LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN. ADVERTISEMENT. may, by their very nature, have, in some degree, warped the Editor's taste, and induced him to consider that as curious which was only scarce, and to reprint quotations, from the adversaries or contemporaries of Dryden, of a length more than sufficient to satisfy the reader of their unworthiness. But, as the painter places a human figure, to afford the means of computing the elevation of the principal object in his landscape, it seemed that the giant-height of Dryden, above the poets of his day, might be best ascertained by extracts from those, who judged themselves, and were sometimes deemed by others, his equals, or his superiors. For the same reason, there are thrown into the Appendix a few indifferent ver ses to the poet's memory; which, while they show how much his loss was felt, point out, at the same time the impossibility of supplying it. AFTER the lapse of more than a century since the author's death, the Works of Dryden are now, for the first time, presented to the public in a complete and uniform edition. In collecting the pieces of one of our most eminent English classics, one who may claim at least the third place in that honoured list, and who has given proofs of greater versatility of talent than either Shakespeare or Milton, though justly placed inferior to them in their peculiar provinees,-the Editor did not feel himself entitled to reject any part of his writings; even of those which reflect little honour on the age, by whose taste they ⚫ were dictated. Had a selection been permitted, he would have excluded several of the Comedies, and some part of the Translations: but this is a liberty which has not lately been indulged to editors of clas- In the Biographical Memoir, it would have been sical poetry. Literary history is an important step hard to exact, that the Editor should rival the critiin that of man himself; and the unseductive coarse- cism of Johnson, or produce facts which had escapness of Dryden is rather a beacon than a temptation.ed the accuracy of Malone. While, however, he In commencing this task, the Editor had hopes of has availed himself of the labours of both, particu friendly assistance, which might have rendered his larly of the latter, whose industry has removed toil more easy, and the result more accurate. De- the cloud which so long hung over the events of prived of this by a concurrence of unlucky circum-Dryden's life, he has endeavoured to take a different stances, he has both to dread the imperfection of and more enlarged view of the subject than that his labours, and the consequence of perhaps an over- which his predecessors have presented. The genzeal to render his edition complete. In the first eral critical view of Dryden's works being sketched respect, although he has many thanks to return by Johnson with unequalled felicity, and the incifor information readily afforded, it has sometimes dents of his life accurately discussed and ascertainbeen received after the irrevocable operations of the ed by Malone, something seemed to remain for him printer had taken place. On the second point, he who should consider these literary productions in may have been too lavish in historical notes, and their succession, as actuated by, and operating upon, entered too deeply into the secret history of the the taste of an age, where they had so predominant persons and times to which Dryden's satirical po-influence; and who might, at the same time, connect ems refer. But he has endeavoured to avail him- the life of Dryden with the history of his publicaself of all information, as soon as communicated, tions, without losing sight of the fate and character whether corrective or corroborative of his prior opin- of the individual. How far this end has been attainions; and the wish, not only to render intelligible, ed, is not for the Editor to guess, especially when, blanks, allusions, and feigned names, but to present, as usual at the close of a work, he finds he is pos if possible, the very spirit and political character of sessed of double the information he had when he Dryden's contemporaries, must be the excuse for in- commenced it. The kindness of Mr. Octavius Giltruding a few pages of political history and personal christ, who undertook a journey to Northamptonanecdote; which, after all, they, whose memory shire to examine the present state of Rushton, where does not require such refreshment, may easily dis- Dryden often lived, and of Mr. Finlay of Glasgow, pense with reading. In this last part of his task, who favoured the Editor with the use of some orithe Editor has been greatly assisted by free access ginal editions, fall here to be gratefully acknowto a valuable collection of the fugitive pieces of the ledged. reigns of Charles II., James II., William III., and In collecting the poetry of Dryden some hymns Queen Anne. This curious collection was made by translated from the service of the Catholic church Narcissus Luttrell, Esq., under whose name the Edi- were recovered, by the favour of Captain Mac Dotor usually quotes it. The industrious collector seems nogh of the Inverness Militia.