John Dryden
John Dryden
John Drydenwas an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668...
grace affection goodness
Let grace and goodness be the principal loadstone of thy affections.
betrayal ice literature
Beauty, like ice, our footing does betray; Who can tread sure on the smooth, slippery way: Pleased with the surface, we glide swiftly on, And see the dangers that we cannot shun.
perfection needs impossible
Many things impossible to thought have been by need to full perfection brought.
fear life-lesson learning
He has not learned the first lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear.
love literature cures
But love's a malady without a cure.
giving want poverty
If we from wealth to poverty descend, Want gives to know the flatterer from the friend.
sight light scripture
Revealed religion first informed thy sight, and reason saw not till faith sprung to light.
brave unjust ruins
Fortune's unjust; she ruins oft the brave, and him who should be victor, makes the slave.
death soul body
Death only this mysterious truth unfolds, The mighty soul how small a body holds.
iron may leisure
We must beat the iron while it is hot, but we may polish it at leisure.
men wind water
A good conscience is a port which is landlocked on every side, where no winds can possibly invade. There a man may not only see his own image, but that of his Maker, clearly reflected from the undisturbed waters.
good-life mean use
Affability, mildness, tenderness, and a word which I would fain bring back to its original signification of virtue,--I mean good-nature,--are of daily use; they are the bread of mankind and staff of life.
freedom land sole
Freedom which in no other land will thrive, Freedom an English subject's sole prerogative.
light giving suffering
Light sufferings give us leisure to complain.