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 603
... stood Threatening from high , and overlooked the wood : Beneath the louring brow , and on a bent , ° The temple stood of Mars armipotent ; The frame of burnished steel , that cast a glare From far , and seemed to thaw the freezing air A ...
... stood Threatening from high , and overlooked the wood : Beneath the louring brow , and on a bent , ° The temple stood of Mars armipotent ; The frame of burnished steel , that cast a glare From far , and seemed to thaw the freezing air A ...
Page 646
... Stood doubting ; and while doubting thus he stood , Received the steel bathed in his brother's blood . Pleased with the first , unknown the second news , Althaea to the temples pays their dues For her son's conquest ; when at length ...
... Stood doubting ; and while doubting thus he stood , Received the steel bathed in his brother's blood . Pleased with the first , unknown the second news , Althaea to the temples pays their dues For her son's conquest ; when at length ...
Page 842
... stood , nor would nor could depart ; Fixed as a pilgrim wildered in his way , ° Who dares not stir by night , for fear to stray ; But stands with awful eyes to watch the dawn of day . At length awaking , Iphigene the fair ( So was the ...
... stood , nor would nor could depart ; Fixed as a pilgrim wildered in his way , ° Who dares not stir by night , for fear to stray ; But stands with awful eyes to watch the dawn of day . At length awaking , Iphigene the fair ( So was the ...
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