* As the first edition to have bought every poetical tract, of whatever of the work was then printed off, they were insertmerit, which was hawked through the streets in his ed in the life of the author; but in the present imprestime, marking carefully the price and date of the pur- sion they are transferred to their proper place, vol. chase. His collection contains the earliest editions xi. p. 192. To the Letters of Dryden, published in of many of our most excellent poems, bound up, ac- Mr. Malone's edition of his prose works, the Editor cording to the order of time, with the lowest trash has been enabled to add one article by the favour of of Grub-Street. It was dispersed on Mr. Luttrell's Mrs. White, of Bownanhall, Glocestershire. Those death; but a number of the volumes, referring chief-preserved at Knowles were examined at the request ly to the latter part of Charles the Second's reign, of a noble friend, and the contents appeared unfit have fortunately become the property of Mr. James for publication. Dryden's translations of Fresnoy's Bindley of Somerset-Place, who, with the utmost Art of Painting, and of the Life of Xavier, are inurbanity, permitted the Editor the unlimited use of serted without abridgment, for reason's which are these and other literary curiosities in his valuable elsewhere alleged. From the version of Maimlibrary. It is so much a matter of course with eve- bourg's "History of the League," there is an extract ry adventurer in the field of antiquities, to acknow- given, which may be advantageously read along with ledge the liberality and kindness of Mr. Richard the Duke of Guise, and the Vindication of that play. Heber, that the public would probably be surprised The prefaces and dedications are, of course, prefixed had his extensive literary treasures escaped contri- to the pieces to which they belong; but those who bution on this occasion, particularly as it contains mean to study them with reference to theatrical several additional volumes of the Luttrell collection. By the hands of Mrs. Jackson, who has honoured me with a To both gentlemen the Editor has to offer his pub-note. stating, that they are mentioned in Butler's "Tour through lic thanks; nor will he be tempted to dilate further Italy:" that after Butler's death, the translations passed into the on the liberality of the one, and the tried friendship hands of the celebrated Dr. Alban, whence they were transferred of the other. It is possible, that these researches to those of the present possessor. ↑ London edition. criticism, will do well to follow the order recom- | The drama, it is true, was the branch of poetry mended by Mr. Malone.* Several pieces published in Derrick's edition of Dryden's poetry, being obviously spurious, are here published separately from his authentic poetry, and with a suitable note of suspicion prefixed to each. They might indeed have been altogether discarded without diminishing the value of the work. Some account might be here given of the various editions of Dryden's poems, but notices of this kind have been liberally scattered through the Life and preliminary matter. most successfully cultivated; for it afforded the most ready appeal to the public taste. The number of theatres then open in all parts of the city, secured to the adventurous poet the means of having his performance represented upon one stage or other; and he was neither tired nor disgusted by the difficulties, and disagreeable observances, which must now be necessarily undergone by every candidate for dramatic laurels. But, although during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and James I., the stage seems to have afforded the principal employment of the poets, Upon the whole, it is hoped, that, as the following there wanted not many who cultivated, with success, is the first complete edition of the works of Dry- the other departments of Parnassus. It is only neden, it will be found, in accuracy of text and copious-cessary to name Spenser, whose magic tale continness of illustration, not altogether unworthy of the ues to interest us, in despite of the languor of a contime, labour, and expense which have been ungrudg- tinued allegory; Drayton, who, though less known, ingly bestowed upon an object, so important to possesses perhaps equal powers of poetry; BeauEnglish literature. mont the elder, whose poem on Bosworth Field carfor-ries us back to the days of the Plantagenets; Fairfax, the translator of Tasso, the melody of whose numbers became the model of Waller; besides many others, who ornamented this era of British lite Several inaccuracies, which had crept into the mer edition of this work, are corrected in the present, and the whole has been revised with care. SECTION I. rature. Notwithstanding the splendour of these great Preliminary Remarks on the Poetry of England, before the Civil names, it must be confessed, that one common fault Wars-The life of Dryden, from his birth to the Restoration in a greater or less degree, pervaded the most admiHis early Poems, including the "Annus Mirabilis." red poetry of Queen Elizabeth's age. This was the THE Life of Dryden may be said to comprehend a fatal propensity to false wit; to substitute, namely, history of the literature of England, and its changes, strange and unexpected connexions of sound, or of during nearly half a century. While his great con- idea, for real humour, and even for the effusions of temporary, Milton, was in silence and secrecy, laying the stronger passions. It seems likely that this fashthe foundation of that immortal fame, which no po- ion arose at court, a sphere in which its denizens et has so highly deserved, Dryden's labours were never think they move with due lustre, until they ever in the eye of the public; and he maintained, from have adopted a form of expression, as well as a systhe time of the Restoration till his death, in 