John Dryden
John Dryden
John Drydenwas an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668...
cheating consider favour fooled former men trust
When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat. Yet, fooled by hope, men favour the deceit; trust on, and think to-morrow will repay: to-morrow's falser than the former day.
cheat consider deceit deception favour men
When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat yet, fool'd by hope, men favour the deceit
giant theirs
Theirs was the giant race, before the flood.
glorious sons treason
During his office, treason was no crime. / The sons of Belial had a glorious time.
excites loud
The trumpet's loud clangour / Excites us to arms.
fond harmless household meant nature silly
Nature meant me a wife, a silly harmless household Dove, fond without art; and kind without deceit.
blessings drinking pleasure
Bacchus' blessings are a treasure, Drinking is the soldier's pleasure
toil
And all to leave, what with this toil he won, / To that unfeathered, two-legged thing, a son.
kitchen cost frost
Ever a glutton, at another's cost, But in whose kitchen dwells perpetual frost.
numbness mind lazy
A lazy frost, a numbness of the mind.
zeal all-things
Nothing to build, and all things to destroy.
i-miss-you missing-you long-distance-relationship
Love reckons hours for months, and days for years; and every little absence is an age.
woe pity my-own
I learn to pity woes so like my own.
imagination might shut-up
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.