Dryden's poetry is straightfoward, bold, and energetic. He was in the public eye for some 40 years, holding positions at court for a long period. He wrote more, and in more genres than any of his contemporaries, and produced the first body of what we now call "criticism" in English. This new selection represents the full range of Dryden's poetic talent, and pays particular attention to his translations, which formed the backbone of his poetic output. These translations more than anything re-energized English verse and pointed to new possibilities for later poets.