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Only man clogs his happiness with care, destroying what is with thoughts of what may be.

John Dryden

Not sharp revenge, nor hell itself can find, A fiercer torment than a guilty mind, Which day and night doth dreadfully accuse, Condemns the wretch, and still the charge renews.
JOHN DRYDEN

Charge Mindset Revenge Sharp
All delays are dangerous in war.
JOHN DRYDEN

Dangerous Delay War
Great wits are sure to madness near allied, and thin partitions do their bounds divide.
JOHN DRYDEN

Bound Divison Greatness Intelligence Mad
He who would pry behind the scenes oft sees a counterfeit.
JOHN DRYDEN

Himself Scene
Griefs assured are felt before they come.
JOHN DRYDEN

Assurance Feeling Grief
The conscience of a people is their power.
JOHN DRYDEN

Conscience People Power
Reason to rule, mercy to forgive: The first is law, the last prerogative. Life is an adventure in forgiveness.
JOHN DRYDEN

Adventure First Forgiveness Reason Rule
He look’d in years, yet in his years were seen A youthful vigor, and autumnal green.
JOHN DRYDEN

Green Himself Youth
Truth is the object of our understanding, as good is of our will; and the understanding can no more be delighted with a lie than the will can choose an apparent evil.
JOHN DRYDEN

Choice Delight Evil Lying Object Truth Understand
Men are but children of a larger growth, Our appetites as apt to change as theirs, And full as craving too, and full as vain.
JOHN DRYDEN

Children Crave Growth Man
Lucky men are favorites of Heaven.
JOHN DRYDEN

Favorite Heaven Man
Pity melts the mind to love.
JOHN DRYDEN

Love Mindset Pity
Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.
JOHN DRYDEN

Degree River Sea
For those whom God to ruin has design’d, He fits for fate, and first destroys their mind.
JOHN DRYDEN

Design God Mindset Ruin
Present joys are more to flesh and blood Than a dull prospect of a distant good.
JOHN DRYDEN

Distance Flesh Goodness Present
Every language is so full of its own proprieties that what is beautiful in one is often barbarous, nay, sometimes nonsense, in another.
JOHN DRYDEN

Beautiful Language Oneself
The thought of being nothing after death is a burden insupportable to a virtuous man.
JOHN DRYDEN

Death Man Thinking Virtue
Trust reposed in noble natures obliges them the more.
JOHN DRYDEN

Nature Obligation Response Trust
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today: Be fair or foul or rain or shine, The joys I have possessed in spite of fate are mine. Not heaven itself upon the past has power; But what has been has been, and I have had my hour.
JOHN DRYDEN

Live Myself Past Power Rain Shine Worst
The scum that rises upmost, when the nation boils.
JOHN DRYDEN

Boil Nature Rise
Among our crimes oblivion may be set.
JOHN DRYDEN

Crime Oblivion
For they can conquer who believe they can.
JOHN DRYDEN

Believe Conquer
Boldness is a mask for fear, however great.
JOHN DRYDEN

Bold Fear Greatness Mask
Welcome, thou kind deceiver! Thou best of thieves; who, with an easy key, Dost open life, and, unperceived by us, Even steal us from ourselves.
JOHN DRYDEN

Best Kind Ourselves Steal
Silence in times of suffering is the best.
JOHN DRYDEN

Best Silence Suffering Time
Bold knaves thrive without one grain of sense, But good men starve for want of impudence.
JOHN DRYDEN

Bold Goodness Starve
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.
JOHN DRYDEN

God Goodness Love Thinking World

Only man clogs his happiness with care, destroying what is with thoughts of what may be.

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Only man clogs his happiness with care, destroying what is with thoughts of what may be.

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