THRENI CANTABRIGIENSES [In 1661 there was published at Cambridge a volume entitled Threni Cantabrigienses in Funere duorum Principum, Henrici Glocestrensis, et Maria Arausionensis, Serenissimi Regis Caroli II, Fratris et Sororis (British Museum Catalogue). This contains, according to Malone (I, 1, 17), poems by Jonathan Dryden, a cousin of our author. The pieces are sometimes ascribed to John Dryden.] SATIRE UPON THE DUTCH WRITTEN BY MR. DRYDEN IN THE YEAR 1662 [A poem under this title is found in Poems on Affairs of State, vol. iii, 1704. See headnote, pages 70, 71.] THE MALL OR, THE MODISH LOVERS [A comedy of this title, published in 1674, has a dedication, To William Whitcomb, Junior, Esq., signed J. D. It has been conjectured that this piece is identical with The Ladies a la Mode, a play which Pepys saw on September 15, 1668, and which he terms "a translation out of French by Dryden." That drama sigually failed on representation, and, unless it be really the same as The Mall, seems never to have been printed. The Mall is printed in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, viii. 507-576. The evidence does not warrant reproducing here the prologue and the epilogue, and the one song inserted in the play (pages 537, 538).] THE MISTAKEN HUSBAND [A comedy of this title, "printed for J. Magnes and R. Bentley in 1675, contains a short preface, The Bookseller to the Reader, signed "R. Bentley," which begins as follows: This play was left in Mr. Dryden's hands many years since. The author of it was unknown to him, and returned not to claim it; 't is therefore to be presum'd that he is dead. After twelve years' expectation, Mr Dryden gave it to the players, having upon perusal of it found that it deserv'd a better fate than to be buried in obscurity. I have heard him say that finding a scene wanting he supplied it, and many have affirm'd that the style of it is proper to the subject, which is that the French call basse comedy." A. C Swinburne (in the Gentleman's Magazine, Oct., 1880; vol. cexlix, pp. 416-423) while arguing that one scene of this play was really written by Dryden, condemns the prologue and epilogue as none of his work. They are not intrinsically interesting, and have no claim to be reprinted in this edition. They may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, where the play is printed, viii. 577-643.] TO BE WRITTEN UNDER THE DUCHESS OF PORTSMOUTH'S PICTURE [In Poems on Affairs of State, vol. iii, 1704, there is found an excellent epigram of six lines, with title as above, which, from the concluding couplet : A nobler theme had been this poet's boast, That all the world for love had well been lost might well be ascribed to Dryden. Unfortunately it occurs in Examen Poeticum, 1693 (a volume edited by Dryden himself), with no mention of the author, and with the reading the poet's instead of this poet's, in the next to the last line. The editor of Poems on Affairs of State, while not assigning this epigram to Dryden, does attribute to him (in his Index) Another on the same subject, printed on the same page. This second epigram is a piece of no merit, and cannot be regarded as Dryden's work. It may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, xv. 266.] SATIRE UPON ROMISH CONFESSORS [A poem under this title, printed in Poems on Affairs of State, vol. iii, 1704, and there ascribed to Dryden, is nothing but the epilogue to The Spanish Friar, lacking the first four lines. This epilogue was by a friend of Dryden see headnote, page 103. The epilogue may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, vi. 522, 523.] EPILOGUE SPOKEN AT MITHRIDATES KING OF PONTUS THE FIRST PLAY ACTED AT THE THEATER ROYAL, 1681 [Under the title above, Scott reprinted an epilogue from a broadside, but gave no evidence that the piece was by Dryden. Christie (page 434) very properly rejects it. The epilogue may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, x. 351. Compare headnote, page 81.] TO MR. CREECH, UPON HIS TRANSLATION OF LUCRETIUS INTO ENGLISH [A complimentary poem under this heading, prefixed to Creech's translation of Lucretius, published in 1682, was early attributed to Dryden; and on it was built a scandalous story, that Dryden "incited Creech to translate Horace, that by his failure in that work he might lose the reputation which he had gained by his