John Dryden
John Dryden
John Drydenwas an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668...
bless malicious man office proud seldom slave
Fortune, that with malicious joy, Does man her slave oppress, Proud of her office to destroy, Is seldom pleas'd to bless
art vices slave
If thou dost still retain the same ill habits, the same follies, too, still thou art bound to vice, and still a slave.
riches slave graves
Riches cannot rescue from the grave, which claims alike the monarch and the slave.
slave
Either be wholly slaves or wholly free.
art proud slave
To tame the proud, the fetter'd slave to free, These are imperial arts.
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.