Glass,china,and reputation are easily crack'd and never well mended.?

Question

What does this quote mean?

Answer 1

Glass and china are nortorious for being difficult to repair without the seams showing, so the author is asking us to note by analogy the reputation - what people think of us - is equally prone to breakage (damage) and equally hard to repair seamlessly - without memory of the cause of the damage lingering.

Answer 2

Don't foul up. It sticks with you.