John Dryden - The Rival Ladies: "Look around the inhabited world; how few know their own good, or knowing it, pursue."

The biography chronicles the life of John Dryden, a pivotal figure in English literature born in 1631. It highlights his early education at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, followed by his work under Cromwell. Dryden's literary career flourished during the Restoration, marked by significant works such as "Heroic Stanzas" and "Annus Mirabilis," which solidified his status as the era's leading poet. His contributions spanned poetry, plays, and translations, culminating in his acclaimed translation of Virgil. Dryden's legacy endures beyond his death in 1700, with his burial in Westminster Abbey.