black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Plots, true or false, are necessary things, To raise up commonwealths and ruin kings.

John Dryden

I am as free as nature first made man, Ere the base laws of servitude began, When wild in woods the noble savage ran.
JOHN DRYDEN

Freedom Man Nature Run Savage Wild
Politicians neither love nor hate.
JOHN DRYDEN

Hate Love Politics
Sure there’s contagion in the tears of friends.
JOHN DRYDEN

Friendship Tears
Blown roses hold their sweetness to the last.
JOHN DRYDEN

Hold Last Sweet
Truth is never to be expected from authors whose understanding is warped with enthusiasm.
JOHN DRYDEN

Authors Enthusiasm Expectation Truth
Forgiveness to the injured does belong; but they ne’er pardon who have done wrong.
JOHN DRYDEN

Forgiveness Injury Wrong
Present joys are more to flesh and blood Than a dull prospect of a distant good.
JOHN DRYDEN

Distance Flesh Goodness Present
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

Fair Fate Myself Possession Rain Shine Time
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
The secret pleasure of a generous act Is the great mind’s great bribe.
JOHN DRYDEN

Act Generous Greatness Pleasure Secret
Bold knaves thrive without one grain of sense, But good men starve for want of impudence.
JOHN DRYDEN

Bold Goodness Starve
Deathless laurel is the victor’s due.
JOHN DRYDEN

Death Due
So the false spider, when her nets are spread, deep ambushed in her silent den does lie.
JOHN DRYDEN

Fake Lying Silence
The trumpet’s loud clangor Excites us to arms.
JOHN DRYDEN

Excitement Loud
Three poets, in three distant ages born, Greece, Italy, and England did adorn. The first in loftiness of thought surpass’d; The next, in majesty; in both the last. The force of Nature could no further go; To make a third, she join’d the former two.
JOHN DRYDEN

Age Distant Force Herself Nature Poet
None are so busy as the fool and the knave.
JOHN DRYDEN

Busy Fools

Plots, true or false, are necessary things, To raise up commonwealths and ruin kings.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

Plots, true or false, are necessary things, To raise up commonwealths and ruin kings.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More John Dryden Quotes