He was a stranger to the pathos, and by numbers, expression, sentiment, and every other dramatic cheat, strove to make amends for it, as if a saint could make amends for the want of conscience, a soldier for the want of valour, or a vestal of modesty. The noble nature of tragedy disclaims an equivalent; like virtue, it demands the heart, and Dryden had none to give. Let epic poets think; the tragedian's point is rather to feel; such distant things are a tragedian and a poet, that the latter induiged, destroys the former. Look on Barnwell and Essex, and see how as to these distant characters Dryden excels and is excelled. But the strongest demonstration of his no taste for the busk n are his tragedies fringed with rhyme, which in epic poetry is a sore disease, in the tragic absolute death. To Dryden's enormity Pope's was a light offence. As lacemen are foes to mourning, these two authors, rich in rhyme, were no great friends to those solemn ornaments, which the noble nature of their works required. .. Dryden had a great but a general capacity, and as for a general genius, there is no such thing in nature. A genius implies the rays of the mind concentered and determined to some particular point; when they are scattered widely, they act feebly, and strike not with sufficient force to fire or dissolve the heat. As what comes from the writer's heart reaches ours, so what comes from his head sets our brains at work, and our hearts at ease. It makes a circle of thoughtful creations, not of distressed patients; and a passive audience is what tragedy requires. Applause is not to be given but extorted, and the silent lapse of a single tear does the writer more honour than the rattling thunder of a thousand hands. Applauding hands and dry eyes, (which during Dryden's theatrical reign often met,) are a satire on the writer's talent and the spectator's taste. But Dryden had his glory, though not of the stage. What an inimitable original is his ode? a small one indee 1, but of the first lustre, and without a flaw, and amid the brightest boasts of antiquity it may find a foil.' It is only necessary to add, that whatever diference of opinion may exist in the estimation formed of Dryden's genius; however some may consider that, even in the manhood and den's was confined and very deficient in exactness: he is sometimes guilty of errors in quantity, as in En. vi. Then Laod amia with Evatne moves.' Dryden possessed a large extent of knowledge, and he had thought much on subjects connected w th poetry: bit deep learning assuredly cannot be elaimed by him. maturity of his taste, he was too fond of swelling sentiments and poetical rant; while others lament the absence of that simple pathos, and those touches of nature which speak directly to the heart; or look in vain for that high tone of feeling, those exalted views, and that virtuous sensibility which have cast such a moral dignity over the pages of Pope; yet, besides other great poetical qualities, the highest praise of style and language must be universally conceded to him. No English poet, perhaps no English writer, has attained, as regards expression, such undisputed excellence. He may be considered as the connecting link between the writers of the Commonwealth, Clarendon and Milton; and those who introduced an easier and less artificial manner-Addison and Swift. I think that it may not unjustly be affirmed, that he was the first* who presented an example of a style, polished, elegant, and copious. This was effected, not by the importation of foreign words, or learned constructions, but by calling out the native strength of the language, recovering its lost idioms, recalling its forgotten beauties, and producing the strongest effects by common and familiar expressions. His prose style has the same kind of excellence as his poetical; harmonious without effort, familiar without meanness, flowing on with richness of sound, variety of cadence, majesty and flexibility of movement, and with a copious and expanded eloquence. Mille habet ornatus, mille decenter habet. A writert who has deeply studied the principles and structure of our language, confesses that Dryden's practical knowledge of the English language was beyond all others exquisite and wonderful. With the polished and perhaps fastidious taste which the late Mr. Fox possessed, with his dislike of every thing pedantic, or inflated, with his love of simplicity of expres sion and purity of style, with the nicety of his choice in the selection of words, and forms of speech; we can hardly wonder at the decision which he adopted of admitting no word into his history, for which he had not the authority of Drydent He was anxious to lend his high influence in restoring that pure and idiomatic style which he thought had been much corrupted by the example of some eminent writers; and perhaps unjustly estimated in the opinion of the ⚫ 'Clarendon himself is often liable to exception, both in sentiment and style; and our language indeed was not entirely polished till the present century. See Sir W. Jones's Pref. to Nadir Shah. *See Horne Tooke's Diversions of Purley, vol. ii. p. 400. 