dom favours him, imputes its expulfion to refentment, because it "fo much expofed the keeping part of the town."

Oedipus (1679) is a tragedy formed by Dryden and Lee, in conjunction, from the works of Sophocles, Seneca, and Corneille. Dryden planned the fcenes, and composed the firft and third acts.

Don Sebaftian (1690) is commonly esteemed either the firft or fecond of his dramatick performances. It is too long to be all acted, and has many characters and many incidents; and though it is not without fallies of frantick dignity, and more noife than meaning, yet, as it makes approaches to the poffibilities of real life, and has fome fentiments which leave a ftrong impreflion, it continued long to attract attention. Amidit the diftreffes of princes, and the viciffitudes of empire, are inferted feveral scenes which the writer intended for comick; but which, I fuppofe, that age did not much com-* mend, and this would not endure. There are, however, paffages of excellence univerfally acknowledged: the difpute and the reconciliation of Dorax and Sebastian has always been

admired.

This play was firft acted in 1690, after Dryden had for fome years discontinued dramatick poetry.

Amphitryon is a comedy derived from Plautus and Moliere. The dedication is dated Oct. 1690. This play feems to have fucceeded at its firft appearance; and was, I think, long confidered as a very diverting entertainment.

Cleomenes (1692) is a tragedy, only remarkable as it occafioned an incident related in the Guardian, and allufively mentioned by Dryden in his preface. As he came out from the representation, he was accosted thus by fome airy stripling: "Had I been left alone with a young beauty, I would "not have spent my time like your Spartan." "That, Sir," faid Dryden," perhaps is true; but give me leave to tell you "that you are no hero."

King Arthur (1691) is another opera. It was the last work that Dryden performed for King Charles, who did not

live to fee it exhibited, and it does not feem to have been ever brought upon the stage *. In the dedication to the Marquis of Halifax, there is a very elegant character of Charles, and a pleafing account of his latter life. When this was firft brought upon the ftage, news that the Duke of Monmouth had landed was told in the theatre; upon which the company departed, and Arthur was exhibited no more.

His laft drama was Love Triumphant, a tragi-comedy. In his dedication to the Earl of Salisbury he mentions" the "lowness of fortune to which he has voluntarily reduced "himself, and of which he has no reason to be ashamed."

This play appeared in 1694. It is faid to have been unfuccefsful. The catastrophe, proceeding merely from a change of mind, is confeffed by the author to be defective. Thus he began and ended his dramatick labours with ill fuccefs.

From fuch a number of theatrical pieces, it will be suppofed, by most readers, that he must have improved his fortune; at least, that fuch diligence with fuch abilities must have fet penury at defiance. But in Dryden's time the drama was very far from that univerfal approbation which it has now obtained. The playhouse was abhorred by the Puritans, and avoided by those who defired the character of seriousness or decency. A grave lawyer would have debased his dignity, and a young trader would have impaired his credit, by appearing in thofe manfions of diffolute licentioufnefs. The profits of the theatre, when fo many claffes of the people were deducted from the audience, were not great; and the poet had, for a long time, but a fingle night. The first that had two nights was Southern; and the first that had three was Rowe. There were, however, in those days, arts of improving a poet's profit, which Dryden forbore to practise; and a play therefore seldom produced him more than a hun

This is a mistake. It was fet to mufick by Purcell, and well received, and is yet a favourite entertainment, H.

dred pounds, by the accumulated gain of the third night, the dedication, and the copy.

Almost every piece had a dedication, written with such elegance and luxuriance of praise, as neither haughtiness nor avarice could be imagined able to refift. But he feems to have made flattery too cheap. That praife is worth nothing of which the price is known.

To increase the value of his copies, he often accompanied his work with a preface of criticism; a kind of learning then almost new in the English language, and which he who had confidered with great accuracy the principles of writing, was able to diftribute copioufly as occafions arofe. By these differtations the publick judgment must have been much improved; and Swift, who converfed with Dryden, relates that he regretted the fuccefs of his own inftructions, and found his readers made fuddenly too fkilful to be eafily fatisfied.