1700, a tem of manners, different from that which is proper decided and acknowledged superiority over all the to mankind at large. In Elizabeth's reign, the poets of his age. As he wrote from necessity, he was court language was for some time formed on the obliged to pay a certain deference to the public opin-plan of one Lillie, a pedantic courtier, who wrote ion; for he, whose bread depends upon the success a book, entitled "Euphues and his England, or the of his volume, is compelled to study popularity: but, Anatomy of Wit;" which quality he makes to conon the other hand, his better judgment was often sist in the indulgence of every monstrous and overdirected to improve that of his readers; so that he strained conceit, that can be engendered by a strong alternately influenced and stooped to the national memory and a heated brain, applied to the absurd taste of the day. If, therefore, we would know the purpose of hatching unnatural conceits. It appears gradual changes which took place in our poetry that this fantastical person had a considerable share during the above period, we have only to consult in determining the false taste of his age, which the writings of an author, who produced yearly soon became so general, that the tares which sprung some new performance, allowed to be most excellent from it are to be found even among the choicest of in the particular style which was fashionable for the the wheat. Shakespeare himself affords us too time. It is the object of this memoir to connect, many instances of this fashionable heresy in wit; with the account of Dryden's life and publications, and he who could create new worlds out of his own such a general view of the literature of the time, as imagination, descended to low, and often ill-timed may enable the reader to estimate how far the age puns and quibbles. This was not an evil to be cured was indebted to the poet, and how far the poet was by the accession of our Scottish James, whose qualinfluenced by the taste and manners of the age. Aifications as a punster were at least equal to his few preliminary remarks on the literature of the ear- boasted king craft. The false taste, which had lier part of the seventeenth century will form a ne- been gaining ground even in the reign of Elizabeth, cessary introduction to this Biographical Memoir. now overflowed the whole kingdom with the impeWhen James I. ascended the throne of England, tuosity of a land-flood. These outrages upon lanhe came to rule a court and people, as much distin- guage were committed without regard to time and guished for literature as for commerce and arms. place. They were held good arguments at the bar, Shakespeare was in the zenith of his reputation, and though Bacon sat on the woolsack; and eloquence England possessed other poets inferior to Shakespeare alone; or, indeed, the higher order of whose plays may claim to be ranked above the inferior dramas ascribed to him. Among these we may reckon Massinger, who approached to Shakespeare in dignity; Beaumont and Fletcher, who surpassed him in drawing female characters, and those of polite and courtly life; and Jonson, who attempted to supply by depth of learning, and laboured accuracy of character, the want of that flow of imagination, which nature had denied to him. Others, who flourished in the reign of James and his son, though little known to the general readers of the present age, even by name, had a just claim to be distinguished from the common herd of authors. Ford, Webster, Marston, Brome, Shirley, even Chapman and Decker, added lustre to the stage for which they wrote. Which is, the Essay of Dramatic Poesy, the Defence of that Essay, the Preface to the Mock Astrologer, the Essay on Heroic Plays, the Defence of the Epilogue to the Second Part of the Conquest of Granada, the Grounds of Criticism in Tragedy, and the Answer to Rymer, + I do not pretend to enter into the question of the effect of the drama upon morals. If this shall be found prejudicial, two thentres are too many. But, in the present woeful decline of theatrical exhibition, we may be permitted to remember that the gardener who wishes to have a rare diversity of a common flower, sows huge theatres must necessarily diminish, in a complicated ratio, whole beds with the species; and that the monopoly granted to two both the number of play writers, and the chance of any thing very excellent being brought forward. Our deserved idolatry of Shakespeare and Milton was equalled ed, in the title page of his play, (for, besides "Euphues," he wrote by that paid to this pedantic coxcomb in his own time. He is callwhat he styled "Court Comedies,"") "the only rare poet of that time; the witty, comical, facetiously quick, and unparalleled John Lillie." Moreover, his editor, Mr. Blount assures us," that he sat without snatching; and that the lyre he played on had no broken at Apollo's table; that Apollo gave him a wreath of his own bays strings." Besides which, we are informed, "Our nation are in his debt for a new English, which he taught them; Euphues and his scholars; and that beauty in court who could not parle Euphuism, England' began first that language. All our ladies were then his was as little regarded, as she which now there speaks not French." The Satire in Cynthia's Revels is directed by Ben Jonson against this false and pedantic taste. § So that learned and sapient monarch was pleased to call his skill in politics. of acquired knowledge for supplying the expenditure of far-fetched and extravagant images, which