CONTENTS

OF VOLUME FIRST.

PAGE

THE LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN.

SECT. I.-Preliminary Remarks on the Poetry of Eng-

land before the Civil Wars-The Life of Dryden

from his Birth till the Restoration-His early Poems,

including the " Annus Mirabilis,"

SECT. II.-Revival of the Drama at the Restoration-

Heroic Plays-Comedies of Intrigue-Commence-

ment of Dryden's Dramatic Career-The Wild Gal-

lant-Rival Ladies-Indian Queen and Emperor-

Dryden's Marriage-Essay on Dramatic Poetry, and

subsequent Controversy with Sir Robert Howard-

The Maiden Queen-The Tempest-Sir Martin Mar-

all-The Mock Astrologer-The Royal Martyr-

The Two Parts of the Conquest of Granada-Dry-
den's Situation at this Period,

SECT. III.-Heroic Plays-The Rehearsal-Marriage

à-la-Mode - The Assignation-Controversy with

Clifford with Leigh-with Ravenscroft-Massacre

of Amboyna-State of Innocence,

SECT. IV. Dryden's Controversy with Settle-with

Rochester-He is assaulted in Rose Street-Aureng-

Zebe-Dryden meditates an Epic Poem-All for

Love—Limberham-Edipus-Troilus and Cressida

........

PAGE

...

-The Spanish Friar-Dryden supposed to be in

opposition to the Court,.......

SECT. V.-Dryden engages in Politics-Absalom and

Achitophel, Part First-The Medal-Mac-Flecknoe

-Absalom and Achitophel, Part Second-The Duke

of Guise,

SECT. VI.-Threnodia Augustalis—Albion and Alba-

nius-Dryden becomes a Catholic-The Controversy

of Dryden with Stillingfleet-The Hind and Panther

-Life of St Francis Xavier-Consequences of the

Revolution to Dryden-Don Sebastian-King Arthur

-Cleomenes-Love Triumphant,.

153

204

256

SECT. VII.-State of Dryden's Connexions in Society

after the Revolution-Juvenal and Persius-Smaller

Pieces-Eleonora -Third Miscellany-Virgil-Ode

to St Cecilia-Dispute with Milbourne-with Black-

more-Fables-The Author's Death and Funeral-

His private Character-Notices of his Family,................. 313

SECT. VIII.-The State of Dryden's Reputation at

his Death, and afterwards-The general Character

of his Mind-His Merit as a Dramatist—As a Lyri-

cal Poet-As a Satirist-As a Narrative Poet-As

a Philosophical and Miscellaneous Poet-As a Trans-

lator-As a Prose Author—As a Critic,................................... 397

THE

LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN.

SECTION I.

Preliminary Remarks on the Poetry of England before the Civil Wars-The Life of Dryden from his Birth till the Restoration-His early Poems, including the "Annus Mirabilis."

THE Life of Dryden may be said to comprehend a history of the literature of England, and its changes, during nearly half a century. While his great contemporary Milton was in silence and secrecy laying the foundation of that immortal fame, which no poet has so highly deserved, Dryden's labours were ever in the eye of the public; and he maintained, from the time of the Restoration till his death, in 1700, a decided and acknowledged superiority over all the poets of his age. As he wrote from necessity, he was obliged to pay a certain deference to

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