http://hypolimnion.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] hypolimnion.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] burntcopper 2009-09-24 06:35 pm (UTC)

Second on the John Donne, he ain't my specialty but I see him around sometimes. 'No man is an island' is his. Similarly I suspect bits of mangled Blake turn up in common speech but have no proof at present.

William Congreve, The Mourning Bride - I don't remember his phrasings exactly except that neither of them are the modern variants but it's the source of 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' and the bit about music soothing the savage breast.

Andrew Marvell's To His Coy Mistress - 'If there were world enough, and time', and also I've seen 'The grave's a fine and private place' out of context more than once.

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