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One's Heart's Content
One's Heart's Content
One's Heart's Content : Phrases
Meaning:
To one's (or your) heart's content means to one's complete inner satisfaction - until one's heart is content.
Example:
Origin:
This phrase is first put into print in Shakespeare's plays and there's every reason to believe that he coined it. He used it in at least two plays:
Henry VI, 1593 - Her grace in Speech, Makes me from Wondring, fall to Weeping ioyes, Such is the Fulnesse of my hearts content.
The Merchant of Venice, 1596 - I wish your Ladiship all hearts content.
It is also found in a letter Shakespeare sent to the Earl of Southampton, as the dedication of the poem Venus and Adonis:
Right Honourable, - I know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your Lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen: only, if your Honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But, if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your Honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful expectation.