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The works of John Dryden

Illustrated with notes, historical, critical, and explanatory, and a life of the author, by Sir Walter Scott
Dryden, John (1631-1700)

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VOL. IX. POEMS, HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL.
  
HEROIC STANZAS CONSECRATED TO THE MEMORY OF HIS HIGHNESS OLIVER, LATE LORD PROTECTOR OF THIS COMMONWEALTH.
  
ASTRÆA REDUX.
  
TO HIS SACRED MAJESTY, A PANEGYRIC ON HIS CORONATION.
  
TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR HYDE.
  
SATIRE ON THE DUTCH.
  
VERSES TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS, ON THE MEMORABLE VICTORY GAINED BY THE DUKE AGAINST THE HOLLANDERS, JUNE THE 3, 1665, AND ON HER JOURNEY AFTERWARDS INTO THE NORTH.
  
ANNUS MIRABILIS, THE YEAR OF WONDERS, 1666.
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ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL
  
TO THE UNKNOWN AUTHOR OF THIS EXCELLENT POEM.
  
TO THE UNKNOWN AUTHOR OF THIS ADMIRABLE POEM.
  
TO THE CONCEALED AUTHOR OF THIS INCOMPARABLE POEM.
  
TO THE AUTHOR OF THAT INCOMPARABLE POEM ABOVE MENTIONED.
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ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL.
 I. 
PART I.
 II. 
PART II.
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THE MEDAL.
  
UPON THE AUTHOR OF THE FOLLOWING POEM.
  
TO THE UNKNOWN AUTHOR OF THE FOLLOWING POEM, AND THAT OF ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL.
  
THE MEDAL.
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VOL. X.
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RELIGIO LAICI; OR, A LAYMAN'S FAITH. AN EPISTLE.
  
ON MR. DRYDEN'S RELIGIO LAICI.
  
TO MR. DRYDEN, ON HIS POEM CALLED RELIGIO LAICI.
  
TO MR. DRYDEN, ON RELIGIO LAICI.
  
RELIGIO LAICI.
  
THRENODIA AUGUSTALIS:
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THE HIND AND THE PANTHER,
 I. 
[Part I.]
 II. 
PART II.
 III. 
PART THIRD.
  
BRITANNIA REDIVIVA:
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PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES.
  
PROLOGUE SPOKEN THE FIRST DAY OF THE KING'S HOUSE ACTING AFTER THE FIRE.
  
PROLOGUE FOR THE WOMEN, WHEN THEY ACTED AT THE OLD THEATRE, LINCOLN'S-INN-FIELDS.
  
PROLOGUE SPOKEN AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW HOUSE, March 26, 1674.
  
EPILOGUE ON THE SAME OCCASION.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, 1674.
  
EPILOGUE SPOKEN AT OXFORD, BY MRS. MARSHALL.
  
ORIGINAL PROLOGUE TO CIRCE,
  
PROLOGUE TO CIRCE, AS CORRECTED BY DRYDEN.
  
EPILOGUE, INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN SPOKEN BY THE LADY HEN. MAR. WENTWORTH,
  
EPILOGUE TO THE MAN OF MODE; OR, SIR FOPLING FLUTTER,
  
EPILOGUE TO MITHRIDATES, KING OF PONTUS,
  
PROLOGUE TO THE TRUE WIDOW.
  
PROLOGUE TO CÆSAR BORGIA.
  
PROLOGUE TO SOPHONISBA;
  
A PROLOGUE
  
EPILOGUE SPOKEN AT MITHRIDATES, KING OF PONTUS,
  
EPILOGUE TO A TRAGEDY CALLED TAMERLANE, 1681.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, 1681.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.
  
AN EPILOGUE FOR THE KING'S HOUSE.
  
PROLOGUE TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, UPON HIS FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE DUKE'S THEATRE AFTER HIS RETURN FROM SCOTLAND.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE LOYAL BROTHER, or THE PERSIAN PRINCE,
  
EPILOGUE TO THE SAME.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,
  
EPILOGUE.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.
  
EPILOGUE TO CONSTANTINE THE GREAT.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE DISAPPOINTMENT, OR THE MOTHER IN FASHION.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE KING AND QUEEN,
  
EPILOGUE ON THE SAME OCCASION.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE PRINCESS OF CLEVES.
  
EPILOGUE TO THE SAME.
  
PROLOGUE TO ARVIRAGUS AND PHILICIA.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE PROPHETESS,
  
PROLOGUE TO THE MISTAKES.
  
EPILOGUE TO HENRY II.,
  
A PROLOGUE.
  
PROLOGUE TO ALBUMAZAR.
  
AN EPILOGUE.
  
EPILOGUE TO THE HUSBAND HIS OWN CUCKOLD.
  
