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ANNUS MIRABILIS:

THE

YEAR OF WONDERS,

MDCLXVI.

AN HISTORICAL POEM.

To the METROPOLIS of GREAT-BRITAIN, the moft renowned and late flourishing CITY of LONDON, in its REPRESENTATIVES, the LORD-MAYOR and Court of ALDERMEN, the SHERIFFS, and COMMON-COUNCIL of it.

AS perhaps I am the first who ever prefented a work

of this nature to the metropolis of any nation; so it is likewife confonant to juftice, that he who was to give the first example of fuch a dedication should begin it with that city, which has fet a pattern to all others of true loyalty, invincible courage, and unfhaken conftancy. Other cities have been praised for the fame virtues, but I am much deceived if any have fo dearly purchased their reputation; their fame has been won them by cheaper trials than an expenfive, though neceffary war, a confuming peftilence, and a more confuming fire. To fubmit yourselves with that humility. to the judgments of heaven, and at the fame time to raise yourselves with that vigour above all human enemies; to be combated at once from above and from below, to be ftruck down and to triumph: I know not whether fuch trials have been ever paralleled in any nation the refolution and fucceffes of them never can be. Never had prince or people more mutual reafon to love each other, if fuffering for each other can endear affection. You have come together a pair of matchless lovers, through many difficulties; he, through a long exile, various traverfes of fortune, and the interpofition

of

:

of many rivals, who violently ravished and with-held you from him and certainly you have had your share in fufferings. But Providence has caft upon you want of trade, that you might appear bountiful to your country's neceffities; and the rest of your afflictions are not more the effects of God's difpleafure (frequent examples of them having been in the reign of the most excellent princes) than occafions for the manifefting of your christian and civil virtues. To you therefore this Year of Wonders is juftly dedicated, because you have made it fo. You, who are to ftand a wonder to all years and ages; and who have built yourselves an immortal monument on your own ruins. You are now a Phoenix in her afhes, and, as far as humanity can approach, a great emblem of the fuffering Deity: but heaven never made fo much piety and virtue to leave it miferable. I have heard, indeed, of fome virtuous perfons who have ended unfortunately, but never of any virtuous nation: Providence is engaged too deeply when the cause becomes fo general; and I cannot imagine it has refolved the ruin of that people at home, which it has bleffed abroad with fuch fucceffes. I am therefore to conclude, that your fufferings are at an end; and that one part of my poem has not been more an history of your deftruction, than the other a prophecy of your reftoration. The accomplishment of which happiness, as it is the wish of all true Englishmen, fo is it by none more paffionately defired, than by,

The greatest of your admirers,

And most humble of your fervants,
JOHN DRYDEN.

An

I

An ACCOUNT of the enfuing POEM,

In a LETTER to the

Hon. Sir ROBERT HOWARD.

SIR,

AM fo many ways obliged to you, and fo little able to return your favours, that, like thofe who owe too much, I can only live by getting farther into your debt. You have not only been careful of my fortune, which was the effect of your noblenefs, but you have been folicitous of my reputation, which is that of your kindness. It is not long fince I gave you the trouble of perusing a play for me, and now, instead of an acknowledgment, I have given you a greater, in the correction of a poem. But fince you are to bear this perfecution, I will at least give you the encouragement of a martyr; you could never fuffer in a nobler caufe. For I have chofen the most heroic fubject, which any poet could defire : I have taken upon me to defcribe the motives, the beginning, progress, and fucceffes, of a moft juft and neceffary war in it, the care, management, and prudence of our king; the conduct and valour of a royal admiral, and of two incomparable generals; the invincible courage of our captains and feamen; and three glorious victories, the result of all. After this, I have, in the Fire, the moft deplorable, but withal the greateft, argument that can be imagined;

VOL. I.

E

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