of my constancy, since I am thoroughly persuaded of the justice of the cause for which I suffer. It has pleased God to raise up many friends to me amongst my enemies, though they, who ought to have been my friends, are negligent of me. I am called to dinner, and cannot go on with this letter, which I desire you to excuse; and am Your most affectionate father, JOHN DRYDEN.

Superscribed,

Al illustrissimo Sig.
Carlo Dryden,

Camariere d'Honore, A. S. S.

Franca per Mantoua.

In Roma.

To this Letter, Lady Elizabeth Dryden subjoined, on the same paper, the following Postscript:

My dear sons, I sent your letter emediately to your father, after I had read it, as you will find by his. I have not room to say much, having writ former letters to you, datted the 27 of August, your father being then out of town; he writes me word -he is much at woon as to his health, and his defnese is not wosce, but much as he was when he was heare. He expresses a great desire to see my dear Charlles; and trully I see noe reason why you should not both come together, to be a comfort to woon another, and to us both, if the King of France includ Ingland in the * for peace; you doe but gust make shift to live wheare you are, and soe I hope you may doe heare; for I will leaf noe ston unturn'd to help my belov'd sonns. If I cane, I

*The peace of Ryswick, which was proclaimed at London in the following month, October 19, 1697, O.S.

will send this letter by the same way it came ; that is, it was brought me from woon Mr. Gallowway, who corresponds with Rozie; I payd woon and sixpence for it, and do offer to pay him what he demandes, so that he would take ceare the [packet] might come safe to your handes. I long tell I heare my deare Charlles is better. I have only room to tell you the names of the merchantes your parcell went in; you are to demmand them of Mr. Robert Ball and Thommas Ball in Lindovino in Livorno. You are not to pay any charges for the box, for the port of London. If the have demanded any of you, send word to me what it is; for otherwayes wee shall pay twice for them; and this Mr. Walkeson telles me, with his service to you both. Farwell, my deare children: God Almighty keep you in his protection, for that is the wishes and prayers of your most affec: mother, that sends her blessinge to you all; not forgetting my sonn Harry, whose prayers I desire for a comfortable meetinge. I hope I may have some better thinges against you come, than what is sent you in that box; there being nothing considurabell but my deare Jackes play, who I desire in his next to me to give me a true account how my deare sonn Charlles is head dus; for I cane be at noe rest tell I heare he is better, or rather thourely well, which I dally pray for.†

* She means, I suppose,-by the same way her son's letter

came to her,

To account for the difference between the exquisite orthography of Lady Elizabeth's present epistle, and that to Dr. Busby, Mr. Malone suggests, that Dryden probably revised the latter before it was sent.

MR. TONSON,

LETTER XXIV.

TO MR. JACOB TONSON.

[f. Dec. 1697.]

I THANK you heartily for the sherry; it was, as you sayd, the best of the kind I ever dranke. I have found the catalogue you desire, of the subscribers' names you left with me; and have sent them to you inclosed. Remember, in the copy of verses for St. Cecilia, to alter the name of Lais, which is twice there, for Thais; those two ladyes were contemporaryes, which causd that small mistake. I wish you coud tell me how to send my sonns our Virgil, which you gave me; and should be glad if you coud put me in a way of remitting thirty guineas to Rome, which I woud pay heer, for my sonns to have the vallue there, according as the exchange goes. Any time this fortnight will be soon enough to send the money: the book, I know, will require a longer space, because ships go not for Italy every day.

I am,

Your humble servant,
JOHN DRYDEN.

I hear Tom Brown is comeing out upon me.

*Tom Brown had, in the year of the Revolution, published "The Reasons of Mr. Bayes Changing his Religion;" and in 1690, a second Part, called the "Late Converts Exposed." What this small wit now had in hand is difficult to guess; none of his direct attacks against Dryden appear in his works: but his insignificant enmity survived Dryden, for he wrote a burlesque account of the poet's funeral in verse, and libelled his memory in prose, in his "Letters from the Dead to the Living."

LETTER XXV.

TO MR. JACOB TONSON.

MR. TONSON, Wednesday, [f. Dec. 1697.] I HAVE broken off my studies from the "Conquest of China," to review Virgil, and bestowed nine entire days upon him. You may have the printed copy you sent me to-morrow morning, if you will come for it yourself; for the printer is a beast, and understands nothing I can say to him of correcting the press. Dr. Chetwood † claims my t promise of the Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, which I desire you to send to him (according to the Parliament phrase) forthwith. My wife says you have broken your promise about the picture, and desires it speedily; the rest I will tell you when

Yours,

you come.

JOHN DRYDEN.

MR. TONSON,

LETTER XXVI.

TO MR. JACOB TONSON.

[f. Dec. 1697.] You were no sooner gone, but I felt in my pocket, and found my Lady Chudleigh's verses;

*This labour he never resumed.

The Rev. Dr. Knightly Chetwood, an intimate friend of our author.

Mary Leigh, the wife of Sir George Chudleigh of Ashton, in the same county, Bart. She died in the year 1710. Her life is among those of Ballard's "Learned Ladies." The verses mentioned in the text are not prefixed to the Virgil, but printed in Lady Chudleigh's Poems.

which this afternoon I gave Mr. Walsh to read in the coffee-house. His opinion is the same with mine, that they are better than any which are printed before the book: so thinks also Mr. Wycherly. I have them by me; but do not send them till I heare from my Lord Clifford, whether my lady will put her name to them or not: therefore I desire they may be printed last of all the copyes, and of all the book. I have also written this day to Mr. Chetwood, and let him know, that the book is immediately goeing to the press again. My opinion is, that the printer shou'd begin with the first Pastoral, and print on to the end of the Georgiques; or farther, if occasion be, till Dr. Chetwood corrects his preface, which he writes me word is printed very false. You cannot take too great care of the printing this edition exactly after my amendments; for a fault of that nature will disoblige me eternally.

You

I am glad to heare from all hands, that my Ode † is esteem'd the best of all my poetry, by all the town: I thought so myself when I writ it; but, being old, I mistrusted my own judgment. I hope it has done you service, and will do more. told me not, but the town says you are printing Ovid de Arte Amandi. I know my translation ‡ is very uncorrect; but at the same time I know, nobody else can do it better, with all their paines. If there be any loose papers left in the Virgil I gave you this morning, look for them, and send them back by my man: I miss not any yet; but 'tis

*The preface to the "Pastorals."

The "Ode for St. Cecilia's Day." It is pleasing to be assured, that the best of English lyrics was received with due honour on its first appearance.

Our author only translated the First Book. See vol. xii. p. 249.