| John Bartlett (18201905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919. |
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| NUMBER: | 886 |
| AUTHOR: | William Shakespeare (15641616) |
| QUOTATION: | 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. |
| ATTRIBUTION: | King John. Act iv. Sc. 2. [text] |
| BIOGRAPHY: | Columbia Encyclopedia. |
| WORKS: | William Shakespeare Collection. |
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