His prologues had fuch reputation, that for fome time a play was confidered as lefs likely to be well received, if some of his verfes did not introduce it. The price of a prologue was two guineas, till, being asked to write one for Mr. Southern, he demanded three: "Not," faid he, "young “man, out of disrespect to you; but the players have had my "goods too cheap."

Though he declares, that in his own opinion, his genius was not dramatick, he had great confidence in his own fertility; for he is faid to have engaged, by contract, to furnish four plays a year.

It is certain that in one year, 1678 *, he published All for Love, The Affignation, two parts of the Conquest of Granada, Sir Martin Marr-all, and the State of Innocence, fix complete plays, with a celerity of performance, which, though all Langbaine's charges of plagiarism should be al

Dr. Johnfon in this affertion was misled by Langbaine. Only one of thefe plays appeared in 1678. Nor were there more than three in any one year. The dates are now added from the original editions. R

lowed, fhews fuch facility of compofition, fuch readiness of language, and fuch copiousness of fentiment, as, fince the time of Lopez de Vega, perhaps no other author has ever poffeffed.

He did not enjoy his reputation, however great, nor his profits, however small, without moleftation. He had criticks to endure, and rivals to oppofe. The two most distinguished wits of the nobility, the Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Rochefter, declared themfelves his enemies.

Buckingham characterised him, in 1671, by the name of Bayes in the Rehearfal; a farce which he is faid to have written with the affiftance of Butler, the author of Hudibras; Martin Clifford, of the Charter-house; and Dr. Sprat, the friend of Cowley, then his Chaplain. Dryden and his friends laughed at the length of time, and the number of hands, employed upon this performance; in which, though by fome artifice of action it yet keeps poffeffion of the stage, it is not poffible now to find any thing that might not have been written without fo long delay, or a confederacy so nu

merous.

To adjust the minute events of literary history, is tedious and troublesome; it requires indeed no great force of understanding, but often depends upon enquiries which there is no opportunity of making, or is to be fetched from books and pamphlets not always at hand.

The Rehearsal was played in 1671*, and yet is reprefented as ridiculing paffages in the Conquest of Granada + and Affignation, which were not published till 1678; in Marriage à-la-mode, published in 1673; and in Tyrannick Love, in 1677. These contradictions fhew how rafhly satire is applied.

* It was published in 1672. R.

The Conquest of Granada was published in 1672; The Affignation, in 1673: Marriage à-la-mode in the fame year: and Tyrannick Love in 1672. There is no contradiction, according to Mr. Malone, but what arifes from

It is faid that this farce was originally intended against Da venant, who, in the first draught, was characterised by the name of Bilboa. Davenant had been a foldier and an adventurer.

There is one paffage in the Rehearsal still remaining, which feems to have related originally to Davenant. Bayes hurts his nofe, and comes in with brown paper applied to the bruife: how this affected Dryden, does not appear. Davenant's nofe had fuffered fuch diminution by mishaps among the women, that a patch upon that part evidently denoted him.

It is faid likewise that Sir Robert Howard was once meant. The defign was probably to ridicule the reigning poet, whatever he might be.

Much of the personal fatire, to which it might owe its first reception, is now loft or obfcured. Bayes probably imitated the dress, and mimicked the manner, of Dryden; the cant words which are so often in his mouth may be supposed to have been Dryden's habitual phrases, or customary exclamations. Bayes, when he is to write, is blooded and purged; this, as Lamotte relates himself to have heard, was the real practice of the poet.

There were other ftrokes in the Rehearsal by which malice was gratified; the debate between Love and Honour, which keeps prince Volfcius in a fingle boot, is faid to have alluded to the misconduct of the Duke of Ormond, who loft Dublin to the rebels while he was toying with a mistress.

The earl of Rochester, to fupprefs the reputation of Dryden, took Settle into his protection, and endeavoured to perfuade the publick that its approbation had been to that time. mifplaced. Settle was a while in high reputation; his Emprefs of Morocco, having first delighted the town, was carried in triumph to Whitehall, and played by the ladies of

Dr. Johnfon's having copied the erroneous dates affigued to thefe plays by Langbaine. C.