TO THE

METROPOLIS OF GREAT BRITAIN,

THE MOST RENOWNED AND LATE FLOURISHING

CITY OF LONDON,

IN ITS REPRESENTATIVES

THE LORD-MAYOR AND COURT OF ALDERMEN, THE SHERIFFS, AND COMMON COUNCIL OF IT*.

As perhaps I am the first who ever presented a work of this nature to the metropolis of any nation; fo it is likewise confonant to juftice, that he who was to give the first example of fuch a dedication fhould begin it with that city, which has fet a pattern to all others of true loyalty, invincible courage, and unfhaken conftancy. Other cities have been praised

This dedication has been left out in all editions of the poem but the firft. To me there appears in it an honeft unfeigned warmth and a love for the king, which compenfates for any thing that may have dropped from our author's pen in his verfes on Cromwell's death; however, we fubmit this opinion under correction to the judicious reader. DERRICK.

for the fame virtues, but I am inuch deceived if any have fo dearly purchafed their reputation; their fame has been won them by cheaper trials than an expenfive, though neceffary war, a confuming peftilence, and a more confuming fire. To fubmit yourfelves with that humility to the judgments of Heaven, and at the fame time to raise yourselves with that vigour above all human enemies; to be combated at once from above and from below, to be ftruck down and to triumph: I know not whether fuch trials have been ever paralleled in any nation: the refolution and fucceffes of them never can be. Never had prince or people more mutual reafon to love each other, if fuffering for each other can endear affection. You have come together a pair of matchless lovers, through many difficuities; he, through a long exile, various traverses of fortune, and the interpofition of many rivals, who violently ravifhed and with-held you from him: and certainly you have had your share in fufferings. But Providence has caft upon you want of trade, that you might appear bountiful to your country's neceffities; and the rest of your afflictions are not more the effects of God's displeasure (frequent examples of them having been in the reign of the moft excellent princes) than occafions for the manifefting of your Chriftian and civil virtues. To you therefore this Year of Wonders is justly dedicated, because you have made it fo. You, who are to ftand a wonder to all years and ages, and who have built yourfelves an immortal monument on your own ruins. You are now a Phoenix in her

afhes, and, as far as humanity can approach, a great emblem of the suffering Deity: but Heaven never made fo much piety and virtue to leave it miferable. I have heard, indeed, of fome virtuous perfons who have ended unfortunately, but never of any virtuous nation: Providence is engaged too deeply, when the caufe becomes fo general; and I cannot imagine it has refolved the ruin of that people at home, which it has bleffed abroad with fuch fucceffes. I am therefore to conclude, that your fufferings are at an end; and that one part of my poem has not been more an hiftory of your deftruction, than the other a prophecy of your restoration. The accomplishment of which happiness, as it is the wifh of all true Englishmen, fo is it by none more paffionately defired than by,

The greatest of your admirers,

And moft humble of

your fervants,

JOHN DRYDEN.

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE ENSUING

POEM,

IN A LETTER TO THE

HON. SIR ROBERT HOWARD.

SIR,

I AM so many ways obliged to you, and fo little

able to return your favours, that, like thofe who owe too much, I can only live by getting farther into your debt. You have not only been careful of my fortune, which was the effect of your noblenefs, but you have been folicitous of my reputation, which is that of your kindness. It is not long fince I gave you the trouble of perufing a play for me, and now, instead of an acknowledgment, I have given you a greater, in the correction of a poem. But fince you are to bear this perfecution, I will at leaft give you the encouragement of a martyr; you could never fuffer in a nobler caufe. For I have chofen the moft heroic fubject which any poet could defire: I have taken upon me to defcribe the motives, the be

ginning, progress, and fucceffes, of a most just and neceffary war in it, the care, management, and prudence of our king; the conduct and valour of a royal admiral, and of two incomparable generals; the invincible courage of our captains and feamen; and three glorious victories, the refult of all. After this, I have, in the Fire, the most deplorable, but withal the greateft, argument that can be imagined: the deftruction being fo fwift, fo fudden, fo vast, and miferable, as nothing can parallel in ftory. The former part of this poem, relating to the war, is but a due expiation for my not ferving my king and country in it. All gentlemen are almoft obliged to it; and I know no reason we fhould give that advantage to the Commonalty of England, to be foremoft in brave actions, which the Nobleffe of France would never fuffer in their peafants. I fhould not have written this but to a person who has been ever forward to appear in all employments, whither his honour and generofity have called him. The latter part of my poem, which defcribes the Fire, I owe, first to the piety and fatherly affection of our monarch to his fuffering fubjects; and, in the fecond place, to the courage, loyalty, and magnanimity of the city; both which were fo confpicuous, that I have wanted words to celebrate them as they deferve. I have called my poem Hiftorical, not Epic, though both the actions and actors are as inuch heroic as any poem can contain. But fince the action is not properly one, nor that accomplished in the last fucceffes, I have judged it too bold a title for a few ftanzas,