3

ANNUS MIRABILIS:

The Year of

WONDERS,

1666.

AN HISTORICAL

POEM:

CONTAINING

The Progrefs and various Succeffes of our Naval War with Holland, under the Conduct of His Highnefs Prince RUPERT, and His Grace the Duke of ALBEMARL,

And defcribing

4

THE FIRE

OF

LONDON.

By JOHN DRYDEN, Efq;

Multum intereft res pofcat, an homines latius imperare velint.
Trajan. imperator. ad Plin.

urbs actiqua ruit, multos dominata per annos

Virg

London, Printed for Henry Herringman, at the Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange. 1667.

ANNUS MIRABILIS.

The YEAR of

WONDERS,

M. DC. LXVI.

ΑΝ

Historical Poem.

ALSO

A POEM on the Happy RESTORATION and RETURN of His Late Sacred MAJESTY

Charles the Second.

LIKEWISE

A PANEGYRICK on His CORONATION.

TOGETHER

With a PoвM to My LORD CHANCELLOR Prefented on New-Years-Day. 1662.

By JOHN DRYDEN, Esq;

LONDON, Printed for Henry Herringman, and fold by. Jacob Tonfon at the Judges-Head in Chancery Lane. 1688

As perhaps I am the first who ever presented a work of this nature to the Metropolis of any Nation, so is it likewise consonant to Justice, that he who was to give the first Example of such a Dedication should begin it with that City, which has set a pattern to all others of true Loyalty, invincible Courage, and unshaken Constancy. Other Cities have been prais'd for the same Virtues, but I am much deceiv'd if any have so dearly purchas'd their Reputation; their Fame has been won them by cheaper trials than an expensive, though necessary, War, a consuming Pestilence, and a more consuming Fire. To submit yourselves with that humility to the Judgments of Heaven, and at the same time to raise yourselves with that vigour above all human Enemies; to be combated at once from 20 above and from below, to be struck down and to triumph; I know not whether such Trials have been ever parallel'd in any Nation, the resolution and successes of them never can be. Never had Prince or People more mutual reason to love each other, if suffering for each other can indear affection. You have come together a pair of matchless Lovers, through many difficulties; He, through a long Exile, various traverses of Fortune, and the interposition of many Rivals, who violently ravish'd and withheld You from Him: and certainly you have had your share in sufferings. But Providence has cast upon you want of Trade, that you might appear bountiful to your Country's necessities; and the rest of your afflictions are not more the effects of God's Displeasure (frequent examples of them having been in the Reign of the most excellent Princes) than occasions for the 30 manifesting of your Christian and Civil virtues. To you, therefore, this Year of Wonders is justly dedicated, because you have made it so. You, who are to stand 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 ashes, and, as far as Humanity can approach, a great Emblem of the suffering Deity. But Heaven never made so much Piety and Virtue, to leave it miserable. I have heard indeed of some virtuous Persons who have ended unfortunately, but never of any virtuous Nation: Providence is engaged too deeply, when the Cause becomes so general. And I cannot imagine it has resolved the ruin of that People at home, which it has blessed abroad with such Successes. I am, therefore, to conclude that your Sufferings are at an end, and that one part of my Poem 40 has not been more an History of your destruction, than the other a Prophecy of your restoration. The accomplishment of which happiness, as it is the wish of all true Englishmen, so is by none more passionately desired than by

The greatest of Your Admirers,

and most humble of your Servants,
JOHN DRYDEN.

SIR,

AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

ENSUING POEM,

IN

A LETTER

TO THE HONOURABLE

Sr. ROBERT HOWARD.

I am so many ways obliged to you and so little able to return your Favours that, like 10 those 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 Nobleness, but you have been solicitous of my Reputation, which is that of your Kindness. It is not long since 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 since you are to bear this Persecution, I will at least give you the encouragement of a Martyr, you could never suffer in a nobler cause. For I have chosen the most heroick Subject which any Poet could desire: I have taken upon me to describe the motives, the beginning, progress, and successes of a most just and necessary 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 Seamen, and 20 three glorious Victories, the result of all. After this, I have in the Fire the most deplorable, but withal the greatest Argument that can be imagined; the destruction being so swift, so sudden, so vast and miserable, as nothing can parallel in Story. The former part of this Poem, relating to the War, is but a due expiation for my not serving my King and Country in it. All Gentlemen are almost obliged to it: and I know no reason we should give that advantage to the Commonalty of England, to be foremost in brave actions, which the noblesse of France would never suffer in their Peasants. I should not have written this but to a Person who has been ever forward to appear in all Employments, whither his Honour and Generosity have called him. The latter part of my Poem, which describes the Fire, I owe, first, to the Piety and Fatherly Affection of our Monarch to his suffering Subjects; and, in the second 30 place, to the Courage, Loyalty, and Magnanimity of the City; both which were so conspicuous that I have wanted words to celebrate them as they deserve. I have called my Poem Historical, not Epick, though both the Actions and Actors are as much Heroick as any Poem can contain. But since the Action is not properly one, nor that accomplish'd in the last successes, I have judg'd it too bold a title for a few Stanza's, which are little more in number than a single Iliad or the longest of the Eneids. For this reason (I mean not of length, but broken action, ti'd too severely to the laws of History) I am apt to agree with those who rank Lucan rather among Historians in Verse than Epique poets; in whose room, if I am not deceived, Silius Italicus, though a worse Writer, may more justly be admitted. I have chosen to write my poem in quatrains or stanza's of four in alternate rhyme, because I have ever judg'd them more noble 4° and of greater dignity both for the Sound and Number than any other Verse in use amongst us; in which I am sure I have your approbation. The learned Languages have certainly a great advantage of us in not being tied to the slavery of any Rhyme, and were less constrained