4to. 1 See Lord Holland's preface to Fox's History, p. xli. public: but with deference to a judgment so carefully formed, and so strongly supported, I must consider his decision to have been too narrow and exclusive, nor do I think it wise to confine our models of imitation to the authority of any single writer. Style and language must be always influenced by the subject. Perhaps instances might be found in Mr. Fox's own history which would make us hesitate in adopting his opinion; and ask whether Dryden's familiar and homely expressions appear in proper keeping with the subjects of the historic narrative. The prose works of Dryden consist of critical disquisitions, prefatory addresses, letters and casual treatises, which require the character of their style to differ from that of history; but while I fully acknowledge their exquisite beauties, and varied excellencies, I still think it would have been more judicious in Mr. Fox to have extended his approbation to many other celebrated writers as well as to Dryden.* Since writing the above, I was much pleased to observe my opinion supported by the very high I would rather subscribe to the more modified opinion of Gray, who, when Dr. Beatrie expressed himself with less admiration of Dryden than Gray thought his due, told him, that if there were any excellence in his own numbers he had learnt it wholly from that great poet, and pressed him with great earnestness to study him, as his choice of words and phrases was singularly happy and harmonious. Remember Dryden, he added, and be blind to all his faults.* authority of Dr. Parr, who says-The general cha. racter of Mr. Fox's style is purely English; and as to the rejection of a word for which he had not the authority of Dryden, it is a fancy which seems to me not less unwise than the fastidiousness of the Ciceronian sect. Philop. Varvicensis, p. 589. See Beattie's Essay on Poetry and Music, 4to. p. 360. Mason, in his life of Whitehead, p. 17. says that Gray, who admired Dryden almost beyond bounds, used to say of a very juvenile poem of his in Tonson's Miscellany, written on the death of Lord Hastings, that it gave not so much as the slightest promise of his future excellence, and seemed to indicate a bad natural ear for versification. See also Mason's works, vol. i. p. 451. THE POEMS OF DRYDEN. UPON THE DEATH OF LORD HASTINGS.* Must noble Hastings immaturely die, Than whom great Alexander may seem less: Did move on virtue's and on learning's pole Graces and virtues, languages and arts, Beauty and learning, fill'd up all the parts. Heaven's gifts, which do like falling stars appear Scatter'd in others, all, as in their sphere, Were fix'd, conglobate in his soul; and thence Shone through his body, with sweet influence; • Son of Ferdinand, Earl of Huntingdon: he died before his father in 1649, being then in his twentieth year, and on the day preceding that which had been appointed for the celebration of his marriage. Were fir'd, conglobate in his soul] This word is used in the second book of Lucretius, ver. 153, in the same sense. 'Sed complexa meant inter se conque globata.' John Warton. Letting their glories so on each limb fall, Our day-spring in so sad benighting clouds. Like rose-buds, stuck i' the lily skin about. VOL. 1.-1 Time's offals, only fit for the hospital! With none but ghostly fathers in the street? But thou, O virgin widow, left alone, As all admire, before the down begin Now thy belov'd, heaven-ravish'd spouse is Thou'lt know adult'rate copper, which, like this, gone, Whose skilful sire in vain strove to apply TO HIS FRIEND JOHN HODDESDON. ON HIS DIVINE EPIGRAMS.† THOU hast inspir'd me with thy soul, and Will only serve to be a foil to his. HEROIC STANZAS ON THE DEATH OF OLIVER CROMWELL. WRITTEN AFTER HIS FUNERAL. I. AND now 'tis time; for their officious haste, Who would before have borne him to the sky, Like eager Romans, ere all rites were past, Did let too soon the sacred eagle fly. Though our best notes are treason to his fame, Though in his praise no arts can liberal be, His grandeur he deriv'd from heaven alone; Fortune (that easy mistress to the young, Him at that age her favourites rank'd among, He fought secure of fortune as of fame: Still thriv'd; no winter could his laurels fade: Nor was he like those stars which only shine, By acts their age too late would wish undone] Infectum volet esse, dolor quod suaserit et mens. Hor. I. Ep. ii. 1. 60. J. W. To stanch the blood by breathing of the vein] The loyalists supposed that by this line Dryden meant to allude to Cromwell's murder of his sovereign. Thus in 'The Laureat,' or 'Jack Squabb's History in a little drawn, Down to his evening, from his early dawn,' ver. 21-25. 'Nay, had our Charles, by heaven's severe decree, He had his calmer influence, and his mien When past all offerings to Feretrian Jove, And for him fiercely, as for empire, strove. No sooner was the Frenchman's cause embrac'd, weigh'd: His fortune turn'd the scale where'er 't was cast; Than the light Monsieur the grave Don outThough Indian mines were in the other laid. When absent, yet we conquer'd in his right: For from all tempers he could service draw, Which yet more glorious triumphs do portend; 1 Designment] He has borrowed this word from Spenser, F. Q. ií. xi. 10. Gainst which the second troupe dessignment makes: ' That is, plot. Dryden, however, uses it simply for design or plan. It should be added, that dessignment is the reading of Spenser's 2d edition; as the first reads, without perspicuity, assignment. Todd. |