Truth is never to be expected from authors whose understanding is warped with enthusiasm. John Dryden More Quotes by John Dryden More Quotes From John Dryden Heaven be thanked, we live in such an age, When no man dies for love, but on the stage. John Dryden love men heaven My love's a noble madness. John Dryden madness noble love Raw in the fields the rude militia swarms, Mouth without hands; maintained at vast expense, In peace a charge, in war a weak defence. John Dryden military war hands By viewing nature, nature's handmaid art, Makes mighty things from small beginnings grow: Thus fishes first to shipping did impart, Their tail the rudder, and their head the prow. John Dryden nature tails art As poetry is the harmony of words, so music is that of notes. John Dryden harmony notes music Having mourned your sin, for outward Eden lost, find paradise within. John Dryden paradise sin eden Secret guilt by silence is betrayed. John Dryden guilt silence secret Fortune, that with malicious joyDoes man her slave oppress,Proud of her office to destroy,Is seldom pleasd to bless. John Dryden proud office men Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows Where noun, and verb, and participle grows. John Dryden nouns verbs tree Shakespeare was the Homer, or father of our dramatic poets;Jonson was theVirgil, the pattern of elaborate writing; I admire him, but I love Shakespeare. John Dryden patterns writing father When Misfortune is asleep, let no one wake her. John Dryden misfortunes In pious times, ere priest-craft did begin, Before polygamy was made a sin; When man, on many, multipli'd his kind, Ere one to one was cursedly confin'd: When Nature prompted, and no Law deni'd Promiscuous use of concubine and bride; Then, Israel's monarch, after Heaven's own heart, His vigorous warmth did variously impart To wives and slaves: and, wide as his command, Scatter'd his Maker's image through the land. John Dryden israel heart men Thou spring'st a leak already in thy crown, A flaw is in thy ill-bak'd vessel found; 'Tis hollow, and returns a jarring sound, Yet thy moist clay is pliant to command, Unwrought, and easy to the potter's hand: Now take the mould; now bend thy mind to feel The first sharp motions of the forming wheel. John Dryden mind spring hands It is sufficient to say, according to the proverb, that here is God's plenty. John Dryden sufficient plenty Be fair, or foul, or rain, or shine, The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine. Not heaven itself upon the past has power; But what has been, has been, and I have had my hour. John Dryden fate rain past A brave man scorns to quarrel once a day; Like Hectors in at every petty fray. John Dryden quarrels brave men The true Amphitryon is the Amphitryon where we dine. John Dryden dine My heart's so full of joy, That I shall do some wild extravagance Of love in public; and the foolish world, Which knows not tenderness, will think me mad. John Dryden mad heart thinking Better one suffer than a nation grieve. John Dryden nations suffering grieving But 'tis the talent of our English nation, Still to be plotting some new reformation. John Dryden reformation talent stills
