work, he finds he is possessed of double the information he had when he commenced it. The kindness of Mr Octavius Gilchrist, who undertook a journey to Northamptonshire to examine the present state of Rushton, where Dryden often lived, and of Mr Finlay of Glasgow, who favoured the Editor with the use of some original editions, fall here to be gratefully acknowledged.

In collecting the poetry of Dryden, some hymns translated from the service of the Catholic church were recovered, by the favour of Captain MacDonogh of the Inverness Militia. * As the first edition of the work was then printed off, they were inserted in the Life of the Author; but in the present impression they are transferred to

* By the hands of Mrs Jackson, who has honoured me with a note, stating, that they are mentioned in Butler's " Tour through Italy;" that after Butler's death, the translations passed into the hands of the celebrated Dr Alban, whence they were transferred to those of the present possessor.

their proper place, vol. xi. p. 192. To the Letters of Dryden, published in Mr Malone's edition of his prose works, the Editor has been enabled to add one article, by the favour of Mrs White of Bownanhall, Glocestershire. Those preserved at Knowles were examined at the request of a noble friend, and the contents appeared unfit for publication. Dryden's translations of Fresnoy's Art of Painting, and of the Life of Xavier, are inserted without abridgment, for reasons which are elsewhere alleged. † From the version of Maimbourg's "History of the League," there is an extract given, which may be advantageously read along with the Duke of Guise, and the Vindication of that play. The prefaces and dedications are, of course, prefixed to the pieces to which they belong; but those who mean to study them

with reference to theatrical criticism, will do well to follow the order recommended by Mr Malone.*.*

- Several pieces published in Derrick's edition of Dryden's poetry, being obviously spu rious, 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.

Upon the whole, it is hoped, that as the following is the first complete edition of the Works of Dryden, it will be found, in accu

*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.

racy of text and copiousness of illustration, not altogether unworthy of the time, labour, and expence which have been ungrudgingly bestowed upon an object, so important to English literature.

Several inaccuracies which had crept into the former edition of this work, are correct

ed in the present; and the whole has been. revised with care.