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 27
... words therefore are the least part of his care , for he pictures nature in disorder , with which the study and choice of words is inconsistent . This is the proper wit of dialogue or discourse , and , consequently , of the drama , where ...
... words therefore are the least part of his care , for he pictures nature in disorder , with which the study and choice of words is inconsistent . This is the proper wit of dialogue or discourse , and , consequently , of the drama , where ...
Page 121
... words and a right disposing of them . For the due choice of your words expresses your sense naturally , and the due placing them adapts the rhyme to it . ' If you object that one verse may be made for the sake of another , though both the ...
... words and a right disposing of them . For the due choice of your words expresses your sense naturally , and the due placing them adapts the rhyme to it . ' If you object that one verse may be made for the sake of another , though both the ...
Page 566
... word for its sounds and significancy deserves to be revived , I have that reasonable veneration for antiquity to restore it . All beyond this is superstition . Words are not like land- marks , so sacred as never to be removed . Customs ...
... word for its sounds and significancy deserves to be revived , I have that reasonable veneration for antiquity to restore it . All beyond this is superstition . Words are not like land- marks , so sacred as never to be removed . Customs ...
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