To the Reader [On the portrait of Shakespeare prefixed to the First Folio] (1618), lines 9-10
“
Reader, look,
Not at his picture, but his book.
— Ben Jonson
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Reader, look,
Not at his picture, but his book." in the context of "To the Reader [On the portrait of Shakespeare prefixed to the First Folio] (1618), lines 9-10" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Ben Jonson" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson (11 June 1572 – 6 August 1637) was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor, most famous for his plays Volpone and The Alchemist, his lyrics, his influence on Jacobean and Caroline poets, his theory of humours, his contentious personality, and his friendship and rivalry with William Shakespeare.
About Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson (11 June 1572 – 6 August 1637) was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor, most famous for his plays Volpone and The Alchemist, his lyrics, his influence on Jacobean and Caroline poets, his theory of humours, his contentious personality, and his friendship and rivalry with William Shakespeare.
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