"on any other. As I have endeavoured to "adorn my poem with noble thoughts, fo "much more to exprefs thofe thoughts with "elocution."

It is written in quatrains, or heroick ftanzas of four lines; a measure which he had learned from the Gondibert of Davenant, and which he then thought the most majestick that the English language affords. Of this stanza he mentions the encumbrances, encreased as they were by the exactness which the age required. It was, throughout his life, very much his custom to recommend his works, by representation of the difficulties that he had encountered, without appearing to have fufficiently confidered, that where there is no difficulty there is no praise.

There seems to be in the conduct of Sir Robert Howard and Dryden towards each other, fomething that is not now easily to be explained. Dryden, in his dedication to the earl of Orrery, had defended dramatick rhyme; and Howard, in the preface to a collection of plays, had cenfured his opi

nion. Dryden vindicated himself in his Dialogue on Dramatick Poetry; Howard, in his Preface to the Duke of Lerma, animadverted on the Vindication; and Dryden, in a Preface to the Indian Emperor, replied to the Animadverfions with great afperity, and almost with contumely. The dedication to this play is dated the year in which the Annus Mirabilis was published. Here ap

pears a ftrange inconfiftency; but Langbaine affords fome help, by relating that the anfwer to Howard was not published in the first edition of the play, but was added when it was afterwards reprinted ; and as the Duke of Lerma did not appear till 1668, the fame year in which the Dialogue was published, there was time enough for enmity to grow up between authors, who, writing both for the theatre, were naturally rivals.

A

He was now so much distinguished, that in 1668 he fucceeded Sir William Davenant as poet-laureat. The falary of the laureat had been raised in favour of Jonson, by Charles the First, from an hundred marks to one hundred pounds a year, and a tierce

of wine; a revenue in thofe days not inadequate to the conveniencies of life.

The fame year he published his Effay on Dramatick Poetry, an elegant and inftructive dialogue; in which we are told by Prior, that the principal character is meant to represent the duke of Dorfet. This work seems to have given Addison a model for his Dialogues upon Medals.

Secret Love, or the Maiden Queen, is a tragi-comedy. In the preface he difcuffes a curious question, whether a poet can judge well of his own productions: and determines very justly, that, of the plan and difpofition, and all that can be reduced to principles of science, the author may depend upon his own opinion; but that, in those parts where fancy predominates, felf-love may eafily deceive. He might have observed, that what is good only becaufe it pleases, cannot be pronounced good till it has been found to please.

Sir Martin Marall is a comedy, published without preface or dedication, and at first without

without the name of the author. Langbaine charges it, like most of the rest, with plagiarism; and obferves that the fong is tranflated from Voiture, allowing however that both the sense and measure are exactly obferved.

The Tempeft is an alteration of Shakspeare's play, made by Dryden in conjunction with Davenant, "whom," fays he, "I found of "fo quick a fancy, that nothing was proposed to him in which he could not

fuddenly produce a thought extremely "pleasant and furprifing; and those first "thoughts of his, contrary to the Latin "proverb, were not always the leaft happy; "and as his fancy was quick, fo likewise "were the products of it remote and new. "He borrowed not of any other, and his imaginations were fuch as could not eafily "enter into any other man."

The effect produced by the conjunction of these two powerful minds was, that to Shakspeare's monster Caliban is added a fifter-monfter Sicorax; and a woman, who, in the original play, had never seen a man,

is in this brought acquainted with a man that had never feen a woman.

About this time, in 1673, Dryden feems to have had his quiet much disturbed by the success of the Empress of Morocco, a tragedy written in rhyme by Elkanah Settle; which was fo much applauded, as to make him think his fupremacy of reputation in fome danger. Settle had not only been prosperous on the stage, but, in the confidence of fuccefs, had published his play, with sculptures and a preface of defiance. Here was one offence added to another; and, for the laft blaft of inflammation, it was acted at Whitehall by the court-ladies.

Dryden could not now reprefs these emotions, which he called indignation, and others jealoufy; but wrote upon the play and the dedication fuch criticifm as malignant impatience could pour out in haste.

Of Settle he gives this character.

"He's

an animal of a most deplored understand"ing, without conversation. His being is "in a twilight of fenfe, and some glimmer