John DrydenDryden's poetry is straightforward, bold, and energetic. He was in the public eye for some forty years, holding positions at court for a long period of time. He was indisputably perceived as the leading writer of his day. He excelled in all the types of writing practiced at the time. He wrote more, and in more genres than anyone. He accumulated to himself (it is a odd distinction) a huge mass of attacks, ranging from the reasoned to the scabrous. Dryden explained his attitudes and intentions in a large number of prologues, epilogues, prefaces, defences, and vindications-thereby quite casually producing the first body of what we now call 'criticism' in English. And yet his life and character remain something of a mystery. |
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Page 59
... fire . As when some dire usurper heaven provides To scourge his country with a lawless sway , His birth perhaps some petty village hides , And sets his cradle out of fortune's way ; ** Till , fully ripe , his swelling fate breaks out ...
... fire . As when some dire usurper heaven provides To scourge his country with a lawless sway , His birth perhaps some petty village hides , And sets his cradle out of fortune's way ; ** Till , fully ripe , his swelling fate breaks out ...
Page 60
... fire his narrow gaol , And makes small outlets into open air : There the fierce winds his tender force assail , And ... fire . The ghosts of traitors from the bridge descend , With bold fanatic spectres to rejoice ; About the fire ...
... fire his narrow gaol , And makes small outlets into open air : There the fierce winds his tender force assail , And ... fire . The ghosts of traitors from the bridge descend , With bold fanatic spectres to rejoice ; About the fire ...
Page 61
... fire . In vain ; for from the east a Belgian wind His hostile breath through the dry rafters sent ; The flames impelled soon left their foes behind , And forward with a wanton fury went . A quay of fire ran all along the shore , And ...
... fire . In vain ; for from the east a Belgian wind His hostile breath through the dry rafters sent ; The flames impelled soon left their foes behind , And forward with a wanton fury went . A quay of fire ran all along the shore , And ...
Contents
To John Hoddesdon on his Divine Epigrams I | 1 |
Astraea Redux | 9 |
Absalom and Achitophel | 177 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
Absalom and Achitophel Aeneas Aeneid ancient Arcite Aristotle arms bear beauty behold Ben Jonson betwixt blessed blood breast Caeneus Chaucer Cinyras courser cried crime crown death Dryden e'en earth English eyes fair fame fate father fear fight fire flames force Georgics give goddess gods grace Greek ground hand haste head heart heaven honour Iliad John Dryden Jove kind king labour leave light live lord lover Lucretius maid Metamorphoses mighty mind mortal muse nature never night numbers o'er once Ovid pain Palamon passion Pindar Pirithous plain play pleased poem poet praise Priam prince pursue queen race rage rest rhyme Roman sacred Satire of Juvenal seas Sejanus sighed sight sire skies soul stood sweet sword tears thee Theseus thou thought translation Twas verse Virgil vows wife wind words youth