their compositions required. The book of nature is before all men; but when her limits are to be overstepped, the acquirement of adventitious knowledge becomes of paramount necessity; and it was but natural that Cambridge and Oxford should prize a style of poetry, to which depth of learning was absolutely indispensable. irresistible by the most hardened sinner, when King |ing, and who could boldly draw upon a large fund or Corbet were in the pulpit. Where grave and learned professions set the example, the poets, it will readily be believed, ran headlong into an error, for which they could plead such respectable example. The affectation "of the word" and "of the letter," for alliteration was almost as fashionable as punning, seemed, in some degree, to bring back English composition to the barbarous rules of the ancient AngloSaxons, the merit of whose poems consisted, not in the ideas, but in the quaint arrangement of the words, and the regular recurrence of some favourite sound or letter. I have stated, that the metaphysical poetry was fashionable during the early part of Charles the First's reign. It is true, that Milton descended to upbraid This peculiar taste for twisting and playing upon that unfortunate prince, that the chosen companion words, instead of applying them to their natural and of his private hours, was one William Shakespeare, proper use, was combined with the similar extra- a player; but Charles admitted less sacred poets to vagance of those whom Dr. Johnson has entitled share his partiality, Ben Jonson supplied his court metaphysical poets. This class of authors used with masques, and his pageants with verses; and, the same violence towards images and ideas which notwithstanding an ill-natured story, shared no inhad formerly been applied to words; in truth, the considerable portion of his bounty. Donne, a leader two styles were often combined, and, even when among the metaphysical poets, with whom King separate, had a kindred alliance with each other. James had punned and quibbled in person, shared It is the business of the punster to discover and in a remarkable degree, the good graces of Charles yoke together two words, which, while they have I., who may therefore be supposed no enemy to his some resemblance in sound, the more exact the vein of poetry, although neither his sincere piety nor better, convey a totally different signification. The his sacred office restrained him from fantastic indulmetaphysical poet, on the other hand, piqued him-gence in extravagant conceit, even upon the most self in discovering hidden resemblances between solemn themes which can be selected for poetry. ideas apparently the most dissimilar, and in combi- Cowley, who, with the learning and acuteness of ning, by some violent and compelled association, Donne, possessed the more poetical qualities of a illustrations and allusions utterly foreign from each fertile imagination, and frequent happiness of expres other. Thus did the metaphysical poet resemble sion, and who claims the highest place of all who the quibbler, exercising precisely the same tyranny ever plied the unprofitable trade combining dissimover ideas, which the latter practised upon sounds ilar and repugnant ideas, was not indeed known to only. the king during his prosperity; but his talents recommended him at the military court of Oxford, and the most ingenious poet of the metaphysical class enjoyed the applause of Charles before he shared the exile of his consort Henrietta. Cleveland also was honoured with the early notice of Charles; one of the most distinguished metaphysical bards, who afterwards exerted his talents of wit and satire upon the royal side, and strained his imagination for extravagant invective against the Scottish army, who sold their king, and the parliament leaders, who bought him. All these, and others unnecessary to mention, were read and respected at court; being esteemed by their contemporaries, and doubtless believing themselves, the wonder of their own, and the pattern of succeeding ages; and, however much they might differ from each other in parts and genius, they sough the same road to poetical fame, by starting the most unnatural images which their imaginations could conceive,, or by hunting more common allusions through the most minute and circumstantial particulars and ramifications. Jonson gave an early example of metaphysical poetry; indeed, it was the natural resource of a mind amply stored with learning, gifted with a tenacious memory and the power of constant labour, but to which was denied that vivid perception of what is naturally beautiful, and that happiness of expression, which at once conveys to the reader the idea of the poet. These latter qualities unite in many passages of Shakespeare, of which the reader at once acknowledges the beauty, the justice, and the simplicity. But such Jonson was unequal to produce; and he substituted the strange, forced, and most unnatural, though ingenious analogies, which were afterwards copied by Donne and Cowley.