poetical version of Lucretius " (Malone). For this assumption the only tangible evidence is that the verses are dated January 25, 1682, and contain the couplet: Believe me, youth, for I am read in cares, And bend beneath the weight of fifty years, which tallies exactly with Dryden's age at the time. Malone (I, 1, 505-511) successfully refuted this ancient calumny. The old story was revived by a writer in Notes and Queries, series VI. iv. 24.] ON THE DUKE OF BUCKS [A lampoon on George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, is printed under this title in Poems on Affairs of State, vol. ii, 1703, where it is ascribed to Mr. Dr n. A long excerpt is given in Malone, I, 1, 95-97. The style of the piece proves conclusively that it is not Dryden's work.] EPILOGUE TO DISAPPOINTMENT OR, THE MOTHER IN FASHION [The prologue to this play by Southerne has been printed on page 171. In the first edition of the play, 1684, and in the collected editions of Southerne's works, the epilogue is ascribed to the Hon. John Statford. But it appears in the third edition, 1702, of Mis cellany Poems, the First Part, under the heading 4s Epilogue by Mr. Dryden. The piece may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, x. 421.] AN EPITAPH UPON THE E. OF RO. -STER'S BEING DISMISS'D FROM THE TREASURY IN 1687 [A lampoon upon Laurence Hyde, Earl of Rochester, is printed under this title in Poems on Affairs of State, vol. ii, 1703, and ascribed to Dryden. It has no claim to authenticity. In 1692 Dryden dedicated Cleomenes to Rochester in terms of great respect. The piece may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, xv. 265, 266.] TARQUIN AND TULLIA [A poem violently attacking King William and Queen Mary is printed under this title in Poems on Affairs of State, vol. iii, 1704, and in the index is ascribed to Mr. Dn. It may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, xv. 257-262. In The Life and Posthumous Works of Arthur Maynwaring, Esq. [by John Oldmixon], 1715, pages 9-13. Oldmixon gives extensive quotations from this poem, which he says was one of Mainwaring's first productions. On page 14 he says that another poem by Mainwaring, The King of Hearts, was falsely attributed to Dryden. Pope told Spence (see Anecdotes) "that that very hot copy of verses against King William and Queen Mary was written by the famous Mr. Mainwaring."] SUUM CUIQUE [This poem may be found in the Scott-Saintsbury edition, xv. 263-265. The present editor has been unable to discover where it was first published. Scott attributes it, like Tarquin and Tullia, to Mainwaring, but cites no authority for doing so.] SONGS FROM THE PROPHETESS [Professor Saintsbury conjectures, on what seems to the present editor insufficient evidence, that certain songs in the revised version of The Prophetess, published in 1690 (see headnote, page 260), may have been written by Dryden. See Scott-Saintsbury edition, viii. 10, and xviii. 302-308.] A FAMILIAR EPISTLE TO MR. JULIAN SECRETARY OF THE MUSES [A lampoon with this title is printed under Dryden's name in the second edition, 1716, of The Sixth Part of Miscellany Poems. It may be found in the ScottSaintsbury edition, xv. 214-219. The piece is printed anonymously in Poems on Affairs of State, vol. iii, 1704. It is also found in the second volume of Miscellaneous Works written by his Grace, George, late Duke of Buckingham, 1705-07. Whether by Buckingham or not, the poem is certainly not by Dryden. The style is entirely unlike his, and the following couplet could not have been written by him: Less art thou help'd by Dryden's bedrid age; That drone has lost his sting upon the stage.] OF A NOBLE RACE WAS SHENKIN [A song under this title, really by D'Urfey, has been attributed to Dryden: see Notes and Queries, series III. xi. 316, 348.] ON THE MARRIAGE OF THE FAIR AND VIRTUOUS LADY MRS. ANASTASIA STAFFORD WITH THAT TRULY WORTHY AND PIOUS GENT. GEORGE HOLMAN, ESQ. TO MATILDA ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF OUR MARRIAGE [At the close of the Aldine edition of Dryden (London, 1843, 1844, vol. v, pp. 313, 317) there are found two poems, with titles as above, which have been reprinted in some later editions. The present editor has been unable to discover the place of the original publication of these pieces, or, in fact, to find any notice of them earlier