Aureng Zebe is a tragedy founded on the actions of a great prince then reigning, but over nations not likely to employ their criticks upon the tranfactions of the English ftage. If he had known and disliked his own character, our trade was not in those times fecure from his refentment. His country is at fuch a distance, that the manners might be fafely falfified, and the incidents feigned; for remoteness of place is remarked by Racine, to afford the fame conveniencies to a poet as length of time.

This play is written in rhyme; and has the appearance of being the most elaborate of all the dramas. The perfonages are imperial; but the dialogue is often domeftick, and therefore fufceptible of fentiments accommodated to familiar incidents. The complaint of life is celebrated, and there are many other paffages that may be read with pleasure.

This play is addreffed to the earl of Mulgrave, afterwards duke of Buckingham, himfelf, if not a poet, yet a writer of verses, and a critick. In this addrefs Dryden gave

the

the first hints of his intention to write an epick poem. He mentions his design in terms fo obfcure, that he feems afraid left his plan fhould be purloined, as, he says, happened to him when he told it more plainly in his preface to Juvenal. "The

defign," fays he, “you you know is great, "the story English, and neither too near "the present times, nor too distant from them.'

All for Love, or the World well loft, a tragedy founded upon the ftory of Antony and Cleopatra, he tells us, is the only play which be wrote for himself; the reft were given to the people. It is by univerfal consent accounted the work in which he has admitted the fewest improprieties of ftyle or character; but it has one fault equal to many, though rather moral than critical, that by admitting the romantick omnipotence of Love, he has recommended as laudable and worthy of imitation that conduct which, through all ages, the good have cenfured as vicious, and the bad despised as foolish.

Of this play the prologue and the epilogue, though written upon the common topicks

topicks of malicious and ignorant criticifm, and without any particular relation to the characters or incidents of the drama, are defervedly celebrated for their elegance and fpritelineis.

Limberhem, or the kind Keeper, is a comedy, which, after the third night, was prohibited as too indecent for the stage, What gave offence, was in the printing, as the author fays, altered or omitted. Dryden confeffes that its indecency was abjected to; but Langbaine, who yet seldom favours him, imputes its expulfion to refentment, because it so much expofed the keeping part of the town,

Oedipus is a tragedy formed by Dryden and Lee, in conjunction, from the works of Sophocles, Seneca, and Corneille, Dryden planned the scenes, and compofed the first and third acts,

Don Sebaftian is commonly esteemed either the first or second of his dramatick per formances. It is too long to be all acted, and has many characters and characters and many inci

dents; and though it is not without fallies

of

of frantick dignity, and more noife than meaning, yet as it makes approaches to the poffibilities of real life, and has fome fentiments which leave a strong impreffion, it continued long to attract attention. Amidst the diftreffes of princes, and the viciffitudes of empire, are inferted several scenes which the writer intended for comick; but which, I suppose, that age did not much commend, and this would not endure. There are, however, paffages of excellence univerfally acknowledged; the difpute and the reconciliation of Dorax and Sebaftian has always been admired.

This play was first acted in 1690, after Dryden had for fome years difcontinued dramatick poetry.

Amphitryon is a comedy derived from Plautus and Moliere. The dedication is dated Oct. 1690. This play feems to have fucceeded at its firft appearance; and was, I think, long confidered as a very diverting entertainment,

Cleomenes is a tragedy, only remarkable as it occafioned an incident related in the

Guardian,

Guardian, and allufively mentioned by Dryden in his preface. As he came out from the representation, he was accofted thus by fome airy ftripling: Had I been left alone with a young beauty, I would not have spent my time like your Spartan. That, Sir, faid Dryden, perhaps is true; but give me leave to tell you, that you are no hero.

King Arthur is another opera. It was the laft work that Dryden performed for King Charles, who did not live to see it exhibited; and it does not feem to have been ever brought upon the ftage. In the dedication to the marquis of Halifax, there is a very elegant character of Charles, and a pleafing account of his latter life. When this was first brought upon the stage, news that the duke of Monmouth had landed was told in the theatre, upon which the company departed, and Arthur was exhibited no more.

His laft drama was Love triumphant, a tragi-comedy. In his dedication to the earl of Salisbury he mentions the lowness of fortune to which he has voluntarily reduced himfelf, and of which he has no reason to be afbamed.