John Dryden
John Dryden
John Drydenwas an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668...
morning night light
I saw myself the lambent easy light Gild the brown horror, and dispel the night.
revenge night mind
Not sharp revenge, nor hell itself can find, A fiercer torment than a guilty mind, Which day and night doth dreadfully accuse, Condemns the wretch, and still the charge renews.
life night joy
Joy rul'd the day, and Love the night.
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.
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