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John Dryden Quotes

Poet

John Dryden, born on August 9, 1631, and died on May 12, 1700, was a prominent English poet and dramatist of the 17th century. His works have had a profound impact on English literature, particularly in the field of drama, and he is considered one of the founders of English drama.

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Famous John Dryden Quotes

“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.”

Ifs Way Stills Reason Use Running Church Common Mankind Quiet Concern Hearing Doctrine Obscure Disputes Another Way Curb

Book:Dryden: Selected Poems

Source: Dryden: Selected Poems

“If all the world be worth thy winning. / Think, oh think it worth enjoying: / Lovely Thaïs sits beside thee, / Take the good the gods provide thee.”

Ifs Thinking World Winning Enjoy Lovely Thee God Provides

Book:The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, Esq: Containing All His Original Poems, Tales, and Translations ...

Source: The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, Esq: Containing All His Original Poems, Tales, and Translations ...

“'Tis a good thing to laugh at any rate; and if a straw can tickle a man, it is an instrument of happiness.”

Ifs Men Humor Funny Laughing Laughter Humorous Instruments Good Things Rate Straws

Book:The Works of John Dryden, Volume XX: Prose 1691-1698 De Arte Graphica and Shorter Works

Source: The Works of John Dryden, Volume XX: Prose 1691-1698 De Arte Graphica and Shorter Works

“The poorest of the sex have still an itch To know their fortunes, equal to the rich. The dairy-maid inquires, if she shall take The trusty tailor, and the cook forsake.”

Ifs Knows Stills Sex Rich Equal Fortune Curiosity Cooks Poorest Maids Forsake Dairy Tailors

Book:The Poetical Works of John Dryden, Containing the Original Poems, Tales, and Translations

Source: The Poetical Works of John Dryden, Containing the Original Poems, Tales, and Translations

“The gods, (if gods to goodness are inclined If acts of mercy touch their heavenly mind), And, more than all the gods, your generous heart, Conscious of worth, requite its own desert!”

Ifs Mind Heart Goodness Conscious Mercy Desert Generous Heavenly Generous Heart

Book:The works of John Dryden now first collected ...

Source: The works of John Dryden now first collected ...

“If the faults of men in orders are only to be judged among themselves, they are all in some sort parties; for, since they say the honour of their order is concerned in every member of it, how can we be sure that they will be impartial judges?”

Ifs Men Order Party Judging Members Concerned Faults Honour Judged

Book:The fables, ornamented with engravings, (by) Lady Diana Beauclerc

Source: The fables, ornamented with engravings, (by) Lady Diana Beauclerc

“It is almost impossible to translate verbally and well at the same time; for the Latin (a most severe and compendious language) often expresses that in one word which either the barbarity or the narrowness of modern tongues cannot supply in more. ...But since every language is so full of its own proprieties that what is beautiful in one is often barbarous, nay, sometimes nonsense, in another, it would be unreasonable to limit a translator to the narrow compass of his author's words; it is enough if he choose out some expression which does not vitiate the sense.”

“I feel my sinews slackened with the fright, and a cold sweat trills down all over my limbs, as if I were dissolving into water.”

Ifs Feels Fear Water Cold Sweat Limbs Fright Dissolving Trill

Author:John Dryden

“It's a hard world, neighbors, if a man's oath must be his master.”

Ifs Men World Hard Masters Neighbor Oath

Author:John Dryden

“If we from wealth to poverty descend, Want gives to know the flatterer from the friend.”

Ifs Knows Want Giving Wealth Poverty Flatterer

Book:Fables, from Boccaccio and Chaucer

Source: Fables, from Boccaccio and Chaucer

“Want is a bitter and a hateful good, Because its virtues are not understood; Yet many things, impossible to thought, Have been by need to full perfection brought. The daring of the soul proceeds from thence, Sharpness of wit, and active diligence; Prudence at once, and fortitude it gives; And, if in patience taken, mends our lives.”

Source: Delphi Complete Works of John Dryden (Illustrated)

“The province of the soul is large enough to fill up every cranny of your time, and leave you much to answer for if one wretch be damned by your neglect.”

Ifs Soul Enough Answers Neglect Preaching Provinces

Book:Delphi Complete Works of John Dryden (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of John Dryden (Illustrated)

“If one must be rejected, one succeed, make him my lord within whose faithful breast is fixed my image, and who loves me best.”

Ifs Lord Succeed Faithful Fixed Breasts Rejected Rivalry

Book:Poetical works

Source: Poetical works

“If thou dost still retain the same ill habits, the same follies, too, still thou art bound to vice, and still a slave.”

Ifs Art Stills Habit Slave Bounds Ill Vices Folly

Author:John Dryden

“That, if the Gentiles, (whom no Law inspir'd,) By Nature did what was by Law requir'd; They, who the written Rule and never known, Were to themselves both Rule and Law alone: To Natures plain Indictment they shall plead; And, by their Conscience, be condemn'd or freed.”

Ifs Law Known Written Conscience Gentiles Indictment

Book:The Works of John Dryden, Volume II: Poems, 1681-1684

Source: The Works of John Dryden, Volume II: Poems, 1681-1684

“If passion rules, how weak does reason prove!”

Ifs Doe Reason Passion Prove Weak

Book:The Works of John Dryden

Source: The Works of John Dryden

“If you have lived, take thankfully the past. Make, as you can, the sweet remembrance last.”

Ifs Lasts Past Sweet Gratitude Remembrance

Book:The works of John Dryden: now first collected in eighteen volumes. Illustrated with notes, historical, critical, and explanatory, and a life of the author

Source: The works of John Dryden: now first collected in eighteen volumes. Illustrated with notes, historical, critical, and explanatory, and a life of the author

“If by the people you understand the multitude, the hoi polloi, 'tis no matter what they think; they are sometimes in the right, sometimes in the wrong; their judgment is a mere lottery.”

People Ifs Thinking Sometimes Matter Understanding Judgment No Matter What Mere Multitudes Lottery

Author:John Dryden

“For thee, sweet month; the groves green liveries wear. If not the first, the fairest of the year; For thee the Graces lead the dancing hours, And Nature's ready pencil paints the flowers. When thy short reign is past, the feverish sun The sultry tropic fears, and moves more slowly on.”