“So may the outward shows be least themselves:The world is still deceived with ornament.In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,But, being seasoned with a gracious voice,Obscures the show of evil? In religion,What damned error, but some sober browWill bless it and approve it with a text,Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?There is no vice so simple but assumesSome mark of virtue on his outward parts.”

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Originally said in English.

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About William Shakespeare

English playwright and poet of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Shakespeare is best known for his timeless plays and sonnets that explore human nature, love, power, and morality. His works, spanning tragedies like *Hamlet* and *Macbeth*, comedies such as *A Midsummer Night’s Dream*, and historical epics like *Henry V*, remain foundational to Western literature.

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