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John Dryden Quotes
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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.
John Dryden
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Damn'd neuters, in their middle way of steering, Are neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring.
John Dryden
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Jealousy's a proof of love, But 'tis a weak and unavailing medicine; It puts out the disease and makes it show, But has no power to cure.
John Dryden
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To die for faction is a common evil, But to be hanged for nonsense is the devil.
John Dryden
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Are scatter'd from their heap, and puff'd away.
John Dryden
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The Fates but only spin the coarser clue; The finest of the wool is left for you.
John Dryden
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Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.
John Dryden
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A coward is the kindest animal;
'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.
John Dryden
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Fattened in vice, so callous and so gross, he sins and sees not, senseless of his loss.
John Dryden
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As when the dove returning bore the mark Of earth restored to the long labouring ark; The relics of mankind, secure at rest, Oped every window to receive the guest, And the fair bearer of the message bless'd.
John Dryden
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To be the child of chance, and not of care, No atoms casually together hurl'd.
John Dryden
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So the false spider, when her nets are spread, deep ambushed in her silent den does lie.
John Dryden
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And oft, before tempestuous winds arise, The seeming stars fall headlong from the skies, And shooting through the darkness, gild the night With sweeping flories and long trails of light.
John Dryden
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The good we have enjoyed from Heaven's free will, and shall we murmur to endure the ill?
John Dryden
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At home the hateful names of parties cease, And factious souls are wearied into peace.
John Dryden
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Since a true knowledge of nature gives us pleasure, a lively imitation of it, either in poetry or painting, must produce a much greater; for both these arts are not only true imitations of nature, but of the best nature.
John Dryden
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Imagination in a poet is a faculty so wild and lawless that, like a high ranging spaniel, it must have clogs tied to it, lest it outrun the judgment. The great easiness of blank verse renders the poet too luxuriant. He is tempted to say many things which might better be omitted, or, at least shut up in fewer words.
John Dryden
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Thoughts cannot form themselves in words so horrid As can express my guilt.
John Dryden
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My whole life Has been a golden dream of love and friendship.
John Dryden
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That, if the Gentiles, (whom no Law inspir'd,)
By Nature did what was by Law requir'd;
They, who the written Rule and never known,
Were to themselves both Rule and Law alone:
To Natures plain Indictment they shall plead;
And, by their Conscience, be condemn'd or freed.
John Dryden
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And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than by disputes the public peace disturb; For points obscure are of small use to learn, But common quiet is mankind's concern.
John Dryden
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I am devilishly afraid, that's certain; but... I'll sing, that I may seem valiant.
John Dryden
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A goldfinch there I saw, with gawdy pride Of painted plumes, that hopped from side to side, Still pecking as she pass'd; and still she drew The sweets from every flower, and suck'd the dew: Sufficed at length, she warbled in her throat, And turned her voice to many a merry note...
John Dryden
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The gods, (if gods to goodness are inclined If acts of mercy touch their heavenly mind), And, more than all the gods, your generous heart, Conscious of worth, requite its own desert!
John Dryden
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Happy the man, who studying Nature's laws, Through known effects can trace the secret cause — His mind, possessing in a quiet state, Fearless of fortune and resigned to fate.
John Dryden
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Quote of the day
Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, a torch flung to the trees.
Faith Baldwin
John Dryden
Creative Commons
Born:
August 9, 1631
Died:
May 1, 1700
(aged 68)
Bio:
John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made Poet Laureate in 1668.
Known for:
Mac Flecknoe
Absalom and Achitophel
Annus Mirabilis
The Hind and the Panther
Religio Laici
Most used words:
man
love
life
soul
nature
kind
time
live
age
day
sense
god
harmony
land
wit
John Dryden on Wikipedia
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