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Nor is the people’s judgment always true: the most may err as grossly as the few.

John Dryden

He invades authors like a monarch; and what would be theft in other poets is only victory in him.
JOHN DRYDEN

Author Himself Poet Theft Victory
All, as they say, that glitters is not gold.
JOHN DRYDEN

Glitter Gold
Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like drones, upon the public cost.
JOHN DRYDEN

Live Lost Luxury People Public
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.
JOHN DRYDEN

Judgement People Thinking Understand Wrong
But how can finite grasp Infinity?
JOHN DRYDEN

Finite Grasp Infinity
For Art may err, but Nature cannot miss.
JOHN DRYDEN

Art Miss Mistake Nature
Sure there is none but fears a future state; And when the most obdurate swear they do not, Their trembling hearts belie their boasting tongues.
JOHN DRYDEN

Future Heart State Tongue Tremble
None are so busy as the fool and the knave.
JOHN DRYDEN

Busy Fools
What precious drops are those, Which silently each other’s track pursue, Bright as young diamonds in their faint dew?
JOHN DRYDEN

Dew Precious Pursue Track Young
Fiction is of the essence of poetry as well as of painting; there is a resemblance in one of human bodies, things, and actions which are not real, and in the other of a true story by fiction.
JOHN DRYDEN

Action Essence Fiction Human Poetry Story
Long pains, with use of bearing, are half eased.
JOHN DRYDEN

Erase Pain
Love is not in our choice but in our fate.
JOHN DRYDEN

Choice Fate Love
Secret guilt is by silence revealed.
JOHN DRYDEN

Guilty Reveal Secret Silence
Affability, mildness, tenderness, and a word which I would fain bring back to its original signification of virtue,–I mean good-nature,–are of daily use; they are the bread of mankind and staff of life.
JOHN DRYDEN

Life Man Origin Virtue Word
Truth is the foundation of all knowledge and the cement of all societies.
JOHN DRYDEN

Cement Foundation Knowledge Society Truth
An horrible stillness first invades our ear, And in that silence we the tempest fear.
JOHN DRYDEN

Fear Horrible Ourselves Silence Temptation

Nor is the people’s judgment always true: the most may err as grossly as the few.

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Nor is the people’s judgment always true: the most may err as grossly as the few.

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Popular Authors

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