Laudator Temporis Acti

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.