than the Aldine edition, which was first published in 1832, 1833.] APPENDIX II TRANSLATIONS FROM VIRGIL INCLUDED IN SYLVÆ (THE SECOND MISCELLANY), 1685 [The following episodes from the Eneid, first published in Sylva, 1685 (compare headnote, page 175), Dryden thoroughly recast when he made his complete translation of Virgil. In the texts printed below, lines which Dryden later retained unchanged are inclosed in brackets, those which he retained with minor changes are marked with a single bracket; those which he entirely rewrote are left unmarked. In The Episode of Mezentius and Lausus, which Dryden changed comparatively little in rewriting, passages which he left intact are indicated merely by the numbers of the lines in the later text.] THE ENTIRE EPISODE OF NISUS AND EURYALUS, TRANSLATED FROM THE FIFTH AND NINTH BOOKS OF VIRGIL'S NEIDS [See pages 583, 584, lines 373-475, and pages 641-646, lines 221-600.] Connection of the first part of the Episode in the Fifth Book with the rest of the foregoing poem. Eneas having buried his father Anchises in Sicily, and setting sail from thence in search of Italy, is driven by a storm on the same coasts from whence he departed. After a year's wand'ring, he is hospitably re ceiv'd by his friend Acestes, king of that part of the island, who was born of Trojan parentage. He applies himself to celebrate the memory of his father with divine honors, and accordingly institutes funeral games, and appoints prizes for those who should conquer in them. One of these games was a foot race, in which Nisus and Euryalus were engag'd amongst other Trojans and Sicilians. [FROM thence his way the Trojan hero bent] [Into a grassy plain, with mountains pent, [Whose brows were shaded with surrounding wood. [Full in the midst of this fair valley stood] [A native theater, which, rising slow] Euryalus with youth and beauty crown'd, 66 10 20 Then Salius, join'd with Patron, took his place; But from Epirus one deriv'd his birth, The other ow'd it to Arcadian carth: [Then two Sicilian youths the name of this Was Helymus, of that was Panopes; Two jolly huntsmen in the forest bred, [And owning old Acestes for their head;] With many others of obscurer name, [Whom time has not deliver'd o'er to fame.] To these Eneas in the midst arose, And pleasingly did thus his mind expose: Not one of you shall unrewarded go; On each I will two Cretan spears bestow, Pointed with polish'd steel; a battle-ax too, With silver studded: these in common share; so [The foremost three shall olive garlands wear. The victor, who shall first the race obtain, Shall for his prize a well-breath'd courser gain, [Adorn'd with trappings; to the next in fame, The quiver of an Amazonian dame,] [With feather'd Thracian arrows well supplied,] Hung on a golden belt, and with a jewel tied [The third this Grecian helmet must content." He said. To their appointed base they went ;] [With beating hearts th' expected sign receive,] [And, starting all at once, the station leave, Spread out, as on the wings of winds they flew, [And seiz'd the distant goal with eager view. Shot from the crowd, swift Nisus all o'erpass'd;] [Not storms, nor thunder, equal half his haste. [The next, but, tho' the next, yet far disjoin'd,] Came Salius; then, a distant space behind, Euryalus the third: [Next Helymus, whom young Diores plied, [Step after step, and almost side by side,] His shoulders pressing; and, in longer space,] [Had won, or left at least a doubtful race. 50 [Now, spent, the goal they almost reach at last,] [When eager Nisus, hapless in his haste,] [Slipp'd first, and, slipping, fell upon the plain,] Moist with the blood of oxen lately slain. The careless victor had not mark'd his way;] [But, treading where the treacherous puddle lay.] 59 [His heels flew up, and on the grassy floor] [The conqu'ror to the goal, who conquer'd thro' his friend. [Next Helymus; and then Diores came,] [By two misfortunes now the third in fame. 70 [But Salius enters, and, exclaiming loud] [For justice, deafens and disturbs the crowd;] [Urges his cause may in the court be heard ;] [And pleads the prize is wrongfully conferr'd.] But favor for Euryalus appears ;] 80 [His blooming beauty and his graceful tears Had brib'd the judges to protect his claim; [Besides, Diores does as loud exclaim, [Who vainly reaches at the last reward,] [If the first palm on Salius be conferr'd.] Then thus the prince: "Let no disputes arise:] Where Fortune plac'd it, I award the prize.] [But give me leave her errors to amend, At least to pity a deserving friend." Thus having said, A lion's hide, amazing to behold, [Pond'rous with bristles, and with paws of gold, He gave the youth; which Nisus griev'd to view. ["If such rewards to vanquish'd men are due,"] 90 [Said he, "and falling is to rise by you, With this, the graceful youth he gratified; 100 Connection of the remaining part of the Episode, translated out of the Ninth Book of Virgil's Eneids, with the foregoing part of the story. The war being now broken out betwixt the Trojans and Latins, and Æneas being overmatch'd in numbers by his enemies, who were aided by King Turnus, he fortifies his camp, and leaves in it his young son Ascanius, under the direction of his chief counselors and captains, while he goes in person to beg succors from King Evander and the Tuscans. Turnus takes advantage of his absence, and assaults his camp. The Trojans in it are reduc'd to great extremities, which gives the poet the occasion of continuing this admirable episode, wherein he describes the friendship, the generosity, the adventures, and the death of Nisus and Euryalus. The Trojan camp the common danger shar'd; By turns they watch'd the walls, and kept the nightly guard. To warlike Nisus fell the gate by lot, [Well could he dart the spear, and shafts unerring send. [Beside him stood Euryalus, his ever faithful friend: [Scarce was the down upon his chin begun. [One was their friendship, their desire was one; With minds united in the field they warr'd, [And now were both by choice upon the guard.] [Then Nisus thus: 120 Or do the gods this warlike warmth inspire, [Or makes each man a god of his desire? A noble ardor boils within my breast, Eager of action, enemy of rest; [That urges me to fight, or undertake Some deed that may my fame immortal make. [Thou see'st the foe secure; how faintly shine] Their scatter'd fires! the most, in sleep supine,] Dissolv'd in ease, and drunk with victory; [The few awake the fuming flagon ply: All hush'd around. Now hear what I revolve] Within my mind, and what my laboring thoughts resolve. [Our absent lord both camp and council mourn; [By message both would hasten his return:] 130 The gifts propos'd if they confer on thee, [(For fame is recompense enough to me,) Methinks, beneath yon hill, I have espied] A way that safely will my passage guide."] [Euryalus stood list ning while he spoke,] [With love of praise and noble envy strook; [Then to his ardent friend expos'd his mind:] ["All this, alone, and leaving me behind!] [Am I unworthy, Nisus, to be join'd?] Think'st thou my share of honor I will yield, [Or send thee unassisted to the field?] Not so my father taught my childhood arms;] [Born in a siege, and bred amongst alarms! Nor is my youth unworthy of my friend,] [Or of the heav'n-born hero I attend. [The thing call'd life with ease I can disclaim,] And think it over-sold to purchase fame."] To whom his friend: 139 150 ["I could not think, alas, thy tender years Would minister new matter to my fears;] Nor is it just thou shouldst thy wish obtain So Jove in triumph bring me back again To those dear eyes; or if a god there be To pious friends propitious more than he! [But if some one- as many sure there are Of adverse accidents in doubtful war [If one should reach my head, there let it fall,] And spare thy life; I would not perish all.] Thy youth is worthy of a longer date: [Do thou remain to mourn thy lover's fate, 100 To bear my mangled body from the foe,] [Or buy it back, and fun'ral rites bestow ;] Or, if hard fortune shall my corpse deny Those dues, with empty marble to supply. [O let not me the widow's tears renew!] Let not a mother's curse my name pursue: Thy pious mother, who, in love to thee, Left the fair coast of fruitful Sicily, [Her age committing to the seas and wind,] [When every weary matron stay'd behind."] 170 To this, Euryalus: "Thou plead'st in vain, And but delay'st the cause thou canst not gain. [No more! 