+ In reading Shakespeare, we often meet passages so congenial to our nature and feelings, that, beautiful as they are, we can hardly help wondering they did not occur to ourselves; in studying Jonson, we have often to marvel how his conceptions could have occurred to any human being. The one is like an ancient statue, the beauty of which, springing from the exactness of proportion, does not always strike at first sight, but rises upon us as we bestow time in considering it; the other is the representation of a monster, which is at first only surprising, and ludicrous or disgusting ever after. When the taste for simplicity, however, is once destroyed, it is long ere a nation recovers it; and the metaphysical poets seem to have retained possession of the public favour from the reign of James I. till the beginning of the civil wars silenced the muses. The universities were perhaps to blame during this period of usurpation; for which it may be admitted in excuse that the metaphysical poetry could only be practised by men whose minds were deeply stored with learnWitness a sermon preached at St. Mary's, before the university of Oxford. It is true the preacher was a layman, and harangued in a gold chain, and girt with a sword, as high sheriff of the county; but his eloquence was highly applauded by the learned body whom he addressed, although it would have startled a modern audience, at least as much as the dress of the orator. "Arriving," said he, "at the Mount of St. Mary's, in the stony stage where I now stand, I have brought you some fine biscuits, baked in the oven of charity, carefully conserved for the chickens of the church, the sparrows of the spirit, and the sweet swallows of salvation." Which way of preaching," says Anthony Wood, the reporter of the homily, was then mostly in fashion, and commended by the generality of scholars."-Athena Oxon. vol. I. p. 183. Look at Ben Jonson's "Ode to the Memory of Sir Lucius Camy and Sir H. Morison," and at most of his Pindarics and Lyri Pieces. But Ben, when he pleased, could assume the garb of classic simplicity; witness many of his lesser poems. Yet, though during the age of Charles I. the meta physical poets enjoyed the larger proportion of public applause, authors were not wanting who sought other modes of distiguishing themselves. Milton, who must not be named in the same paragraph In Jonson's last illness, Charles is said to have sent him ten pieces. He sends me so miserable a donation," said the expiand tell him, his soul lives in an alley." Whatever be the truth ring satirist, because I am poor, and live in an alley; go back of this tradition, we know, from an epigram by Jonson, that the king at one time gave him a hundred pounds; no trifling gift for a poor bard, even in the present day. made Bishop of Exeter; and by his removal the deanery of St. About a year after his return out of Germany, Dr. Carey was Paul's being vacant, the king sent to Dr. Donne, and appointed him to attend him at dinner the next day. When his majesty was sate down, before he had eat any meat, he said, after his pleasant manner, Dr. Donne. I have invited you to dinner; and though you sit not down with me, yet I will carve to you of a dish that I know you love well: for knowing you love London, I do therefore make you Dean of Paul's; and when I have dined, then do you take your beloved dish home to your study; say grace there to your self. and much good may it do you."-WALLON'S Life of Donne See his Verses to Mr. George Herbert, sent him with one of My old coat lost, into new arms I go;. added to the list of smooth and easy poets of the pemed a sprightly wit, and a courtly writer," may be riod, and had the same motives as Denham and Waller for attaching himself to that style of composition. He was allowed to have the peculiar art of making whatever he did become him; and it cannot be doubted, that his light and airy style of ballads and sonnets had many admirers. Upon the whole, this class of poets, although they hardly divided the popular favour with the others, were also noticed and applauded. Thus the poets of the earlier part of the seventeenth century may be divided into one class, who sacrificed both sense and sound to the exercise of extravagant, though ingenious, associations of imagery; and a second, who, aiming to distinguish themselves by melody of versification, were satisfied with light and trivial subjects, and too often contentthe more essential qualities of poetry. with others, although he had not yet meditated the sublime work which was to carry his name to immortality, disdained, even in his lesser compositions the preposterous conceits and learned absurdities, by which his contemporaries acquired distinction. Some of his slighter academic prolusions are, indeed, tinged with the prevailing taste of his age, or, perhaps were written in ridicule of it, but no circumstance in his life is more remarkable, than that" Comus," the Monody on Lycidas," the "Allegro and Penseroso" and the Hymn to the Nativity," are unpolluted by the metaphysical jargon and affected language which the age esteemed indispensable to poetry This refusal to bend to an evil so prevailing, and which held out so many temptations to a youth of learning and genius, can only be ascribed to the natural chastity of Milton's taste, improved by an earnest and eager study of the purest models of an-ed with attaining smoothness of measure, neglected tiquity. But besides Milton, who stood aloof and alone, The intervention of the civil wars greatly interthere was a race of lesser poets, who endeavoured rupted the study of poetry. The national attention to glean the refuse of the applause reaped by Donne, was called to other objects, and those who, in the Cowley, and their followers, by adopting ornaments former peaceful reigns, would have perhaps distinwhich the latter had neglected, perhaps, because guished themselves as poets and dramatists, were they could be attained without much labour or ab- now struggling for fame in the