John Dryden
John Dryden
John Drydenwas an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668...
file finish fool fools-and-foolishness god help school true
True fops help nature's work, and go to school - to file and finish God Almighty's fool
god king nor pampered people
God's pampered people whom, debauched with ease, / No king could govern, nor no God could please.
god devil usual
Railing and praising were his usual themes; and both showed his judgment in extremes. Either over violent or over civil, so everyone to him was either god or devil.
god men devil
So over violent, or over civil that every man with him was God or Devil.
thee god-provides goods
Take the goods the gods provide thee.
giant theirs
Theirs was the giant race, before the flood.
authority combat establish general men particular reputation themselves understanding
They who would combat general authority with particular opinion, must first establish themselves a reputation of understanding better than other men
danced days witness
Witness ye days and nights, and all ye hours, / That danced away with down upon your feet.
affect gravity men name solid wanting wit
Those wanting wit affect gravity and go by the name of solid men
cousin
Cousin Swift, you will never be a poet.
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.