Soun is noght but air ybroken, And every speche that is…

Soun is noght but air ybroken,
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air;
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air ybroke.

Sourced

The House of Fame , bk. 2, l. 257-62

Other Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

Ther nis no werkman, whatsoevere he be,
That may bothe werke wel and hastily. - View Quote Details on Ther nis no werkman, whatsoevere he be,
That may bothe werke…
For I am shave as neigh as any frere.
But yit I praye unto youre curteisye:
Beeth hevy again, or elles moot I die. - View Quote Details on For I am shave as neigh as any frere.
But yit…
Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. - View Quote Details on Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.
The lyf so short, the craft so longe to lerne.
Th’ assay so hard, so sharp the conquerynge,
The dredful joye, alwey that slit so yerne;
Al this mene I be love. - View Quote Details on The lyf so short, the craft so longe to lerne.
Th’…
Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Entuned in hir nose ful semely,
And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,
For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe. - View Quote Details on Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Entuned in hir nose…
And yet he had a thomb of gold parde. - View Quote Details on And yet he had a thomb of gold parde.
Oon ere it herde, at tothir out it wente. - View Quote Details on Oon ere it herde, at tothir out it wente.
For out of olde feldes, as men seith,
Cometh al this new corn fro yeer to yere;
And out of olde bokes, in good feith,
Cometh al this newe science that men lere. - View Quote Details on For out of olde feldes, as men seith,
Cometh al this…
Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge
Withinne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho
That hadden prys, now wonder nyce and straunge
Us thinketh hem; and yet they spake hem so,
And spedde as wel in love as men now do;
Eek for to winne love in sondry ages,
In sondry londes, sondry ben usages. - View Quote Details on Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge
Withinne…
It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake. - View Quote Details on It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake.