EPISTLES. EPISTLE THE FIRST. TO MY HONOURED FRIEND SIR ROBERT HOWARD,* As there is music uninform'd by art In those wild notes, which, with a merry heart, * Sir Robert Howard, a younger son of Thomas Earl of Berkshire, and brother to Mr. Dryden's lady, studied for some time in Magdalen College. He suffered many oppressions on account of his loyalty, and was one of the few of King Charles the Second's friends, whom that monarch did not forget. Perhaps he had his present ends in it; for Sir Robert, who was a man of parts, helped him to obtain money in parliament, wherein he sate as burgess, first for Stockbridge, and afterwards for Castle Rising in Norfolk. He was, soon after the restoration, made a knight of the Bath, and one of the auditors of the Exchequer, valued at £3000 per annum. Notwithstanding that he was supposed to be a great favourer of the Catholics, he soon took the oaths to King William, by whom he was made a privy-counsellor in the beginning of the year 1689; and no man was a more open or inveterate enemy to the Nonjurors Several of his pieces, both in prose and verse, were pub So in your verse a native sweetness dwells, Which shames composure, and its art excels. Singing no more can your soft numbers grace, Than paint adds charms unto a beauteous face. Yet as, when mighty rivers gently creep, 5 Their even calmness does suppose them deep; 10 15 lished at different times; among which are the Duel of the Stags, a celebrated poem; the comedy of the Blind Lady: the Committee, or the Faithful Irishman; the Great Favourite, or the Duke of Lerma; the Indian Queen, a tragedy, written in conjunction with our author; the Surprizal, a tragi-comedy; and the Vestal Virgin, or the Roman Ladies, a tragedy: the last has two different conclusions, one tragical, and the other, to use the author's own words, comical. The last five plays were collected together, and published by Tonson, in a small 12mo volume, in 1722. The Blind Lady was printed with some of his poems. Langbaine speaks in very high terms of Sir Robert's merit, in which he is copied by Giles Jacob. See their Lives of the Poets. This gentleman was, however, extremely positive, remarkably overbearing, and pretending to universal knowledge; which failings, joined to his having then been of an opposite party, drew upon him the censure of Shadwell, who has satirized him very severely in a play, called The Sullen Lovers, under the name of Sir Positive At-all, and his lady, whom he first kept, and afterwards married, under that of Lady Vain. D. [bear, 'Tis strange each line so great a weight should Then least to feel, when most they suffer pain; 23 30 Great Hercules himself could ne'er do more, Than not to feel those heavens and gods he bore. Your easier odes, which for delight were penn'd, Yet our instruction make their second end: We're both enrich'd and pleas'd, like them that woo At once a beauty and a fortune too. 26 The curious net, &c.] A compliment to a poem of Sir Robert's, entitled Rete Mirabile. D. Of moral knowledge poesy was queen, 45 50 And still she might, had wanton wits not been ; 55 This is not all; your art the way has found Elisa's shade may now its wand'ring cease, 60 65 70 We must your numbers, with your author's, view: 75 As only show'd the paint, but hid the face. That wealth, which his your bounty only makes. That, since in that dark night we needs must stray, Who thought it greater honour to obey 100 For, since 'tis born when Charles ascends the throne, It shares at once his fortune and its own. |