--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I consider life, 't is all a cheat…" description: "\"When I consider life, 't is all a cheat. Yet fool'd with hope, men favour the deceit; Trust on, and think to-morrow will repay. To-morrow 's falser tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-dryden-491_cheat_when-i-consider-life-t-is-all-a-cheat-ye_3073470.jpg" --- # When I consider life, 't is all a cheat. Yet fool'd with… ![“When I consider life, 't is all a cheat. Yet fool'd with hope, men favour the deceit; Trust on, and think to-morrow will repay. To-morrow 's falser than the former day; Lies worse, and while it says we shall be blest With some new joys, cuts off what we possest. Strange cozenage! none would live…” quote by John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-dryden-491_cheat_when-i-consider-life-t-is-all-a-cheat-ye_3073470.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-dryden-491_cheat_when-i-consider-life-t-is-all-a-cheat-ye_3073470.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-dryden-491_cheat_when-i-consider-life-t-is-all-a-cheat-ye_3073470.jpg) > “When I consider life, 't is all a cheat. Yet fool'd with hope, men favour the deceit; Trust on, and think to-morrow will repay. To-morrow 's falser than the former day; Lies worse, and while it says we shall be blest With some new joys, cuts off what we possest. Strange cozenage! none would live past years again, Yet all hope pleasure in what yet remain; And from the dregs of life think to receive What the first sprightly running could not give.” [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is portrayed as a deceptive cheat, where hope blinds us to future disappointment and loss. **In simple terms:** Life feels like a cheat, hope blinds us. Key Takeaway Beware false hope and its promises. Themes hope deception disillusionment Mood melancholic thoughtful Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - relationship loss - career setbacks - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism nihilism optimism Questions to Reflect On - Do you cling to hope in hopeless situations? - How does deception shape your expectations? A Different Perspective Hope can sometimes motivate despite deception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat; Yet, fooled with hope, men favour the deceit; Trust on, and think tomorrow will repay. Tomorrow's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/when-i-consider-life-tis-all-a-cheat-yet-fooled-with-hope-men-favour/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat. Yet, fooled by hope, men favour the deceit; trust on, and think to-morrow will repay: to-morrow's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/when-i-consider-life-tis-all-a-cheat-yet-fooled-by-hope-men-favour/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“When I consider Life, 'tis all a cheat; Yet, fooled with hope, men favour the deceit; Trust on, and think to-morrow will repay: To-morrow's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/when-i-consider-life-tis-all-a-cheat-yet-fooled-with-hope-men-favour-2/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [When I consider life, it is all a cheat. Yet fooled with hope, people favor this deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/when-i-consider-life-it-is-all-a-cheat-yet-fooled-with-hope-people/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The truth, I am convinced, is that there is no longer a poetical audience among the higher class of minds, that moral, political, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-love-peacock/the-truth-i-am-convinced-is-that-there-is-no-longer-a-poetical/) [Thomas Love Peacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-love-peacock/) > [None would live past years again, Yet all hope pleasure in what yet remain; And, from the dregs of life, think to receive, What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/none-would-live-past-years-again-yet-all-hope-pleasure-in-what-yet/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Any fool can hope when success lies plainly in view. It wants genuine strength to hope when matters are hopeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-flynn/any-fool-can-hope-when-success-lies-plainly-in-view-it-wants-genuine/) [Michael Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-flynn/) > [Am I a fool to hope for kindness/support from someone u have given nothing but that to?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-garcia/am-i-a-fool-to-hope-for-kindness-support-from-someone-u-have-given/) [Joanna Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-garcia/) > [“Whenever the birds sing, I will remember you Claire. As long as the sun shines, I will love you. 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I hope not...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/will-i-ever-be-anything-other-than-love-s-fool-i-hope-not/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) ## More by John Dryden > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Trust on and think To-morrow will repay; To-morrow's falser than the former day; Lies worse; and while it says, we shall be blest With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/trust-on-and-think-to-morrow-will-repay-to-morrow-s-falser-than-the/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [To take up half on trust, and half to try, Name it not faith but bungling bigotry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/to-take-up-half-on-trust-and-half-to-try-name-it-not-faith-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Among our crimes oblivion may be set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/among-our-crimes-oblivion-may-be-set/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/and-after-hearing-what-our-church-can-say-if-still-our-reason-runs/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Happy, happy, happy pair! 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Life is an adventure in forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/reason-to-rule-mercy-to-forgive-the-first-is-law-the-last-prerogative/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Stiff opinion, always in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/stiff-opinion-always-in-the-wrong/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [He with a graceful pride, While his rider every hand survey'd, Sprung loose, and flew into an escapade; Not moving forward, yet with every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/he-with-a-graceful-pride-while-his-rider-every-hand-survey-d-sprung/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Men's virtues I have commended as freely as I have taxed their crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/men-s-virtues-i-have-commended-as-freely-as-i-have-taxed-their-crimes/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Virtue without success is a fair picture shown by an ill light; but lucky men are favorites of heaven; all own the chief, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/virtue-without-success-is-a-fair-picture-shown-by-an-ill-light-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Zeal, the blind conductor of the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/zeal-the-blind-conductor-of-the-will/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“Night came, but unattended with repose. 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I'm not a diver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-young/i-m-not-a-cheat-i-m-not-a-diver/) [Ashley Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-young/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Even with cheat codes, you can't get on my level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-with-cheat-codes-you-can-t-get-on-my-level/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As they say in New York, Get over it and, if you can't get over it, Get over talking about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/as-they-say-in-new-york-get-over-it-and-if-you-can-t-get-over-it-get/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [I hated myself totally white. 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My grandson says I'm punk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-hated-myself-totally-white-so-now-i-cheat-it-s-my-white-hair-and-i/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [“Some people will lie, cheat, steal and back-stab to to get ahead...and to think, all they have to do is READ!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fortune/some-people-will-lie-cheat-steal-and-back-stab-to-to-get-ahead-and-to/) Fortune > [“If love was a game, a lot of people would cheat to win, but little would play it the right way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-gabryelle-dos-santos/if-love-was-a-game-a-lot-of-people-would-cheat-to-win-but-little/) Amanda gabryelle dos santos > [“Rock-Paper-Scissors for it.” “But you always cheat,” Blake whined. “And then you just punch me and growl that ‘rock beats face’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-adams/rock-paper-scissors-for-it-but-you-always-cheat-blake-whined-and-then/) [Kyle Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-adams/) > [“The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing at children's games from the beginning, and will probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-human-race-to-which-so-many-of-my-readers-belong-has-been-playing/) [G.K. 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