my heart. The merry philosopher is more to my humour than the melancholick; and I find no disposition in myself to cry, while the mad world is daily supplying me with such occasions of laughter.

The more reasonable sort of my countrymen have shewn so much favour to this piece, that they give me no doubt of their protection for the future. As you, Sir, have been pleased to follow the example of their goodness, in favouring me, so give me leave to say, that I follow yours in this Dedication to a person of a different persuasion. Though I must confess withal, that I have had a former encouragement from you for this address; and the warm remembrance of your noble hospitality to me at Trentham, when some years ago I visited my friends and relations in your country, has ever since given me a violent temptation to this boldness.

It is true, were this comedy wholly mine, I should call it a trifle, and perhaps not think it worth your patronage; but when the names of Plautus and Moliere are joined in it, that is, the two greatest names of ancient and modern comedy, I must not presume so far on their reputation to think their best and most unquestioned productions can be termed little. I will not give you the trouble of acquainting you what I have added or altered in either of them, so much it may be for the worse; but only that the difference of our stage from the Roman and the French did so

require it. But I am afraid, for my own interest, the world will too easily discover that more than half of it is mine; and that the rest is rather a lame imitation of their excellencies, than a just translation. It is enough that the reader know by you, that I neither deserve nor desire any applause from it. If I have performed any thing, it is the genius of my authors that have inspired me; and if it has pleased in representation, let the actors share the praise amongst themselves. As for Plautus and Moliere, they are dangerous people; and I am too weak a gamester to put myself into their form of play. But what has been wanting on my part, has been abundantly supplied by the excellent composition of Mr. Purcell; in whose person we have at length found an Englishman equal with the best abroad. At least my opinion of him has been such, since his happy and judicious performances in the late opera,' and the experience I have had of him in the setting my three songs for this AMPHITRYON: to all which, and particularly to the composition of the pastoral dialogue, the numerous choir of fair ladies gave so just an applause on the third day. I am only sorry, for my own sake, that there was one star

8

7 THE PROPHETESS, OR THE HISTORY OF DIOCLESIAN, altered from Fletcher by Betterton, and acted at the theatre in Dorset Gardens, in 1690.

8 We here find that it was formerly customary for ladies to applaud the performers at the theatre, a practice still used abroad.-The profits of the third day then, as at present, belonged to the author.

wanting, as beautiful as any in our hemisphere; that young Berenice,' who is misemploying all her charms on stupid country souls, that can never know the value of them, and losing the triumphs which are ready prepared for her in the court and town. And yet I know not whether I am so much a loser by her absence, for I have reason to apprehend the sharpness of her judgment, if it were not allayed by the sweetness of her nature; and after all, I fear she may come time enough to discover a thousand imperfections in my play, which might have passed on vulgar understandings. Be pleased to use the authority of a father over her on my behalf; enjoin her to keep her own thoughts of AMPHITRYON to herself, or at least not to compare him too strictly with Moliere's. It is true I have an interest in this partiality of her's; but withal, I plead some sort of merit for it, in being so particularly as I am,

SIR,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

October 24, 1690.

JOHN DRYDEN.

9 Young Berenice, (as appears from the Dedication of CLEOMENES,) was Sir William Gower's youngest daughter, Jane, who was married to Henry Lord Hyde, eldest son of our author's patron, Laurence, Earl of Rochester. Lord Hyde afterwards became Earl of Clarendon and Rochester. Sir William's eldest daughter, Catharine, was the wife of Sir Edward Wyndham, Bart. ancestor of the present Earl of Egremont.

THIS poem was the last piece of service

which I had the honour to do for my gracious master, King Charles the Second; and though he lived not to see the performance of it on the stage,

1 This dramatick opera was performed at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Gardens, in the middle of the year 1691, and was printed in the same year. From THE GENTLEMAN'S JOURNAL for January 1691-2, by P. Motteux, it appears that it was frequently represented in the preceding December. The two Companies, called the King's and the Duke's Servants, were united in 1682, and acted afterwards together in Drury-Lane: but they appear to have occasionally performed in Dorset Gardens, the theatre there being more suited to exhibitions in which the scenes, dances, and machinery, were the principal objects of attraction.

Dr. Johnson has fallen into a slight errour concerning this opera. "It does not (he says) seem to have been brought on the stage."-Afterwards he adds," When this was brought upon the stage, news that the Duke of

yet the prologue to it, which was the opera of ALBION AND ALBANIUS, was often practised before

Monmouth had landed was told in the theatre, upon which the company departed, and ARTHUR was exhibited no more."

This story, thus related, is a good specimen of the manner in which traditional tales are usually handed down from age to age; which, if closely examined and compared with authentick documents, are hardly ever found correct in all their parts. The truth is, a rumour had reached Dr. Johnson, that an opera of Dryden's had been acted at the time of the Duke of Monmouth's landing in the west; and he has applied to KING ARTHUR what was true only of ALBION AND ALBANIUS. This tale, however, as usual, gathered some additional circumstances as it rolled along; for ALBION AND ALBANIUS, as has been already mentioned, was performed six times, and on the sixth night of its representation an account reached London of the Duke of Monmouth's invasion; so that if the company rose up in confusion, it must have been then, and not on its first representation. As for KING ARTHUR, instead of being never acted, it was frequently performed with considerable success." It was, says Downes, (ROSCIUS ANGLICANUS, 8vo. 1708, p. 42,) excellently adorned with scenes and machines; the musical part set by famous Mr. Henry Purcell, and dances by Mr. Jo. Priest. The play and musick pleased the court and city, and being well performed, 'twas very gainful to the company.'

The last paragraph quoted from Johnson's LIFE OF DRYDEN was an addition to his original work, and his memory, or that of his informer, deceived him.

2 Sir George Saville was the son of Sir William Saville, Bart. and Anne, daughter of Thomas, Lord