Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ALL FOR LOVE, OR THE WORLD WELL LOST: EPILOGUE, by JOHN DRYDEN



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ALL FOR LOVE, OR THE WORLD WELL LOST: EPILOGUE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Poets, like disputants, when reasons fail
Last Line: Tis more than one man's work to please you all.
Variant Title(s): Prologue And Epilogue To All For Love: Epilogue
Subject(s): Plays & Playwrights ; Poetry & Poets; Dramatists


Poets, like Disputants, when Reasons fail,
Have one sure Refuge left, and that's to rail.
Fop, Coxcomb, Fool, are thunder'd through the Pit,
And this is all their Equipage of Wit.
We wonder how the Devil this diff'rence grows,
Betwixt our Fools in Verse, and yours in Prose:
For, 'Faith, the Quarrel rightly understood,
'Tis Civil War with their own Flesh and Blood.
The thread-bare Author hates the gawdy Coat,
And swears at the Guilt Coach, but swears afoot:
For 'tis observ'd of ev'ry Scribling Man,
He grows a Fop as fast as e'er he can;
Prunes up, and asks his Oracle the Glass,
If Pink or Purple best become his Face.
For our poor Wretch, he neither rails nor prays,
Nor likes your Wit just as you like his Plays;
He has not yet so much of Mr. Bays.
He does his best; and if he cannot please,
Wou'd quietly sue out his Wril of Ease.
Yet, if he might his own grand Jury call,
By the Fair Sex he begs to stand or fall.
Let Coesar's Pow'r the Mens Ambition move,
But grace you him who lost the World for Love!
Yet if some antiquated Lady say,
The last Age is not copy'd in his Play;
Heav'n help the man who for that face must drudge,
Which only has the wrinkles of a Judge.
Let not the Young and Beauteous join with those;
For shou'd you raise such numerous Hosts of Foes,
Young Wits and Sparks he to his aid must call;
'Tis more than one Man's work to please you all.





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