Matthew Prior (1664–1721) was an English poet and diplomat.
Born in Wimborne, Dorset, Prior was educated at Westminster School and St John’s College, Cambridge. He was first employed as secretary to the ambassador to The Hague. During Queen Anne’s regime, he turned Tory and was influential in bringing about the Treaty of Utrecht (1713.) After the queen’s death, he was imprisoned for two years. His Tory friends recovered his fortunes by subscribing generously to a folio edition of his works (1719,) produced at the suggestion of Alexander Pope.
Prior was a master of colloquial, epigrammatic verse. His first work, a collaboration with Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax, was The Hind and the Panther Transvers’d to the story of the Country and the City Mouse (1687.) It was a witty satire on John Dryden’s Hind and the Panther (1685.)
Prior is best known as a poet of occasional light verse-mock-lyrics such as “A Better Answer (to Chloe Jealous,)” and more seriously, “Lines Written in the Beginning of Mezeray’s History of France.” He also wrote largescale didactic poems such as Solomon, or The Vanity of the World (1718.) ‘Henry and Emma’ (1709) is a sentimental parody of the old ballad ‘The Nut-Brown Maid.’
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Matthew Prior
Variety alone gives joy; the sweetest meats the soonest cloy.
—Matthew Prior
In argument similes are like songs in love; they describe much, but prove nothing.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Argument
The daily showers rejoice the thirsty earth, and bless the flowery buds.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Rain
Hopes are but the dreams of those that wake.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Dreams, Hope
The ends must justify the means.
—Matthew Prior
For, when with beauty we can virtue join, We paint the semblance of a form divine.
—Matthew Prior
Be to her virtues very kind,
Be to her faults a little blind.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Women, Marriage
Who walks the fastest, but walks astray, is only furthest from his way.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Goals
For hope is but the dream of those that wake.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Hope, Dreams
And ’tis remarkable that they talk most who have the least to say.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Boredom
Cured yesterday of my disease, I died last night of my physician.
—Matthew Prior
They never taste who always drink; they always talk who never think.
—Matthew Prior
Topics: Conversation
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