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to employ the magnificence of Words, and the force of Figures, to adorn the fublimity of Thoughts. Ifocrates amongst the Grecian Orators, and Cicero, and the younger Pliny, amongst the Romans, have left us their Precedents for our fecurity: For I think I need not mention the inimitable Pindar, who ftretches on thefe Pinions out of fight, and is carried upward, as it were, into another World.

This, at leaft, my Lord, I may juftly plead, that, if I have not perform'd fo well as I think I have, yet I have us'd my beft endeavours to excel my self. One Difadvantage I have had; which is, never to have known or feen my Lady: And to draw the Lineaments of her Mind, from the Defcription, which I have received from others, is for a Painter to fet himself at work without the living Original before him: Which, the more beautiful it is, will be fo much the more difficult for him to conceive, when he has only a Relation given him of fuch and fuch Features by an Acquaintance or a Friend, without the nice Touches, which give the best Refemblance, and make the Graces of the Picture. Every Artift is apt enough to flatter himself (and I amongst the reft) that their own ocular Obfervations would have difcover'd more Perfections, at least others, than have been deliver'd to them: Though I have received mine from the best Hands, that is, from Perfons who neither want a juft Understanding of my Lady's Worth, nor a due Veneration for her Memory.

Doctor Donne, the greatest Wit, though not the greatest Poet of our Nation, acknowledges, that he had never seen Mrs. Drury, whom he has made immortal in his admirable Anniverfaries. I have had the fame Fortune, though I have not fucceeded to the fame Genius. However I have follow'd his Footsteps in the Design of his Panegyrick; which was to raise

an Emulation in the Living, to copy out the Example of the Dead. And therefore it was, that I once intended to have call'd this Poem, The Pattern: And though, on a fecond Confideration, I chang'd the Title into the Name of the Illuftrious Perfon, yet the Defign continues, and Eleonora is ftill the Pattern of Charity, Devotion, and Humility; of the best Wife, the beft Mother, and the beft of Friends.

And now, my Lord, though I have endeavour'd to anfwer your Commands, yet I cou'd not anfwer it to the World, nor to my Confcience, if I gave not your Lordship my Teftimony of being the beft Husband now living: I fay my Teftimony only; for the Praise of it is given you by your felf. They, who despise the Rules of Virtue both in their Practice and their Morals, will think this a very trivial Commendation, But I think it the peculiar Happiness of the Countess of Abingdon, to have been fo truly lov'd by you, while fhe was living, and fo gratefully honour'd, after fhe was dead. Few there are who have either had, or cou'd have, fuch a Lofs; and yet fewer who carried their Love and Conftancy beyond the Grave. The exteriors of Mourning, a decent Funeral, and black Habits, are the ufual ftints of common Husbands And perhaps their Wives deserve no better than to be mourn'd with Hypocrify, and forgot with Eafe. But you have diftinguifh'd yourfelf from ordinary Lovers, by a real and lafting Grief for the Deceas'd; and by endeavouring to raise for her the moft durable Monument, which is that of Verfe. And fo it would have prov'd, if the Workman had been equal to the Work, and your Choice of the Artificer as happy as your Defign. Yet, as Phidias, when he had made the Statue of Minerva, cou'd not forbear to ingrave his own Name, as Author of the Piece: So give me leave to hope, that, by subscribing mine to

this Poem, I may live by the Goddefs, and tranfmit my Name to Pofterity by the Memory of Hers. 'Tis no Flattery to affure Your Lordship, that fhe is remember'd, in the prefent Age, by all who have had the Honour of her Converfation and Acquaintance; and that I have never been in any Company fince the News of her Death was firft brought me, where they have not extoll'd her Virtues, and even spoken the fame things of her in Profe, which I have done in Verse.

I therefore think my felf oblig'd to thank your Lordship for the Commiffion which you have given me: How I have acquitted my felf of it, must be left to the Opinion of the World, in fpite of any Proteftation, which I can enter against the prefent Age, as incompetent or corrupt Judges. For my Comfort, they are but Englishmen, and, as fuch, if they think ill of me to-day, they are inconftant enough to think well of me to-morrow. And after all, I have not much to thank my Fortune that I was born amongst them. The good of both Sexes are fo few, in England, that they stand like Exceptions against General Rules: And though one of them has deferv'd a greater Commendation than I cou'd give her, they have taken care that I fhould not tire my Pen with frequent exercise on the like Subjects; that Praifes, like Taxes, fhould be appropriated, and left almost as individual as the Perfon. They fay, my Talent is Satire: If it be fo, 'tis a fruitful Age, and there is an extraordinary Crop to gather. But a fingle Hand is infufficient for fuch a Harveft: They have fown the Dragons Teeth themselves, and 'tis but juft they fhould reap each other in Lampoons. You, my Lord, who have the Character of Honour, though 'tis not my Happiness to know You, may stand afide, with the small Remainders of the English Nobility,

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Nobility, truly fuch, and, unhurt your felves, behold the mad Combat. If I have pleas'd you, and fome few others, I have obtain❜d my end. You see I have difabled my felf, like an elected Speaker of the House: yet like him I have undertaken the Charge, and find the Burden fufficiently recompens'd by the Honour. Be pleas'd to accept of thefe my unworthy Labours, this Paper Monument; and let her pious Memory, which I am fure is facred to You, not only plead the Pardon of my many Faults, but gain me your Protection, which is ambitioufly fought by,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's

Moft Obedient Servant,

JOHN DRYDEN.

ELE

ELEONOŘA:

A Panegyrical POEM,

Dedicated to the Memory of the late Countess of ABINGDON.

S when fome Great and Gracious Monarch dies,

Soft Whispers, firft, and mournful Murmurs rife

Among the fad Attendants; then the Sound
Soon gathers Voice, and fpreads the News around,
Through Town and Country, 'till the dreadful blaft
Is blown to diftant Colonies at last ;

Who, then, perhaps, were offering Vows in vain,
For his long Life, and for his happy Reign:
So flowly, by Degrees, unwilling Fame
Did Matchlefs Eleonora's Fate proclaim,
'Till publick as the Lofs the News became.
The Nation felt it in th' extremeft Parts,
With Eyes o'erflowing, and with bleeding Hearts:
But moft the Poor, whom daily she supply'd,
Beginning to be fuch, but when she dy'd.

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