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 37
... mighty nations tried along Till now , alone the mighty nations strove : The rest at gaze without the lists did stand ; And threatening France , placed like a painted Jove ,? Kept idle thunder in his lifted hand . Just like the Raya''ti ...
... mighty nations tried along Till now , alone the mighty nations strove : The rest at gaze without the lists did stand ; And threatening France , placed like a painted Jove ,? Kept idle thunder in his lifted hand . Just like the Raya''ti ...
Page 51
... mighty strength , 600 ( Whose low - laid mouths each mounting billow laves , ) 610 Deep in her draught , and warlike in her length , She seems a sea - wasp flying on the waves . This martial present , piously designed , The loyal City ...
... mighty strength , 600 ( Whose low - laid mouths each mounting billow laves , ) 610 Deep in her draught , and warlike in her length , She seems a sea - wasp flying on the waves . This martial present , piously designed , The loyal City ...
Page 280
... mighty pains to mighty mischiefs due : Racks , prisons , poisons , the Tarpeian rock , ° Stripes , hangmen , pitch , and suffocating smoke ; And last , and most , if these were cast behind , The avenging horror of a conscious mind ...
... mighty pains to mighty mischiefs due : Racks , prisons , poisons , the Tarpeian rock , ° Stripes , hangmen , pitch , and suffocating smoke ; And last , and most , if these were cast behind , The avenging horror of a conscious mind ...
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