John Dryden
John Dryden
John Drydenwas an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668...
fond harmless household meant nature silly
Nature meant me a wife, a silly harmless household Dove, fond without art; and kind without deceit.
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.
mean ignorant world
Good sense and good-nature are never separated, though the ignorant world has thought otherwise. Good-nature, by which I mean beneficence and candor, is the product of right reason.
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.
mean hands pimp
But when to sin our biased nature leans, The careful Devil is still at hand with means; And providently pimps for ill desires.
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.