'tis loss of time." With that he wakes [The nodding watch: each to his office takes.] The guard reliev'd, in company they went To find the council at the royal tent.] Now every living thing lay void of care, [And sleep, the common gift of nature, share :] Meantime the Trojan peers in council sate, And call'd their chief commanders, to debate 180 [The weighty business of th' indanger'd state; What next was to be done, who to be sent T'inform Æneas of the foes' intent. In midst of all the quiet camp they held Nocturnal council; each sustains a shield Which his o'er-labor'd arm can hardly rear, And leans upon a long projected spear. [Now Nisus and his friend approach the guard,] [And beg admittance, eager to be heard: [Th' affair important, not to be deferr'd.] 190 Ascanius bids them be conducted in ; Then thus, commanded, Nisus does begin: [Ye Trojan fathers, lend attentive ears; Nor judge our undertaking by our years. [The foes, securely drench'd in sleep and wine, [Their watch neglect; their fires but thinly shine; [And, where the smoke in thick'ning vapors flies, [Cov'ring the plain, and clouding all the skies, Betwixt the spaces we have mark'd a way, Close by the gate, and coasting by the sea. 200 This passage undisturb'd, and unespied, Our steps will safely to Æneas guide: [Expect each hour to see him back again, [Loaded with spoils of foes in battle slain.] [Snatch we the lucky minute while we may,] Nor can we be mistaken in the way ;] For, hunting in the vale, we oft have seen [The rising turrets with the stream between, And know its winding course, with every ford." [He paus'd; and old Alethes took the word: 210 ["Our country gods, in whom our trust we place,] [Will yet from ruin save the Trojan race,] [While we behold such springing worth appear [In youth so brave, and breasts so void of fear." With this he took the hand of either boy, Embrac'd them closely both, and wept for joy: "Ye brave young men, what equal gifts can we,] [What recompense for such desert, decree! The greatest, sure, and best you can receive,] The gods, your virtue, and your fame will give. [The rest our grateful general will bestow,] [And young Ascanius till his manhood owe." 220 ["And I, whose welfare in my father lies,"] Ascanius adds, "by all the deities, [By our great country, and our household gods, [By hoary Vesta's rites and dark abodes,] Adjure you both (on you my fortune stands ;) That and my faith I plight into your hands),] Make me but happy in his safe return,] (For I no other loss but only his can mourn,) 230 Nisus, your gift shall two large goblets be, [Of silver, wrought with curious imagery.] [And high emboss'd, which, when old Priam reign'd,] My conquering sire at sack'd Arisba gain'd ;] [And more, two tripods cast in antique mold,] APPENDIX II grave, [With two great talents of the finest gold ;] 239 [That, and his golden arms, and sanguine crest, [With these, twelve captive dam'sels young and fair; Male slaves as many, well appointed all 250 [No fate my vow'd affection shall divide] [My peace shall be committed to thy care,] [“So great beginnings, in so green an age,] Exact that faith which firmly I engage. [Thy mother all the privilege shall claim [Creusa had, and only want the name.] Whate'er event thy enterprise shall have, 'Tis merit to have borne a son so brave.] [By this my head, a sacred oath, I swear,] My father us'd it,) what, returning here] Crown'd with success, I for thyself prepare,] Thy parent and thy family shall share.' 280 291 [He said, and weeping, while he spoke the word,] [From his broad belt he drew a shining sword,] Magnificent with gold. Lycaon made,] And in an iv'ry scabbard sheath'd the blade.] [This was his gift; while Mnestheus did provide, For Nisus' arms, a grisly lion's hide, [Thus arm'd they went. The noble Trojans 300 [Their going forth, and follow to the gate Ascanius, manly far above his years, [Where their proud foes in pitch'd pavilions [To many fatal, e'er themselves were slain.] snore. [Unharness'd chariots stand upon the shore; 310 Midst wheels and reins, and arms, the goblet by, [A medley of debauch and war, they lie.] [Observing Nisus shew'd his friend the sight;] Then thus: "Behold a conquest without fight. Occasion calls the sword to be prepar'd; [Our way lies there: stand thou [And look behind, while I securely go [To cut an ample passage thro' the foe." Softly he spoke; then stalking took his way, [With his drawn sword, where haughty Rham nes lay:] upon the guard, $20 [His head rais'd high on tapestry beneath,] [A king and prophet, by King Turnus lov'd:] [Where Remus, with his proud retinue, lies. |