John Dryden Quotes - Page 17

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To draw true beauty shows a master's hand.

John Dryden

Beauty, Hands, Masters

John Dryden (1861). “Poetical Works”, p.207

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The fool of nature stood with stupid eyes And gaping mouth, that testified surprise.

John Dryden

Stupid, Eye, People

John Dryden (1855). “The Poetical Works”, p.464

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Happy the man, and happy he alone, he, who can call today his own.

John Dryden

Happiness, Men, Today

Imitation of Horace bk. 3, ode 29, l. 65 (1685)

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Successful crimes alone are justified.

John Dryden

Funny, Humor, Successful

'The Medal' (1682) l. 207

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God has endowed man with inalienable rights, among which are self-government, reason, and conscience. Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love.

John Dryden

Men, Rights, Self

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And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than by disputes the public peace disturb; For points obscure are of small use to learn, But common quiet is mankind's concern.

John Dryden

Running, Church, Doctrine

John Dryden, Paul Hammond, David Hopkins (2007). “Dryden: Selected Poems”, p.300, Pearson Education

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A satirical poet is the check of the laymen on bad priests.

John Dryden

Poetry, Checks, Priests

John Dryden (2016). “The Works of John Dryden, Vol.2: Top English Literature”, p.292, VM eBooks

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My whole life Has been a golden dream of love and friendship.

John Dryden

Dream, Love And Friendship, Golden

1678 All for Love, or The World Well Lost, act 5.

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To take up half on trust, and half to try, Name it not faith but bungling bigotry.

John Dryden

Faith, Names, Trying

John Dryden, Paul Hammond, David Hopkins (2007). “Dryden: Selected Poems”, p.401, Pearson Education

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Maintain your post: That's all the fame you need; For 'tis impossible you should proceed.

John Dryden

Needs, Impossible, Fame

John Dryden (1868). “The Poetical Works of John Dryden”, p.256

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Thoughts cannot form themselves in words so horrid As can express my guilt.

John Dryden

Guilt, Form

John Bell, Joseph Addison, Michael Arne, John Banks, John Brown (1792). “British Theatre: Isabella, or, The fatal marriage”

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When beauty fires the blood, how love exalts the mind!

John Dryden

Love, Fire, Blood

John Dryden (1868). “The Poetical Works of John Dryden”, p.432

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Thou spring'st a leak already in thy crown, A flaw is in thy ill-bak'd vessel found; 'Tis hollow, and returns a jarring sound, Yet thy moist clay is pliant to command, Unwrought, and easy to the potter's hand: Now take the mould; now bend thy mind to feel The first sharp motions of the forming wheel.

John Dryden

Spring, Hands, Mind

John Dryden (1866). “Poetical Works: With a Memoir”, p.186

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A brave man scorns to quarrel once a day; Like Hectors in at every petty fray.

John Dryden

Men, Brave, Quarrels

John Dryden (2014). “All for Love”, p.43, Bloomsbury Publishing

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My heart's so full of joy, That I shall do some wild extravagance Of love in public; and the foolish world, Which knows not tenderness, will think me mad.

John Dryden

Heart, Thinking, Mad

1678 All for Love, or The World Well Lost, act 2.

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Chaucer followed Nature everywhere, but was never so bold to go beyond her.

John Dryden

Nature, Chaucer

John Dryden (1868). “The Poetical Works of John Dryden: With Life and Critical Dissertation”, p.194

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Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant as a standard of judging well; the chiefest part of which is to observe those excellencies which delight a reasonable reader.

John Dryden

Judging, Criticism, Delight

John Dryden (1995). “The Works of John Dryden, Volume XII: Plays Ambboyna, The State of Innocence, Aureng-Zebe”, p.87, Univ of California Press

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And, dying, bless the hand that gave the blow.

John Dryden

Blow, Hands, Dying

'The Spanish Friar' (1681) act 2, sc. 2

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Government itself at length must fall To nature's state, where all have right to all.

John Dryden

Fall, Government, Length

1681 Absalom and Achitophel, pt.1, l.793-4.

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But wild Ambition loves to slide, not stand, And Fortune's ice prefers to Virtue's land.

John Dryden

Love, Ambition, Ice

John Dryden (1873). “Poetical Works: Containing Original Poems, Tales, and Translations”, p.53

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Railing in other men may be a crime, But ought to pass for mere instinct in him: Instinct he follows and no further knows, For to write verse with him is to transprose.

John Dryden

Writing, Men, May

John Dryden, George Gilfillan (1857). “Poetical Works: With Life, Critical Dissertation and Explanatory Notes”, p.139

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A man may be capable, as Jack Ketch's wife said of his servant, of a plain piece of work, a bare hanging; but to makea malefactordiesweetly was only belonging toher husband.

John Dryden

Husband, Men, Wife

'On Settle'

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The soft complaining flute, In dying notes, discovers The woes of hopeless lovers.

John Dryden

Dying, Complaining, Woe

John Dryden, John Mitford (1847). “The Works of John Dryden in Verse and Prose”, p.141

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Better one suffer than a nation grieve.

John Dryden

Grieving, Suffering, Nations

'Absalom and Achitophel' (1681) pt. 1, l. 416

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Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

John Dryden

Tree, Verbs, Nouns

John Dryden, Joseph Warton, John Warton (1811). “The Poetical Works of John Dryden: Containing Original Poems, Tales and Translations”, p.353

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Born: August 9, 1631
Died: May 12, 1700
Occupation: Poet
Cite this Page: Citation

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