Which in the glass, not in the picture, be; That wealth, which his your bounty only makes. More for their dressing than their substance priz❜d. That, since in that dark night we needs must stray, Ere our weak eyes discern'd the doubtful streak Who thought it greater honour to obey Yet let me take your mantle up, and I 100 For, since 't is born when Charles ascends the throne, It shares at once his fortune and its own. EPISTLE THE SECOND. TO MY HONOURED FRIEND DR. CHARLETON,* ON HIS LEARNED AND USEFUL WORKS; BUT MORE PARTICULARLY HIS TREATISE OF STONEHENGE, BY HIM RESTORED TO THE TRUE FOUNDER. 5 THE longest tyranny that ever sway'd 10 *The book that occasioned this epistle made its appearance in quarto in 1663. It is dedicated to King Charles II. and entitled, 'Chorea Gigantum; or, The most famous Antiquity of Great Britain, Stone-Henge, standing on Salisburyplain, restored to the Danes by Dr. Walter Charleton, M. D. and Physician in Ordinary to his Majesty.' It was written in answer to a treatise of Inigo Jones's, which attributed this stupendous pile to the Romans, supposing it to be a temple, by them dedicated to the god Coelum, or Coelus. 15 20 Had we still paid that homage to a name, Than his great brother read in states and men. The circling streams, once thought but pools, of blood 30 (Whether life's fuel, or the body's food) Flies like the nimble journeys of the light; 35 40 Nor is this work the least: you well may give Where by their wond'ring subjects they were seen, These ruins shelter'd once his sacred head, 55 V. 53. These ruins shelter'd once, &c.] In the dedication, made by Dr Charleton, of his book, concerning Stonehenge, to King Charles II. there is the following memorable passage, which gave occasion to the six concluding lines of this poem. 'I have had the honour to hear from that oracle of truth and wisdom, your Majesty's own mouth: you were pleased to visit that monument, and, for many hours together, entertain yourself with the delightful view thereof, when after the defeat of your loyal army at Worcester, Almighty God, in in finite mercy to your three kingdoms, miraculously delivered you out of the bloody jaws of those ministers of sin and cruelty.' D. EPISTLE THE THIRD. TO THE LADY CASTLEMAIN,* UPON HER ENCOURAGING HIS FIRST PLAY. As seamen, shipwreck'd on some happy shore, So 5 * Mr. Dryden's first play, called the Wild Gallant, was exhibited with but indifferent success. The lady, whose patronage he acknowledges in this epistle, was Barbara, daughter of William Villiers, Lord Grandison, who was killed in the king's service at the battle of Edge-hill, in 1642, and buried in Christ church, in Oxford. This lady was one of Charles the Second's favourite mistresses for many years, and she bore him several children. 1. Charles Fitzroy, Duke of Southampton; 2. Henry Fitzroy, Earl of Euston and Duke of Grafton; 3. George Fitzroy, Earl of Northumberland; 4. Charlotta, married to Sir Edward Henry Lee, of Ditchley, in Oxfordshire, afterwards Earl of Lichfield, and brother to Eleonora, Countess of Abingdon, on whom Dryden has written a beautiful elegy; 5. A daughter, whom the king denied to be his. This lady was, before she was known to his Majesty, married to Roger Palmer, Esq. who was created Earl of Castlemain, by whom she had a daughter, whom the king adopted, and who married with Thomas Lord Dacres, Earl of Sussex. The Countess of Castlemain was afterwards created Duchess of Cleveland. D. |