Who said “To doubt is worse than to have lost; And to despair is but to antedate those miseries…”?

Verified

Philip Massinger. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceDuke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene iii

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“To doubt is worse than to have lost; And to despair is but to antedate those miseries that must fall on us.”
— Philip Massinger
VerifiedDuke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene iii · evidenceDoubt
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Duke of Milan (1623), Act I, scene iii.

APA

Massinger, P. (n.d.). To doubt is worse than to have lost; And to despair is but to antedate those miseries that must fall on us. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13753-to-doubt-is-worse-than-to-have-lost/

MLA

Massinger, Philip. “To doubt is worse than to have lost; And to despair is but to antedate those miseries that must fall on us.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13753-to-doubt-is-worse-than-to-have-lost/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Massinger, Philip. “To doubt is worse than to have lost; And to despair is but to antedate those miseries that must fall on us.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13753-to-doubt-is-worse-than-to-have-lost/.

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More quotes by Philip Massinger

“Patience, the beggar's virtue, shall find no harbor here.”
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All 5 Philip Massinger quotes →