TO MR. GRANVILLE, ON HIS EXCELLENT TRAGEDY CALL'D HEROIC LOVE [Heroic Love, a tragedy by George Granville, based on the story of Briseis in the Iliad, was probably first acted in 1697; it had great success on the stage (Downes). Dryden's epistle, with heading as above, was printed with the first edition of the play, which was published on February 19, 1698 (Malone, I, 1, 310, on the authority of an advertisement in the London Gazette). Granville, who was created Lord Lansdowne in 1711, is known in literature as the friend of Pope as well as of Dryden.] AUSPICIOUS poet, wert thou not my friend, How could I envy, what I must commend! But since 't is nature's law, in love and wit, That youth should reign, and with'ring age submit, With less regret those laurels I resign, Which, dying on my brows, revive on thine. With better grace an ancient chief may yield The long contended honors of the field, Catch at a peace, and wisely turn devout. age Can best, if any can, support the stage; [Peter Anthony Motteux was a French Huguenot who settled in England in 1685, and soon became noted as a man of letters; he is best known in our day as a translator of Rabelais and of Don Quixote. The following epistle was prefixed to his tragedy, Beauty in Distress, on its publication in 1698. The play is entered in the Term Catalogue for Trinity Term (June) of that year; it was probably acted late in 1697 or early in 1698.] 'Tis hard, my friend, to write in such an Has equal'd thy performance with thy choice. Time, action, place, are so preserv'd by Mr. Dryden bowed to the good old lady, and spoke extempore the f[ollowing verses]: So much religion in your name doth dwell, Thus names, like [well-wrought] pictures drawn of old, My prayers shall be, while this short life endures, THE MONUMENT OF A FAIR MAIDEN LADY WHO DIED AT BATH AND IS THERE INTERR'D [This epitaph was first printed, with title as above, in the volume of Fables, 1700. It is found on a mural tablet in Bath Abbey, where it is preceded by the following words: Here lyes the Body of Mary, third Daughter of Richard Frampton of Moreton in Dorsetshire, Esq and of Iane his Wife, sole Daughter of S Francis Cottington of Founthill in Wilts, who was born Ianuary y J 167%. And Dyed after Seven Weeks sickness on the 6 of 7ber 1698. This Monument was Erected by Cath. Frampton, her second Sister and Executress in testimony of her Grief, Affection, and Gratitude." The tablet is surmounted by a bust of Mary Frampton. The text above is from a copy of the tablet, kindly furnished the present editor by the Reverend S. A. Boyd, Rector of Bath. The text of the poem follows that printed in the Fables.] [In March, 1700 (Malone, I, 1, 327, on the authority of an advertisement in the Flying Post), Tonson published a folio volume with title-page reading as follows: This volume, the "last fruit off an old tree," contained, besides the material printed below, the epitaph on The Monument of a Fair Maiden Lady (p. 735, above) and a reprint of Alexander's Feast. The earliest of the new poems contained in it were probably written late in 1697 or early in 1698. In Dryden's correspondence there are several charming references to this last great work of his pen. On February 2, 1699, he writes to his kinswoman Mrs. Steward: "In the mean time, betwixt my intervalls of physique and other remedies which I am useing for my gravell, I am still drudgeing on: always a poet, and never a good one. I pass my time sometimes with Ovid, and sometimes with our old English poet, Chaucer; translateing such stories as best please my fancy; and intend besides them to add somewhat of my own: so that it is not impossible, but ere the summer be pass'd, I may come down to you with a volume in my hand, like a dog out of the water, with a duck in his mouth." (Malone, I, 2; 74, 75.) In another letter, written March 4 of the same year, he tells the same correspondent: "I am still drudging at a book of Miscellanyes, which I hope will be well enough; if otherwise, threescore and seven may be pardon'd." (Ibid. 1, 2; 82, 83.) On July 14, 1699, he writes to Samuel Pepys, the diarist: "PADRON MIO, "I REMEMBER, last year, when I had the honour of dineing with you, you were pleas'd to recommend to me the character of Chaucer's GOOD PARSON. Any desire of yours is a command to me; and accordingly I have put it into my English, with such additions and alterations as I thought fit. Having translated as many Fables from Ovid, and as many Novills from Boccace and Tales from Chaucer, as will make an indifferent large volume in folio, I intend them for the press in Michaelmass term next. In the mean time my PARSON desires the favour of being known to you, and promises, if you find any fault in his character, he will reform it. Whenever you please, he shall wait on you, and for the safer conveyance, I will carry him in my pocket; My Padrons most obedient Servant, who am JOHN DRYDEN." (Ibid. I, 2, 84-86.) On November 7 the poet again writes to Mrs. Steward: "If you desire to hear any thing more of my affairs, the Earl of Dorsett and your Cousin Montague [Charles Montague, later Earl of Halifax] have both seen the two poems, to the Duchess of Ormond, and my worthy Cousin Driden; and are of opinion that I never writt better. My other friends are divided in their judgments, which to preferr; but the greater part are for those to my dear kinsman; which I have corrected with so much care, that they will now be worthy of his sight, and do neither of us any dishonour after our death." (Ibid. I, 2; 93, 94.) On March 12, 1700, Dryden writes once more to the same person, announcing the publication of his book: "MADAM, ""T IS a week since I receiv'd the favour of a letter, which I have not yet acknowledg'd to you. About that time my new Poems were publish'd, which are not come till this day into my hands. They are a debt to you, I must confess; and I am glad, because they are so unworthy to be made a present. Your sisters, I hope, will be so kind to have them convey'd to you; that my writeings may have the honour of waiting on you, which is deny'd to me. The Town encourages them with more applause than any thing of mine deserves: and particularly my Cousin Driden accepted one from me so very indulgently, that it makes me more and more in love with him." (Ibid. I, 2; 127, 128.) Finally, on April 11, 1700, only twenty days before his death, Dryden sends to Mrs. Steward a letter beginning: "MADAM, "THE ladies of the town have infected you at a distance: they are all of your opinion, and like my last book of Poems better than any thing they have formerly seen of mine. I always thought my Verses to my Cousin Driden were the best of the whole; and to my comfort, the Town thinks them so; and he, which pleases me most, is of the same judgment, as appears by a noble present he has sent me, which surpris'd me, because I did not in the least expect it.” ́ (Ibid. I, 2; 129, 130.)] ΤΟ HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF MY LORD, SOME estates are held in England by paying a fine at the change of every lord. I have enjoy'd the patronage of your family, from the time of your excellent grandfather to this present day. I have dedicated the Lives of Plu tarch to the first duke; and have celebrated the memory of your heroic father. Tho' I am very short of the age of Nestor, yet I have liv'd to a third generation of your house; and by your Grace's favor am admitted still to hold from you by the same tenure. I am not vain enough to boast that I have deserv'd the value of so illustrious a line; but my fortune is the greater, that for three descents they have been pleas'd to distinguish my |