high rank, who were in reality no friends to the cant and hypocrisy which then so strongly prevailed, he got permission to open a sort of theatre at Rutland House, in Charter-house Yard, where he began with a representation, which he called an Opera, but which in fact was quite a different thing. Thus meeting with encouragement, he still proceeded, till at length. growing bolder by success, he wrote and caused to be acted several regular plays, which by the great profits arising from them, perfectly answered the more im-. portant part of his design, that of amending his fortune.. Immediately after the restoration of King Charles II. which brought with it that of the British stage in a state of unrestrained liberty, Sir William obtained a patent for the representation of dramatic pieces, under the title of the Duke's Theatre, Lincoln's-inn Fields.

The first opening of this theatre, was with a new play of his own, entitled the siege of Rhodes, in which he introduced.

a great variety of fine scenery and beautiful machinery; and here it is necessary to observe, that Sir Wm. was the first person to whom the English stage was indebted for these decorations, the idea of which he brought over from the theatres in France; his long residence in which country had greatly improved his taste, and induced him to endeavour at a greater regularity in the conduct, and correctness in the language of his pieces, than the manner of the dramatic writers of his own country had hitherto attained; nor could he, among other improvements, omit those of decoration and scenery so necessary for heightening deception, on which so great a part of our pleasure in this kind of entertainments constantly depends, in which we now even greatly exceed our neighbours; but which, at that time, the English stage was barbarously deficient in: for, although it is true, that in the reign of Charles I. we read of many dramatic entertainments, which were accompanied with very rich scenery, curi

ous machines, and other elegant embellishments, the greatest part of them, were conducted by that great architect, Inigo Jones; yet, these were employed only in the masques and plays, represented at Court, and were much too expensive for the little theatres, in which plays were then acted for hire; these theatres were so numerous, and the prices so extremely low, that they could afford no other decorations to assist the actor's performance than bare walls, coarsely matted, or covered with tapestry, and nothing more than a blanket, or a piece of coarse cloth for a curtain. In this situation, they were in Shakespeare's time, who, in some of his chorusses, seems to have had an apparent reference to it; and not much better does it appear to have been at any peirod, before the restoration; at which time, taste and luxury, genius and gallantry, elegance and licentiousness, seem to have made a mingled entry into these kingdoms, under the auspices of a witty, merry, and mischievous Monarch. Sir

William continued at the head of his company, which he afterwards removed to a larger and more magnificent Theatre, in Dorset-Gardens, till the time of his death, which happened on the 17th of April, 1668, in the 64th year of his age; and in two days afterwards, was interred in Westminster-Abbey, very near his rival, for the laureat, Mr. Thomas May, leaving his son, Doctor Charles Davenant, (his successor,) in the management of the theatre.-On his grave-stone is inscribed the following words :

"O rare Sir William Davenant,"

Thus, after passing through many storms of difficulty and adversity, he at length spent the evening of his days in serenityWhile living, he had the happiness of being universally beloved; and at his death, as universally lamented.

As a man, his character was in every respect perfectly amiable; honour, courage, gratitude, integrity, genius, and vivacity,

being the predominant features of his mind: and all historians allow, that he was possessed of an agreeable person, and hand some face.

As a poet Sir William's rank seems undetermined his celebrated epic of Gondebert was rendered, at the same time, the subject of high commendation, and severe criticism, though Envy appears to have had a much greater share in the latter, than Justice; for though the story of it may not be so interesting as those of the Iliad and Æneid, and that the fetters of rhime, and still more so, those of stanza poetry, lay it under very great restraints; yet, it must be acknowledged, (even by its strongest opponents) that there seems, through the whole of it, a sublimity in the sentiments, a nobleness in the manners, a purity in the diction, and a luxuriance in the conception, that would have done honour to any writer of any age, or country whatsoever. But to cease any farther eulogium on this poem, we shall, in Mr. Dryden's words,