John Dryden
John Dryden
John Drydenwas an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668...
action common graceful interest seldom
Youth, beauty, graceful action, seldom fail:/ But common interest always will prevail.
evil common nonsense
To die for faction is a common evil, But to be hanged for nonsense is the devil.
people action common
Youth, beauty, graceful action seldom fail: But common interest always will prevail; And pity never ceases to be shown To him who makes the people's wrongs his own.
truth mean common
We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what they help distribute to the public; by which means a falsehood once received from a famed writer becomes traditional to posterity.
education son common-sense
To breed up the son to common sense is evermore the parent's least expense.
chose discourse nearest rugged verse
And this unpolished rugged verse I chose / As fittest for discourse and nearest prose.
though warm
And virtue, though in rags, will keep me warm
poor ten thousand torture word
And torture one poor word ten thousand ways.
child thus
And thus the child imposes on the man.
image scattered wide
And, wide as his command, / Scattered his Maker's image through the land.
age genius includes particular studies universal
Every age has a kind of universal genius, which includes those that live in it to some particular studies
glorious sons treason
During his office, treason was no crime. / The sons of Belial had a glorious time.
bless dying gave hand
Dying bless the hand that gave the blow.
below dive errors pearls search surface
Errors like straws upon the surface flow: Who would search for pearls must dive below