MAC-FLECKNOE:
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VOL. XI.
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EPISTLES.
 I. 
EPISTLE THE FIRST. TO HIS FRIEND JOHN HODDESDON, ON HIS DIVINE EPIGRAMS.
 II. 
EPISTLE THE SECOND. TO MY HONOURED FRIEND SIR ROBERT HOWARD, ON HIS EXCELLENT POEMS.
 III. 
EPISTLE THE THIRD. TO MY HONOURED FRIEND DR. CHARLETON, ON HIS LEARNED AND USEFUL WORKS, BUT MORE PARTICULARLY HIS TREATISE OF STONEHENGE, BY HIM RESTORED TO THE TRUE FOUNDER.
 IV. 
EPISTLE THE FOURTH. TO THE LADY CASTLEMAINE, UPON HER ENCOURAGING HIS FIRST PLAY, THE WILD GALLANT, ACTED IN 1662–63.
 V. 
EPISTLE THE FIFTH. TO MR. LEE, ON HIS TRAGEDY OF THE RIVAL QUEENS; OR, ALEXANDER THE GREAT, 1677.
 VI. 
EPISTLE THE SIXTH. TO THE EARL OF ROSCOMMON, ON HIS EXCELLENT ESSAY ON TRANSLATED VERSE.
 VII. 
EPISTLE THE SEVENTH. TO THE DUCHESS OF YORK, ON HER RETURN FROM SCOTLAND, IN THE YEAR 1682.
 VIII. 
EPISTLE THE EIGHTH. TO MY FRIEND MR. J. NORTHLEIGH, AUTHOR OF THE PARALLEL, ON HIS TRIUMPH OF THE BRITISH MONARCHY.
  
SIR GEORGE ETHEREGE, TO THE EARL OF MIDDLETON.
 IX. 
EPISTLE THE NINTH. A LETTER TO SIR GEORGE ETHEREGE.
 X. 
EPISTLE THE TENTH. TO MR. SOUTHERNE, ON HIS COMEDY CALLED THE WIVES' EXCUSE, ACTED IN 1692.
 XI. 
EPISTLE THE ELEVENTH. TO HENRY HIGDEN, ESQ. ON HIS TRANSLATION OF THE TENTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL.
 XII. 
EPISTLE THE TWELFTH. TO MY DEAR FRIEND MR. CONGREVE, ON HIS COMEDY CALLED THE DOUBLE DEALER.
 XIII. 
EPISTLE THE THIRTEENTH. TO MR. GRANVILLE, ON HIS EXCELLENT TRAGEDY, CALLED HEROIC LOVE.
 XIV. 
EPISTLE THE FOURTEENTH. TO MY FRIEND MR. MOTTEUX, ON HIS TRAGEDY CALLED BEAUTY IN DISTRESS, PUBLISHED IN 1698.
 XV. 
EPISTLE THE FIFTEENTH. TO MY HONOURED KINSMAN JOHN DRIDEN, OF CHESTERTON, IN THE COUNTY OF HUNTINGDON, ESQ.
 XVI. 
EPISTLE THE SIXTEENTH. TO SIR GODFREY KNELLER, PRINCIPAL PAINTER TO HIS MAJESTY.
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ELEGIES AND EPITAPHS.
  
UPON THE DEATH OF LORD HASTINGS.
  
TO THE MEMORY OF MR. OLDHAM.
  
TO THE PIOUS MEMORY OF THE ACCOMPLISHED YOUNG LADY MRS. ANNE KILLIGREW, EXCELLENT IN THE TWO SISTER ARTS OF POESY AND PAINTING.
  
UPON THE DEATH OF THE VISCOUNT OF DUNDEE.
  
ELEONORA: A PANEGYRICAL POEM, DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE COUNTESS OF ABINGDON.
  
ON THE DEATH OF AMYNTAS.
  
ON THE DEATH OF A VERY YOUNG GENTLEMAN.
  
UPON YOUNG MR. ROGERS, OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE.
  
ON A NEPHEW.
  
ON THE DEATH OF MR. PURCELL.
  
EPITAPH ON THE LADY WHITMORE.
  
EPITAPH ON MRS. MARGARET PASTON, OF BARNINGHAM, IN NORFOLK.
  
EPITAPH ON THE MONUMENT OF THE MARQUIS OF WINCHESTER.
  
EPITAPH ON SIR PALMES FAIRBORNE'S TOMB IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
  
EPITAPH ON THE MONUMENT OF A FAIR MAIDEN LADY, WHO DIED AT BATH, AND IS THERE INTERRED.
  
UNDER MR. MILTON'S PICTURE, BEFORE HIS PARADISE LOST.
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ODES, SONGS, AND LYRICAL PIECES.
  
FAREWELL, FAIR ARMIDA.
  
THE FAIR STRANGER.
  
