TO THINE OWN SELF

In response to yesterday's article Confronting Condescension, Mona Lisa called and said,  "I looked up Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3, but I didn't understand your reference."

I said, "I supposed that she would know the quote TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE."

Mona Lisa replied,  "Oh, I was looking at the wrong part;  I didn't understand what Laertes warning Ophelia had to do with your confronting her condescension."

I answered, "I was referring to Polonius' speech:
"This above all, to thine own self be true
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee."

Mona Lisa responded, "They were all condescending to Ophelia, don't you think?  She could've learned from 'neither a borrower or lender be' also."

I said, "That's a very good summary!"

Later, in relating the conversation to my brother, he said, "Yeah, old Polonius had some really good lines;  how about learning from 'BREVITY IS THE SOUL OF WIT'?"

OK, I will be brief!