Selections from the Poetry of Dryden: Including His Plays and Translations

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John W. Parker & Son, 1852 - English poetry - 350 pages

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Page 212 - At last divine Cecilia came, Inventress of the vocal frame; The sweet enthusiast from her sacred store Enlarged the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, With Nature's mother-wit and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown : He raised a mortal to the skies; She drew an angel down.
Page 154 - In the first rank of these did Zimri stand: A man so various, that he seem'd to be Not one, but all Mankind's Epitome. Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong; Was everything by starts, and nothing long: But in the course of one revolving moon, Was chemist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon: Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking; Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking.
Page 209 - A present deity ! the vaulted roofs rebound : With ravished ears The monarch hears, Assumes the god; Affects to nod And seems to shake the spheres.
Page 162 - Shall I speak plain, and, in a nation free, Assume an honest layman's liberty ? I think, according to my little skill, To my own mother-church submitting still, That many have been saved, and many may, Who never heard this question brought in play.
Page 209 - With flying fingers touched the lyre: The trembling notes ascend the sky And heavenly joys inspire. The song began from Jove Who left his blissful seats above, Such is the power of mighty love ! A dragon's fiery form belied the god; Sublime on radiant spires he rode When he to fair Olympia...
Page 150 - And lent the crowd his arm to shake the tree. •Now, manifest of crimes contrived long since, He stood at bold defiance with his Prince, Held up the buckler of the people's cause Against the crown, and skulked behind the laws.
Page 180 - LOOK round the habitable world, how few Know their own good, or, knowing it, pursue. How void of reason are our hopes and fears ! What in the conduct of our life appears So well...
Page 211 - Never ending, still beginning, Fighting still, and still destroying ; If the world be worth thy winning, Think, O think it worth enjoying : Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Take the good the gods provide thee ! The many rend the skies with loud applause ; So Love was crown'd, but Music won the cause.
Page 25 - But know, that I alone am king of me. I am as free as nature first made man, Ere the base laws of servitude began, When wild in woods the noble savage ran.
Page 154 - A man so various that he seemed to be Not one, but all mankind's epitome : Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong, Was everything by starts and nothing long ; But in the course of one revolving moon Was chymist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon ; Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking, Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking.

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