A SONG FOR ST. CECILIA'S DAY, 22d November 1687.
  
THE TEARS OF AMYNTA, FOR THE DEATH OF DAMON.
  
A NEW SONG.
  
THE LADY'S SONG.
  
A SONG.
  
A SONG.
  
RONDELAY.
  
A SONG.
  
A SONG TO A FAIR YOUNG LADY, GOING OUT OF TOWN IN THE SPRING.
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ALEXANDER'S FEAST, OR THE POWER OF MUSIC;
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
  
VENI, CREATOR SPIRITUS,
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FABLES.
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TALES FROM CHAUCER.
  
[dedication]
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PALAMON AND ARCITE; OR, THE KNIGHT'S TALE.
  
TO HER GRACE THE DUCHESS OF ORMOND. WITH THE FOLLOWING POEM OF PALAMON AND ARCITE.
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PALAMON AND ARCITE; OR, THE KNIGHT'S TALE.
 I. 
BOOK I.
 II. 
BOOK II.
 III. 
BOOK III.
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THE COCK AND THE FOX;
  
[section]
  
THE MORAL.
  
THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF;
  
THE WIFE OF BATH HER TALE.
  
THE CHARACTER OF A GOOD PARSON.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM BOCCACE.
  
SIGISMONDA AND GUISCARDO.
  
THEODORE AND HONORIA.
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CYMON AND IPHIGENIA.
  
Poeta loquitur.
  
[section]
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VOL. XII.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM OVID'S EPISTLES.
  
CANACE TO MACAREUS. EPIST. XI.
  
HELEN TO PARIS. EPIST. XVII.
  
DIDO TO ÆNEAS. EPIST. VII.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM OVID'S METAMORPHOSES.
  
[dedication]
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THE FIRST BOOK OF OVID'S METAMORPHOSES.
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
The Golden Age.
  
The Silver Age.
  
The Brazen Age.
  
The Iron Age.
  
The Giants' War.
  
The Transformation of Daphne into a Laurel.
  
The Transformation of Io into an Heifer.
  
The Eyes of Argus transformed into a Peacock's Train.
  
The Transformation of Syrinx into Reeds.
  
MELEAGER AND ATALANTA,
  
BAUCIS AND PHILEMON.
  
THE FABLE OF IPHIS AND IANTHE.
  
PYGMALION AND THE STATUE. FROM THE TENTH BOOK OF OVID'S METAMORPHOSES.
  
CINYRAS AND MYRRHA.
  
CEYX AND ALCYONE.
  
ÆSACUS TRANSFORMED INTO A CORMORANT.
  
THE TWELFTH BOOK OF OVID'S METAMORPHOSES,
  
THE SPEECHES OF AJAX AND ULYSSES,
  
THE STORY OF ACIS, POLYPHEMUS, AND GALATEA.
  
OF THE PYTHAGOREAN PHILOSOPHY.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM OVID'S ART OF LOVE
  
THE FIRST BOOK OF OVID'S ART OF LOVE.
  
FROM OVID'S AMOURS.
  
FROM OVID'S AMOURS.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM THEOCRITUS.
  
AMARYLLIS;
  
THE EPITHALAMIUM OF HELEN AND MENELAUS,
  
THE DESPAIRING LOVER.
  
DAPHNIS AND CHLORIS.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM LUCRETIUS.
  
THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST BOOK OF LUCRETIUS.
  
THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND BOOK OF LUCRETIUS.
  
THE LATTER PART OF THE THIRD BOOK OF LUCRETIUS,
  
THE LATTER PART OF THE FOURTH BOOK OF LUCRETIUS;
  
FROM THE FIFTH BOOK OF LUCRETIUS.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM HORACE.
  
THE THIRD ODE OF THE FIRST BOOK OF HORACE.
  
THE NINTH ODE OF THE FIRST BOOK OF HORACE.
  
THE TWENTY-NINTH ODE OF THE FIRST BOOK OF HORACE,
  
THE SECOND EPODE OF HORACE.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM HOMER.
  
THE FIRST BOOK OF HOMER'S ILIAD.
  
THE LAST PARTING OF HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE.
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VOL. XIII.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM JUVENAL.
  
THE FIRST SATIRE OF JUVENAL.
  
THE THIRD SATIRE OF JUVENAL.
  
THE SIXTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL.
  
THE TENTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL.
  
THE SIXTEENTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL.
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TRANSLATIONS FROM PERSIUS.
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THE FIRST SATIRE OF PERSIUS.
  
PROLOGUE TO THE FIRST SATIRE.
  
