The Works of John Dryden in Verse and Prose Volume 1 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 edition. Excerpt: ... quitting life, shalt quit thy living pain. But we, thy friends, shall all those sorrows find, Which in forgetful death thou leav'st behind; N 0 time shall dry our tears, nor drive thee from our mind. The worst that can befall thee, measur'd right, Is a sound slumber, and a. long good night. Yet thus the fools, that would be thought the wits Disturb their mirth with melancholy fits: fiow, When healths go round, and kindly brimmers Till the fresh garlands on their foreheads glow, They whine, and cry, Let us make haste to live, Short are the joys that human life can give. Eternal preachers, that corrupt the draught, A nd pall the god, that never thinks, with thought; Idiots with all that thought, to whom the worst Of death is want of drink, and endless thirst, Or any fond desire as vain as these. For, e'en in sleep, the body, wrapt in ease, Supinely lies, as in the peaceful grave; And, wanting nothing, nothing can it crave. Were that sound sleep eternal, it were death; Yet the first atoms then, the seeds of breath, Are moving near to sense; we do but shake And rouse that sense, and straight we are awake. Then death to us, and death's anxiety. Is less than nothing, ifa less could be. For then our atoms, which in order lay, Are scattetkl from their heap, and pufl"d away. And never can return into their place, When once the pause of life has left an empty space. call And last, suppose great Nature's voice should To thee, or me, or any ofus all, vain, " What dost thou mean, ungrateful wretch, thou Thou mortal thing, thus idly to complain, And sigh and sob, that thou shalt be no more? For if thy life were pleasant heretofore, If all the bounteous blessings, I could give, Thou hast enjoy'd, if thou...