to you, have not been unserviceable to the memory and reputation of my Lord, your father.' After this, my Lord, my conscience assures me I may write boldly, though I cannot speake to you. I have three sonns growing to man's estate; L breed them all up to learning, beyond my fortune; but they are too hopefull to be neglected, though I want. Be pleased to looke on me with an eye of compassion: some small employment would render my condition easy. The King is not unsatisfied of me; the Duke has often promised me his assistance; and your Lordship is the conduit through which their favours passe: either in the Customes, or the Appeals of the Excise,' or some other way, meanes cannot be wanting, if you please to have the will. "Tis enough for one age to have neglected Mr. Cowley, and sterv'd Mr. Butler; but neither of them had the happiness to live till your Lordship's ministry. In the meane time, be pleased to give me a gracious and speedy answer to my present request of halfe a yeare's pention for my necessityes. I am going to write somewhat by his Majesty's command,' ' Edward, Earl of Clarendon. The work or passages here alluded to, I have not been able to discover. The place which our author here solicits, (worth only £.200. a year,) was the first office that Addison obtained, which he used to call “the kitle thing given me by Lord Halifax." Locke also, after the Revolution, was a Commissioner of Appeals. Probably THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE, which was entered on the Stationers' Books early in 1684, and is there said to have been “ Englished by his Majesties. express command." and cannot stirr into the country for my health and studies, till I secure my family from want. You have many petitions of this nature, and cannot satisfy all; but I hope, from your goodness, to be made an exception to your general rules,* because I am, with all sincerity, THE two melons you sent I received before your letter, which came foure houres after: I tasted one of them, which was too good to need an excuse; the other is yet untouch'd. You have written * This application was successful. Sce vol. ii. p. 223. This letter was probably written in August or Sep. tember, 1684; the recent loss which the Duke of Ormond is said to have sustained, being, I conceive, that of his wife, who died July 21, 1684. The Duke went to Ireland, as Lord Lieutenant, in the following month, and remained there till February in the ensuing year. Other circumstances mentioned agree with this date. The History of the League was published July 31, 1684, as appears from the London Gazette, No. 1951. Michaelmas is spoken of, as approaching; and our author was now employed in preparing the second volume of his MISCEL LANIES, which appeared in Jan. 1684-5, or soon afterwards. diverse things which gave me great satisfaction; particularly that the History of the League is commended: and I hope the onely thing I fear'd in it, is not found out. Take it all together, and I dare say without vanity, 'tis the best translation of any History in English, though I cannot say 'tis the best History; but that is no fault of mine. I am glad my Lord Duke of Ormond has one: I did not forget him; but I thought his sorrows were too fresh upon him to receive a present of that nature. For my Lord Roscommon's ESSAY,' I am of your opinion that you should reprint it, and that you may safely venture on a thousand more. In my verses before it, pray let the printer mend his errour, and let the line stand thus: That heer his conqu'ring ancestors were nurs'd ;-* Charles his copy 6 is all true. The other faults my Lord Roscommon will mend in the booke, or Mr. Chetwood' for him, if my Lord be gone for Ireland; of which, pray send me word. Your opinion of the Miscellanyes is likewise mine: I will for once lay by the RELIGIO LAICI, The first edition of Lord Roscommon's "Essay on Translated Verse," appeared in 1684, and a second edition was published by Jacob Tonson in 4to. probably about Christmas, in the same year, though it is dated 1685. That nobleman died in January, 1684-5. * In the first edition it stood, "That here his conqu'ring ancestors was nurs'd." Latin Verses by Charles Dryden, prefixed to Lord Roscommon's Essay. Knightly Chetwood, concerning whom see vol. iii. till another time. But I must also add, that since we are to have nothing but new, I am resolv'd we will have nothing but good, whomever we disoblige. You will have of mine, four Odes of Horace, which I have already translated; another small translation of forty lines from Lucretius; the whole story of Nisus and Eurialus, both in the fifth and the ninth of Virgil's Eneids:" and I care not who translates them beside me, for let him be friend or foe, I will please myself, and not give off in consideration of any man. There will be forty lines more of Virgil in another place, to answer those of Lucretius: I meane those very lines which Montagne has compar'd in those two poets; and Homer shall sleep on for me,-I will not now meddle with him. And for the Act which remains of the Opera,' I believe I shall have no leysure to mind it, after I have done what I proposed: for my business here is to unweary my selfe, after my studyes, not to drudge. I am very glad you have pay'd Mr. Jones, because he has carry'd him selfe so gentlemanlike to me; and, if ever it lyes in my power, I will requite it. I desire to know whether the Duke's P. 547. He was much attached to Lord Roscommon, and, wrote his Life. 'As it was determined to insert nothing but what was new in the Second Miscellany, RELIGIO LAICI Could not be admitted; for it had been published in 1682. "These translations accordingly appeared in the SE. COND MISCELLANY. • Probably ALBION and ALBANIUS, which was afterwards completed and ready to be performed in Feb.1684-5. House are makeing cloaths and putting things in a readiness for the singing Opera, to be play'd immediately after Michaelmasse. For the actors in the two playes' which are to be acted of mine this winter, I had spoken with Mr. Betterton by chance at the Coffee-house the afternoon before I came away; and I believe that the persons were all agreed on, to be just the same you mention'd; onely Octavia was to be Mrs. Butler, in case Mrs. Cooke were not on the stage and I know not whether Mrs. Percivall, who is a comedian, will do well for Benzayda. I came hither for health, and had a kind of hectique feavour for a fortnight of the time: I am now much better. Poore Jack* is not yet recover'd of an intermitting feavour, of which this is the twelfth day; but he mends, and now begins to eat flesh: to add to this, my man with overcare of him, is fallen ill too, of the same distemper; so that I am deep in doctors, 'pothecaries, and nurses: but though many in this country fall sick of feavours, few or none dye. Your friend, Charles,+ continues well. If you have any extraordinary I should be glad to heare it. I will answer Mr. Butler's letter next week; for it requires no hast. I am Yours, JOHN DRYDEN. newes, I suppose, the Opera of KING ARTHUR, to which ALBION AND ALBANIUS was originally intended to have been a prelude. See vol. ii. p. 164. Both these pieces were performed, at different times, at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden, as it was then denominated; though, from old habit, our author here calls it the Duke's House. ALL FOR LOVE, and THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA. + His eldest son. His second son, |