theatre where he had so often triumphed. But he was too prudent to show outward signs of resentment; and in conversation allowed, that the farce had a great many good things in it, though so severe against himself. «Yet I cannot help saying," he added, in a well-judged tone of contempt, « that Smith and Johnson are two of the coollest and most insignificant fellows I ever met with upon the stage. Many years afterwards he assigned nearly the same reason to the public for not replying to the satire. But though he veiled his resentment under this mask of indifference at the time, he afterwards avowed, that the exquisite character of Zimri in « Absalom and Achitophel» was laboured with so much felicitous skill as a requital in kind to the author of the « Rehearsal. »3 I 2 Spence's "Anecdotes," quoted by Mr Malone. " 3 2 << I answered not the 'Rehearsal,' because I knew the author sat to himself when he drew the picture, and was the very Bayes of his own farce; because also I knew that my betters were more concerned than I was in that satire; and, lastly, because Mr Smith and Mr Johnson, the main pillars of it, were two such languishing gentlemen in their conversation, that I could liken them to nothing but to their own relations, those noble characters of men of wit and pleasure about the town.»—Dedication to Juvenal, vol. XIII. p. 10. 3 The pains which Dryden bestowed on the character of Zimri, and the esteem in which he held it, is evident from his quoting it as the master-piece of his own satire. «The character of Zimri in my ‘Absalom' is, in my opinion, worth the whole poem: it is not bloody, but it is ri The ridicule cast upon heroic plays by the Rehearsal,» did not prevent their being still exhibited. They contained many passages of splendid poetry, which continued to delight the audience after they had laughed at Buckingham's parody. But the charm began to dissolve; and from the time of that representation, they seem gradually, but perceptibly, to have declined in favour. Accordingly, Dryden did not trust to his powers of numbers in his next play, but produced the Marriage à la Mode,» a tragi-comedy, or rather a tragedy and comedy, the plots and scenes of which are intermingled, for they have no natural connexion with each other. The state-intrigue bears evident marks of hurry and inattention; and it is at least possible, that Dryden originally intended it for the subject of a proper heroic play, but startled at the effect of Buckingham's satire, hastily added to it some comic scenes, either lying by him, or composed on purpose. The higher or tragic plot is not only grossly inartificial and improbable, but its incidents are diculous enough; and he, for whom it was intended, was too witty to resent it as an injury. If I had railed, I might have suffered for it justly; but I managed my own work more happily, perhaps more dexterously. I avoided the mention of great crimes, and applied myself to the representing of blind sides, and little extravagancies; to which, the wittier a man is, he is generally the more obnoxious. It succeeded as I wished; the jest went round, and he was laughed at in his turn who began the frolic." I so perplexed and obscure, that it would have required much more action to detail them intelligibly. Even the language has an abridged appearance, and favours the idea, that the tragic intrigue was to have been extended into a proper heroic play, instead of occupying a spare corner in a comedy. But to make amends, the comic scenes are executed with spirit, and in a style resembling those in the «Maiden Queen. They contained much witty and fashionable raillery; and the character of Melantha is pronounced by Cibber to exhibit the most complete system of female foppery that could possibly be crowded into the tortured form of a fine lady. It was admirably acted by Mrs Montfort, afterwards Mrs Verbruggen. The piece thus supported was eminently successful; a fortunate circumstance for the King's Company, who were then in distressful circumstances. Their house in Drury-Lane had been destroyed by fire, after which disaster they were compelled to occupy the old theatre in Lincoln's-inn Fields, lately deserted by the rival company for a splendid one in Dorset Gardens. From a prologue which our author furnished, to be spoken at the opening of this house of refuge, it would seem, that even the scenes and properties of the actors had been In one of Cibber's moods of alteration, he combined the comic scenes of these two plays into a comedy entitled «The Comical Lovers.>> furnished by the contributions of the nobility.' Perhaps their present reduced situation was an additional reason with Dryden for turning his attention to comedy, which required less splendour of exhibition and decoration than the heroic plays. «Marriage à la Mode» was inscribed to Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, in strains of adulation not very honourable to the dedicator. But as he expresses his gratitude for Rochester's care, not only of his reputation, but of his fortune; for his solicitude to overcome the fatal modesty of poets, which leads them to prefer want to importunity; and, finally, for the good effects of his mediation in all his concerns at court; it may may be supposed some recent benefit, perhaps an active share in procuring the appointment of poet-laureat, had warmed the heart of the author towards the patron. The dedication was well received, and the compliment handsomely acknowledged, as we learn by a letter from Dryden to Rochester, where he says, that the shame of being so much overpaid for an ill dedication made him almost repent of his address. But he had «You are changed too, and your pretence to see Your own provisions furnish out our feasts, While you, the founders, make yourselves the guests.» shortly afterwards rather more substantial reasons for regretting his choice of a patron. The same cause for abstaining from tragic composition still remaining in force, Dryden, in 1672, brought forward a comedy, called, «The Assignation, or Love in a Nunnery. The plot-was after the Spanish model. The author seems to have apprehended, and experienced, some opposition, on account of this second name; and although he deprecates, in the epilogue, the idea of its being a party play, or written to gratify the puritans with satire at the expence of the catholics,' yet he complains, in the dedication, of the number of its enemies, who came prepared to damn it on account of the title. The Duke of York having just made public profession of the Roman faith, any reflections «Some have expected, from our bills to-day, The zealous rout from Coleman-street did run, And both, you see, alike are cozen'd here.» |