THE FIRST SATIRE.
 2. 
THE SECOND SATIRE OF PERSIUS.
 3. 
THE THIRD SATIRE OF PERSIUS.
 4. 
THE FOURTH SATIRE OF PERSIUS.
 5. 
THE FIFTH SATIRE OF PERSIUS.
 6. 
THE SIXTH SATIRE OF PERSIUS.
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THE WORKS OF VIRGIL,
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RECOMMENDATORY POEMS.
  
TO MR. DRYDEN, ON HIS EXCELLENT TRANSLATION OF VIRGIL.
  
TO MR. DRYDEN, ON HIS TRANSLATION OF VIRGIL.
  
TO MR. DRYDEN.
  
TO MR. DRYDEN, ON HIS VIRGIL.
  
TO MR. DRYDEN, ON HIS TRANSLATIONS.
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PASTORALS.
  
[dedication]
 I. 
PASTORAL I.
 II. 
PASTORAL II.
 III. 
PASTORAL III.
 IV. 
PASTORAL IV.
 V. 
PASTORAL V.
 VI. 
PASTORAL VI.
 VII. 
PASTORAL VII.
 VIII. 
PASTORAL VIII.
 IX. 
PASTORAL IX.
 X. 
PASTORAL X.
collapse sectionXIV, XV. 
VOL. XIV., VOL. XV.
  
[dedication]
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GEORGICS.
 I. 
BOOK I.
 II. 
BOOK II.
 III. 
BOOK III.
 IV. 
BOOK IV.
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ÆNEÏS
 I. 
BOOK I.
 II. 
BOOK II.
 III. 
BOOK III.
 IV. 
BOOK IV.
 V. 
BOOK V.
 VI. 
BOOK VI.
 VII. 
BOOK VII.
 VIII. 
BOOK VIII.
 IX. 
BOOK IX.
 X. 
BOOK X.
 XI. 
BOOK XI.
 XII. 
BOOK XII.
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POEMS ASCRIBED TO DRYDEN.
  
AN ESSAY UPON SATIRE.
  
A FAMILIAR EPISTLE TO MR. JULIAN, SECRETARY OF THE MUSES.
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THE ART OF POETRY.
 I. 
CANTO I.
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CANTO II.
  
PASTORAL.
  
ELEGY.
  
ODE.
  
EPIGRAM.
  
SATIRE.
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CANTO III.
  
TRAGEDY.
  
THE EPIC.
 IV. 
CANTO IV.
  
ON THE YOUNG STATESMEN.
  
TARQUIN AND TULLIA.
  
SUUM CUIQUE.

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65

EPISTLE THE FOURTEENTH. TO MY FRIEND MR. MOTTEUX, ON HIS TRAGEDY CALLED BEAUTY IN DISTRESS, PUBLISHED IN 1698.

67

'Tis hard, my friend, to write in such an age,
As damns not only poets, but the stage.
That sacred art, by heaven itself infused,
Which Moses, David, Solomon, have used,
Is now to be no more: the Muses' foes
Would sink their Maker's praises into prose.
Were they content to prune the lavish vine
Of straggling branches, and improve the wine,
Who, but a madman, would his faults defend?
All would submit; for all but fools will mend.
But when to common sense they give the lie,
And turn distorted words to blasphemy,
They give the scandal; and the wise discern,
Their glosses teach an age, too apt to learn.
What I have loosely, or profanely, writ,
Let them to fires, their due desert, commit:
Nor, when accused by me, let them complain;
Their faults, and not their function, I arraign.
Rebellion, worse than witchcraft, they pursued;
The pulpit preached the crime, the people rued.
The stage was silenced; for the saints would see
In fields performed their plotted tragedy.
68

But let us first reform, and then so live,
That we may teach our teachers to forgive;
Our desk be placed below their lofty chairs,
Ours be the practice, as the precept theirs.
The moral part, at least we may divide,
Humility reward, and punish pride;
Ambition, interest, avarice, accuse;
These are the province of the tragic muse.
These hast thou chosen; and the public voice
Has equalled thy performance with thy choice.
Time, action, place, are so preserved by thee,
That e'en Corneille might with envy see
The alliance of his tripled unity.
Thy incidents, perhaps, too thick are sown,
But too much plenty is thy fault alone.
At least but two can that good crime commit,
Thou in design, and Wycherly in wit.
Let thy own Gauls condemn thee, if they dare,
Contented to be thinly regular:
Born there, but not for them, our fruitful soil
With more increase rewards thy happy toil.
Their tongue, enfeebled, is refined so much,
That, like pure gold, it bends at every touch.
Our sturdy Teuton yet will art obey,
More fit for manly thought, and strengthened with allay.
But whence art thou inspired, and thou alone,
To flourish in an idiom not thy own?
It moves our wonder, that a foreign guest
Should overmatch the most, and match the best.
In under-praising thy deserts, I wrong;
Here find the first deficience of our tongue:
Words, once my stock, are wanting, to commend
So great a poet, and so good a friend.
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