Selections from the Poetry of Dryden: Including His Plays and Translations |
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Page 3
... vain to own repentance , since I know Thy scorn , which did my passions once despise , Once more would make my swelling anger flow ; Which now ebbs lower than your miseries : The gods , that in my fortunes were unkind , Gave me not ...
... vain to own repentance , since I know Thy scorn , which did my passions once despise , Once more would make my swelling anger flow ; Which now ebbs lower than your miseries : The gods , that in my fortunes were unkind , Gave me not ...
Page 8
... vain , O mortal men , your pray'rs implore The aid of pow'rs below , which want it more : A god more strong , who all the gods commands , Drives us to exile from our native lands ; The air swarms thick with wand'ring deities , Which ...
... vain , O mortal men , your pray'rs implore The aid of pow'rs below , which want it more : A god more strong , who all the gods commands , Drives us to exile from our native lands ; The air swarms thick with wand'ring deities , Which ...
Page 10
... vain you turn aside , And hide your face , your name you cannot hide ; I know my rival and his black design . P Almeria . I cannot kill thee ; sure thou bear'st some charm , [ Goes back . [ Aside . [ Comes again . Or some divinity holds ...
... vain you turn aside , And hide your face , your name you cannot hide ; I know my rival and his black design . P Almeria . I cannot kill thee ; sure thou bear'st some charm , [ Goes back . [ Aside . [ Comes again . Or some divinity holds ...
Page 19
... Vain spirits , you that shunning heav'n's high noon , Swarm here beneath the concave of the moon , What folly , or what rage your duty blinds , To violate the sleep of holy minds ? Hence , to the task assign'd you here below : Upon the ...
... Vain spirits , you that shunning heav'n's high noon , Swarm here beneath the concave of the moon , What folly , or what rage your duty blinds , To violate the sleep of holy minds ? Hence , to the task assign'd you here below : Upon the ...
Page 20
... vain experiments you make each day , To find content , still finding it decay , Without attempting more , should let you see That you have sought it where it ne'er could be . But when you place your joys on things above , You fix the ...
... vain experiments you make each day , To find content , still finding it decay , Without attempting more , should let you see That you have sought it where it ne'er could be . But when you place your joys on things above , You fix the ...
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Selections from the Poetry of Dryden: Including His Plays and Translations ... John Dryden No preview available - 2014 |
Selections from the Poetry of Dryden: Including His Plays and Translations Anonymous No preview available - 2017 |
Common terms and phrases
ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL Almah Almanz Almanzor arms art thou Aureng-Zebe bear behold blast blood brave breast breath call'd Cleo Cleom Cleopatra clouds courser cries crowd dare darts death Dryden earth Ev'n ev'ry eyes face falchions fame fatal fate fear fierce fight fire fix'd flames flow'rs forc'd forest fly fortune friends fury ghost gods grace ground hand hast head hear heard heart Heav'n hollow honour Ismeron Jove king Laius Latian light look look'd loud lov'd mighty mind murmurs Nakar night o'er pain pass'd peace pity plain pleas'd pointed lance pow'r pray'rs press'd prey prince queen rage rais'd resolv'd rest rise scarce seas seem'd seiz'd shade shake shore side sight skies sleep soul sound stood storm sweet sword tempest thee thou trembling Trojan turn'd Turnus Twas vanquish'd Vent vex'd winds wings wood wound youth
Popular passages
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.