The fifth act is not equal to the former; the events of the drama are exhaufted, and little remains but to talk of what is paft. It has been observed, that the title of the play does not fufficiently correspond with the behaviour of Califta, who at last fhews no evident figns of repentance, but may be reasonably fufpected of feeling pain from detection rather than from guilt, and expreffes more fhame than forrow, and more rage than shame.

His next (1706) was Ulyffes; which, with the common fate of mythological ftories, is now generally neglected. We have been too early acquainted with the poetical heroes, to expect any pleasure from their revival; to fhew them, as they have already been fhewn, is to difguft by repetition; to give them new qualities, or new adventures, is to offend by violating received notions.

The Royal Convert (1708) feems to have a better claim to longevity. The fable is drawn from an obfcure and barbarous age, to which fictions are more eafily and properly adapted; for when objects are imperfectly feen, they eafily take forms from imagination. The fcene lies among our ancestors in our own country, and therefore very eafily catches attention. Rodogune is a perfonage truly tragical, of high fpirit, and violent paffions, great with tempeftuous dignity, and wicked with a foul that would have been heroick if it had been virtuous. The motto feems to tell, that this play was not fuccessful.

Rowe does not always remember what his characters require. In Tamerlane there is fome ridiculous mention of the God of Love; and Rodogune, a fa

vage Saxon, talks of Venus, and the eagle that bears the thunder of Jupiter.

The play discovers its own date, by a prediction of the Union, in imitation of Cranmer's prophetick promises to Henry the Eighth. The anticipated bleffings of union are not very naturally introduced, nor very happily expreffed.

He once (1706) tried to change his hand. He ventured on a comedy, and produced the Biter; with which, though it was unfavourably treated by the audience, he was himself delighted; for he is faid to have fat in the houfe laughing with great vehemence, whenever he had, in his own opinion, produced a jest. But, finding that he and the publick had no fympathy of mirth, he tried at lighter fcenès no more.

After the Royal Convert (1714) appeared Jane Shore, written, as its author profeffes, in imitation of Shakspeare's style. In what he thought himself an imitator of Shakspeare, it is not eafy to conceive. The numbers, the diction, the fentiments, and the conduct, every thing in which imitation can confift, are remote in the utmost degree from the manner of Shakspeare; whofe drainas it resembles only as it is an English ftory, and as fome of the perfons have their names in hiftory. This play, confifting chiefly of domeftick scenes and private diftrefs, lays hold upon the heart. The wife is forgiven because she repents, and the husband is honoured because hẹ forgives. This, therefore, is one of thofe pieces which we ftill welcome on the stage,

His laft tragedy (1715) was Lady Jane Grey. This fubject had been chofen by Mr. Smith, whosę

papers

papers were put into Rowe's hands fuch as he defcribes them in his preface. This play has likewise funk into oblivion. From this time he gave nothing more to the stage.

Being by a competent fortune exempted from any neceffity of combating his inclination, he never wrote in diftrefs, and therefore does not appear to have ever written in hafte. His works were finished to his own approbation, and bear few marks of negligence or hurry. It is remarkable, that his prologues and epilogues are all his own, though he sometimes fupplied others; he afforded help, but did not folicit it.

As his ftudies neceffarily made him acquainted with Shakspeare, and acquaintance produced veneration, he undertook (1709) an edition of his works, from which he neither received much praife, nor feems to have expected it; yet, I believe, those who compare it with former copies will find that he has done more than he promised; and that, without the pomp of notes or boasts of criticism, many paffages are happily restored. He prefixed a life of the author, fuch as tradition, then almost expiring, could supply, and a preface; which cannot be faid to difcover much profundity or penetration. He at least contributed to the popularity of his author.

He was willing enough to improve his fortune by other arts than poetry. He was under-fecretary for three years when the duke of Queensberry was fecre tary of ftate, and afterwards applied to the earl of Oxford for fome publick employment. Oxford

* Mr. Rowe's Preface, however, is not diftin&t, as it might be fuppofed from this pailage from the Life. R.

† Spence. VOL. X.

F

enjoined

enjoined him to study Spanish; and when, fome time afterwards, he came again, and faid that he had mastered it, difmiffed him with this congratulation,

66

Then, Sir, I envy you the pleasure of reading Don "Quixote in the original."

This story is fufficiently attefted; but why Oxford, who defired to be thought a favourer of literature, fhould thus infult a man of acknowledged merit; or how Rowe, who was fo keen a Whig * that he did not willingly converfe with men of the oppofite party, could ask preferment from Oxford; it is not now poffible to difcover. Pope, who told the ftory, did not say on what occafion the advice was given; and, though he owned Rowe's difappointment, doubted whether any injury was intended him, but thought it rather lord Oxford's odd way.

It is likely that he lived on difcontented through the reft of Queen Anne's reign; but the time came at last when he found kinder friends. At the acceffion of king George he was made poet-laureat; I am afraid by the ejection of poor Nahum Tate, who (1716) died in the Mint, where he was forced to feek shelter by extreme poverty. He was made likewife one of the land-furveyors of the customs of the port of London. The prince of Wales chofe him. clerk of his council; and the lord chancellor Parker, as foon as he received the feals, appointed him, unasked, fecretary of the prefentations. Such an accumulation of employments undoubtedly produced a very confiderable revenue.

Having already tranflated fome parts of Lucan's Pharfalia, which had been published in the Mifcel* Spence.

lanies,

lanies, and doubtlefs received many praises, he undertook a verfion of the whole work, which he lived to finish, but not to publifh. It feems to have been printed under the care of Dr. Welwood, who prefixed the author's life, in which is contained the following character:

"As to his perfon, it was graceful and well made; "his face regular, and of a manly beauty. As his "foul was well-lodged, fo its rational and animal "faculties excelled in a high degree. He had a "quick and fruitful invention, a deep penetration, "and a large compafs of thought, with fingular dexterity and eafiness in making his thoughts to "be understood. He was mafter of moft parts of "polite learning, especially the claffical authors, "both Greek and Latin; understood the French, "Italian, and Spanish languages; and spoke the first fluently, and the other two tolerably well.

66

66

"He had likewife read moft of the Greek and "Roman hiftories in their original languages, and "moft that are wrote in English, French, Italian, "and Spanish. He had a good tafte in philofophy; "and, having a firm impreffion of religion upon his "mind, he took great delight in divinity and eccle"fiaftical hiftory, in both which he made great "advances in the times he retired into the country, "which was frequent. He expreffed, on all occafions, his full perfuafion of the truth of Revealed Religion; and being a fincere member of the "Eftablished Church himself, he pitied, but con"demned not, thofe that diffented from it. He "abhorred the principles of perfecuting men upon "the account of their opinions in religion; and,