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"The defign," fays he,

"you know is

great, the ftory English, and neither too "near the prefent times, nor too distant from "them."

All for Love, or the World well loft, a tragedy founded upon the story of Antony and Cleopatra, he tells us, is the only play which he wrote for himself; the reft were given to the people. It is by universal confent accounted the work in which he has admitted the feweft improprieties of style or character; but it has one fault equal to many, though rather moral than critical, that, by admitting the romantick omnipotence of Love, he has recommended as laudable and worthy of imitation that conduct which, through all ages, the good have cenfured as vitious, and the bad defpifed as foolish.

Of this play the prologue and the epilogue, though written upon the common topicks of malicious and ignorant criticism, and without any particular relation to the characters or incidents of the drama, are deservedly celebrated for their elegance and spriteliness.

Limberham, or the kind Keeper, is a comedy, which, after the third night, was prohibited as too indecent for the ftage. What gave offence was in the printing, as the author fays, altered or omitted. Dryden confeffes that its indecency was objected to; but Langbaine, who yet feldom favours him, imputes its expulfion to resentment, because it so much expofed the keeping part of the town.

Oedipus is a tragedy formed by Dryden and Lee, in conjunction, from the works of Sophocles, Seneca, and Corneille. Dryden

planned

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Spartan. That, Sir, faid Dryden, perhaps is true; but give me leave to tell you, that you are

no hero.

King Arthur is another opera. It was the laft work that Dryden performed for King Charles, who did not live to fee it exhibited and it does not seem 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.

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 unsuccessful. 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 fuppofed, by most readers, that he must have improved, his fortune; at least, that fuch diligence with fuch abilities muft have fet penury at defiance. But in Dryden's time the drama was very far from that univer fal approbation which it has now obtained. The playhouse was abhorred by the Puritans, and avoided by those who defired the character of ferioufnefs 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

planned the scenes, and composed the first and third acts.

Don Sebaftian 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 some sentiments which beam a strong impreffion, it continued long to attract attention. Amidft the diftreffes of princes, and the viciffitudes of empire, are inserted several fcenes which the writer intended for comick; but which, I suppose, that age did not much commend, and this would not endure. There are, however, paffages of excellence univerfally acknowledged; the difpute and the reconciliation of Dorax and Sebaftian has always been admired.

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

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

ment.

Cleomenes, 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 reprefentation, he was accofted thus by fome airy ftripling: Had I been left alone with a young beauty, I would not have spent my time like your Spartan

Spartan. That, Sir, faid Dryden, perhaps is true; but give me leave to tell you, that you are no hero.

King Arthur is another opera. It was the laft work that Dryden performed for King Charles, who did not live to fee it exhibited; and it does not seem 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.

His last 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. 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 fuppofed, by moft 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 univer. fal approbation which it has now obtained. The playhouse was abhorred by the Puritans, and avoided by those who defired the character of feriousness or decency. A grave lawyer would have debafed 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 so

many

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