Quotes from John Dryden

Mighty things from small beginnings grow.

Old as I am, for ladies' love unfit, The power of beauty I remember yet.

Joy rul'd the day, and Love the night.

He who would search for pearls must dive below.

Fool that I was, upon my eagle's wings I bore this wren, till I was tired with soaring, and now he mounts above me.

Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

He who trusts secrets to a servant makes him his master

Trust on and think To-morrow will repay; To-morrow's falser than the former day; Lies worse; and while it says, we shall be blest With some new Joys, cuts off what we possest.

All empire is no more than power in trust.

For truth has such a face and such a mien As to be lov'd needs only to be seen.

Politicians neither love nor hate.

Pity melts the mind to love.

Love and Time with reverence use, Treat them like a parting friend: Nor the golden gifts refuse Which in youth sincere they send: For each year their price is more, And they less simple than before.

Parting is worse than death; it is death of love!

He made all countries where he came his own.

Time and death shall depart and say in flying Love has found out a way to live, by dying.

The love of liberty with life is given, And life itself the inferior gift of Heaven.

Jealousy's a proof of love, But 'tis a weak and unavailing medicine; It puts out the disease and makes it show, But has no power to cure.

But wild Ambition loves to slide, not stand, And Fortune's ice prefers to Virtue's land.

And nobler is a limited command, Given by the love of all your native land, Than a successive title, long and dark, Drawn from the mouldy rolls of Noah's Ark.

Love taught him shame, and shame with love at strife Soon taught the sweet civilities of life.

Time, place, and action may with pains be wrought, but genius must be born; and never can be taught.

Imitation pleases, because it affords matter for inquiring into the truth or falsehood of imitation, by comparing its likeness or unlikeness with the original.

Death only this mysterious truth unfolds, The mighty soul how small a body holds.