore/)

[Robert Downey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-jr/)

> [“She looks like there are no words inside her at all, like language has taken a vacation from her life and left her alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-miller/she-looks-like-there-are-no-words-inside-her-at-all-like-language-has/)

Meredith Miller

## More by Philip Massinger

> [You may boldly say, you did not plough Or trust the barren and ungrateful sands With the fruitful grain of your religious counsels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/you-may-boldly-say-you-did-not-plough-or-trust-the-barren-and/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [The sum of all that makes a just man happy Consists in the well choosing of his wife: And there, well to discharge it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/the-sum-of-all-that-makes-a-just-man-happy-consists-in-the-well/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [Virtue, thou in rags, may challenge more than vice set off with all the trim of greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/virtue-thou-in-rags-may-challenge-more-than-vice-set-off-with-all-the/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [Pleasures of worse natures Are gladly entertained, and they that shun us Practice in private sports the stews would blush at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/pleasures-of-worse-natures-are-gladly-entertained-and-they-that-shun/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [He is not valiant that dares lie; but he that boldly bears calamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/he-is-not-valiant-that-dares-lie-but-he-that-boldly-bears-calamity/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [If you like not hanging, drown yourself; Take some course for your reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/if-you-like-not-hanging-drown-yourself-take-some-course-for-your/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [He that knows no guilt can know no fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/he-that-knows-no-guilt-can-know-no-fear/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [Without good company all dainties Lose their true relish, and like painted grapes, Are only seen, not tasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/without-good-company-all-dainties-lose-their-true-relish-and-like/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [How sweetly sounds the voice of a good woman! It is so seldom heard that, when it speaks,it ravishes all senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/how-sweetly-sounds-the-voice-of-a-good-woman-it-is-so-seldom-heard/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [He is not valiant that dares die, but he that boldly bears calamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/he-is-not-valiant-that-dares-die-but-he-that-boldly-bears-calamity/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [Like a rough orator, that brings more truth Than rhetoric, to make good his accusation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/like-a-rough-orator-that-brings-more-truth-than-rhetoric-to-make-good/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [He that would govern others, first should be Master of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/he-that-would-govern-others-first-should-be-master-of-himself/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [Many good purposes lie in the churchyard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/many-good-purposes-lie-in-the-churchyard/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [Cheerful looks make every dish a feast, and it is that which crowns a welcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/cheerful-looks-make-every-dish-a-feast-and-it-is-that-which-crowns-a/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

> [As the index tells us the contents of stories and directs to the particular chapter, even so does the outward habit and superficial order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/as-the-index-tells-us-the-contents-of-stories-and-directs-to-the/)

[Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

[Explore all 73 Philip Massinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/)

## More Language quotes

> [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/)

Ted Martinez

> [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. But I never came down to that level as being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/usually-male-directors-have-to-use-foul-language-to-get-the-job-done/)

[Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/)

TimBur

> [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/)

[Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/)

> [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/)

[Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/)

> [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/)

[Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/)

> [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/)

[Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/)

> [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“The words for what I want to say right now don't exist. Everything sounds…so cliché.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/the-words-for-what-i-want-to-say-right-now-don-t-exist-everything/)

[Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/)

> [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [Words can kill you trust towards someone, mind you language people, every reaction had its consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-can-kill-you-trust-towards-someone-mind-you-language-people/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Finxerunt animi, raro et perpauca loquentis. (To action little, less to words inclinded.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/finxerunt-animi-raro-et-perpauca-loquentis-to-action-little-less-to/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/)

[Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/)

[Browse all 21,951 Language quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Oh that thou hadst like others been all words, And no performance.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Philip Massinger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all-words-and-no-performance/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Language"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all-words-and-no-performance/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/philip-massinger-9358_language_oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all_1713115.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/philip-massinger-9358_language_oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all_1713115.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/philip-massinger-9358_language_oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all_1713115.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Oh that thou hadst like others been all words, And no performance.” — Philip Massinger",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Philip Massinger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Oh that thou hadst like others...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all-words-and-no-performance/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/oh-that-thou-hadst-like-others-been-all-words-and-no-performance/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
