Thursday, May 05, 2011

 

Absalom and Achitophel

From John Dryden (1631-1700), Absalom and Achitophel:

1:
In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin...
35-36:
What faults he had, — for who from faults is free?
His father could not, or he would not see.
55-56:
They led their wild desires to woods and caves,
And thought that all but savages were slaves.
94-95:
Impoverished and deprived of all command,
Their taxes doubled as they lost their land.
114-115:
Some truth there was, but dashed and brewed with lies,
To please the fools, and puzzle all the wise.
163-164:
Great wits are sure to madness near allied,
And thin partitions do their bounds divide.
198-199:
But wild ambition loves to slide, not stand,
And fortune's ice prefers to virtue's land.
504:
Pretending public good, to serve their own.
532:
Nothing to build, and all things to destroy.
533-534:
But far more numerous was the herd of such,
Who think too little, and who talk too much.
545-548:
A man so various, that he seemed to be
Not one, but all mankind's epitome;
Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong,
Was everything by starts, and nothing long.
555-558:
Railing and praising were his usual themes;
And both, to show his judgment, in extremes;
So over violent, or over civil,
That every man with him was God or devil.
588:
And never broke the Sabbath but for gain.
589-590:
Nor ever was he known an oath to vent,
Or curse, unless against the government.
781-782:
Nor is the people's judgment always true:
The most may err as grossly as the few.
968:
Never was patriot yet, but was a fool.



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