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If passion rules, how weak does reason prove!

John Dryden

Our souls sit close and silently within, And their own web from their own entrails spin; And when eyes meet far off, our sense is such, That, spider-like, we feel the tenderest touch.
JOHN DRYDEN

Eyes Feeling Ourselves Soul Tender Togetherness Touch
As one that neither seeks, nor shuns his foe.
JOHN DRYDEN

Enemy One Liner Seek Shine
Lucky men are favorites of Heaven.
JOHN DRYDEN

Favorite Heaven Man
There is a proud modesty in merit.
JOHN DRYDEN

Advantage Modesty Proud
For secrets are edged tools, And must be kept from children and from fools.
JOHN DRYDEN

Children Edge Fools Secret Tools
They live too long who happiness outlive.
JOHN DRYDEN

Happiness Live
For they can conquer who believe they can.
JOHN DRYDEN

Believe Conquer
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
Present joys are more to flesh and blood Than a dull prospect of a distant good.
JOHN DRYDEN

Distance Flesh Goodness Present
Few know the use of life before ’tis past.
JOHN DRYDEN

Life Past
Go miser go, for money sell your soul. Trade wares for wares and trudge from pole to pole, So others may say when you are dead and gone. See what a vast estate he left his son.
JOHN DRYDEN

Estate Himself Misery Money Sell Soul
I saw myself the lambent easy light Gild the brown horror, and dispel the night.
JOHN DRYDEN

Brown Easy Light Night
We by art unteach what Nature taught.
JOHN DRYDEN

Art Nature Teaching
They first condemn that first advised the ill.
JOHN DRYDEN

Advise Sick
Self-defense is Nature’s eldest law.
JOHN DRYDEN

Defense Law Nature
Fowls, by winter forced, forsake the floods, and wing their hasty flight to happier lands.
JOHN DRYDEN

Force Happiness Land Winter

If passion rules, how weak does reason prove!

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If passion rules, how weak does reason prove!

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