field, or declaiming struse learning. The metaphysical poets, in their for power in the senate. The manners of the preslip-shod pindarics, had totally despised, not only vailing party, their fanatical detestation of every smoothness and elegance, but the common rhythm thing like elegant or literary amusement, their of versification. Many and long passages may be affected horror at stage representations, which at read without perceiving the least difference between once silenced the theatres, and their contempt for them and barbarous, jingling, ill-regulated prose; profane learning, which degraded the universities, and in appearance, though the lines be divided into all operated, during the civil wars and succeeding unequal lengths, the eye and ear acknowledge little usurpation, to check the pursuits of the poet, by difference between them and the inscription on a withdrawing that public approbation, which is the tomb-stone. In a word, not only harmony of num- best, and often the sole reward of his labour. There bers, but numbers themselves, were altogether ne- at this time, a sort of interregnum in the public glected; or, if an author so far respected ancient prac- taste, as well as in its government. The came poets tice as to make lines which could be scanned like were no doubt alive who had distinguished themverse, he had done his part, and was perfectly in- selves at the court of Charles; but Cowley and different, although they sounded like prose. But Denham were exiled with their sovereign; Waller as melody will be always acceptable to the ear, some was awed into silence, by the rigour of the puritanic poets chose this neglected road to fame, and gained spirit; and even the muse of Milton was scared a portion of public favour, by attending to the laws of from him by the clamour of religious and politiharmony, which their rivals had discarded. Waller cal controversy, and only returned, like a sincere and Denham were the first who thus distinguished friend, to cheer the adversity of one who had ne themselves; but, as Johnson happily remarks, what glected her during his career of worldly importance. was acquired by Denham, was inherited by Waller. During this period, the most unfavourable to literaSomething there was in the situation of both these ture which had occurred for at least two centuries, authors, which led them to depart from what was Dryden, the subject of this memoir, was gradually then the beaten path of composition. They were and silently imbibing those stores of learning, and men of rank, wealth, and fashion, and had experi- cultivating that fancy, which was to do so much to enced all the interruptions to deep study, with which further the reformation of taste and poetry. It is such elevated station is naturally attended. It was now time to state his descent and parentage. in vain for Waller, a wit, a courtier, and a politician; or for Denham, who was only distinguished at the university as a dreaming, dissipated gambler, to attempt to rival the metaphysical subtleties of Donne and Cowley, who had spent serious and sequestered lives in acquiring the knowledge and learning which they squandered in their poetry. Necessity, there fore, and perhaps a dawning of more simple taste, impelled these courtly poets to seek another, and more natural mode of pleasing. The melody of verse was a province unoccupied, and Waller, forming his rhythm upon the modulation of Fairfax, and other poets of the maiden reign, exhibited in his very first poemt striking marks of attention to the suavity of numbers. Denham, in his dedication to Charles II., informs us, that the indulgence of his poetical vein had drawn the notice, although accompanied with the gentle censure, of Charles I., when, in 1647, he obtained access to his person by the intercession of Hugh Peters. Suckling, whom Dryden has ter The name of Dryden is local, and probably originated in the north of England, where, as well as in the neighbouring counties of Scotland, it fre quently occurs, though it is not now borne by any per son of distinction in these parts. David Driden, or Dryden, married the daughter of William Nicholson of Staff-hill, in the county of Cumberland, and was the great-great-grandfather of our poet. John Dry den, eldest son of David, settled in Northamptonshire, where he acquired the estate of Canons-Ashby, by marriage with Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir John Cope of that county. Wood says, that John Dryden was by profession a schoolmaster and honoured with the friendship of the great Erasmus who stood godfather to one of his sons. He appears, from some passages in his will, to have entertained the puritanical principles, which shall presently find, descended to his family. Erasmus Driden, his eldest son, succeeded to the estate of Canons-Ashby, was high-sheriff of Northamptonshire in the fortieth year of Queen Elizabeth, and was created a knight baronet in the seventeenth of King James I. Sir Erasmus married Frances, second daughter and co-heiress of William Wilkes www Fasti Ozon, vol. I. p. 115. Considering John Dryden's mar riage with the heiress of a man of knightly rank, it seems unlikely that he followed the profession of a schoolmaster. But Wood could hardly be mistaken in the second circumstance, some of the family having gloried in it in his hearing See Collins Baronetage, vol. II. The testator bequeaths his soul to his Creator, with this singular expression of confidence, the Holy Ghost assuring my spirit, that I am the elect of God.. |