black
grey
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We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.

John Dryden

A farce is that in poetry which grotesque (caricature) is in painting. The persons and actions of a farce are all unnatural, and the manners false, that is, inconsistent with the characters of mankind; and grotesque painting is the just resemblance of this.
JOHN DRYDEN

Character Kind Man Natural Painting Person Poetry
Parting is worse than death; it is death of love!
JOHN DRYDEN

Death Love Part Worst
Deathless laurel is the victor’s due.
JOHN DRYDEN

Death Due
Self-defense is Nature’s eldest law.
JOHN DRYDEN

Defense Law Nature
Beauty, like ice, our footing does betray; Who can tread sure on the smooth, slippery way: Pleased with the surface, we glide swiftly on, And see the dangers that we cannot shun.
JOHN DRYDEN

Beautiful Dangerous Surface Way
No king nor nation one moment can retard the appointed hour.
JOHN DRYDEN

King Mad Moments Nation
There’s a proud modesty in merit; averse from asking, and resolved to pay ten times the gifts it asks.
JOHN DRYDEN

Gift Modesty Proud Time
Forgiveness to the injured does belong; but they ne’er pardon who have done wrong.
JOHN DRYDEN

Forgiveness Injury Wrong
No government has ever been, or can ever be, wherein time-servers and blockheads will not be uppermost.
JOHN DRYDEN

Block Government Time
The trumpet’s loud clangor Excites us to arms.
JOHN DRYDEN

Excitement Loud
Railing and praising were his usual themes; and both showed his judgment in extremes. Either over violent or over civil, so everyone to him was either god or devil.
JOHN DRYDEN

Himself Judgement Praise Theme
None are so busy as the fool and the knave.
JOHN DRYDEN

Busy Fools
What, start at this! when sixty years have spread. Their grey experience o’er thy hoary head? Is this the all observing age could gain? Or hast thou known the world so long in vain?
JOHN DRYDEN

Age Empty Experience Known Start World
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
Confidence is the feeling we have before knowing all the facts.
JOHN DRYDEN

Confidence Fact Known
By education most have been misled; So they believe, because they were bred. The priest continues where the nurse began, And thus the child imposes on the man.
JOHN DRYDEN

Believe Children Direction Education Lost Man

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.

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We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.

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Popular Authors

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