John Dryden Quotes on Literature (8 Quotes)

Mere poets are sottish as mere drunkards are, who live in a continual mist, without seeing or judging anything clearly. A man should be learned in several sciences, and should have a reasonable, philosophical and in some measure a mathematical head, to be a complete and excellent poet.

So poetry, which is in Oxford made An art, in London only is a trade.

He Shakespeare was the man who of all modern, and perhaps ancient poets, had the largest and most comprehensive soul . . . He was naturally learned he needed not the spectacles of books to read nature he looked inwards, and found her there.

Dancing is the poetry of the foot.

He is the very Janus of poets he wears almost everywhere two faces and you have scarce begun to admire the one, ere you despise the other.

He was the man who of all modern, and perhaps ancient poets, had the largest and most comprehensive soul.... He was naturally learnd he needed not the spectacles of books to read Nature he looked inwards, and found her there.... He is many times flat, insipid his comic wit degenerating in to clenches, his serious swelling into bombast. But he is always great, when some occasion is presented to him.

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

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.