royalty restored-第66部分

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ut　this　service　was；　through　Rochester's　interference；　rejected。　　The　masque　proved　a　brilliant　success；　〃the　dancing；　singing；　and　music；　which　were　all　in　the　highest　perfection；　and　the　graceful　action；　incomparable　beauty；　and　splendid　habits　of　those　ladies　who　accompanied　them；　afforded　the　spectators　extraordinary　delight。〃　　〃Calisto〃　was　therefore　performed　thirty　times。

The　author's　gratitude　for　his　lordship's　patronage　was　only　equalled　by　his　disappointment　upon　its　hasty　withdrawal。　Growing　weary　of　him；　Rochester　found　a　more　worthy　object　for　his　favour　in　Thomas　Otway；　a　poet　rich　in　all　the　miseries　which　afflicted　genius　in　those　days。　　Son　of　the　rector　of　Woolbeding；　pupil　at　Winchester　School；　and　commoner　of　Christchurch；　Cambridge；　he　had　on　his　arrival　in　town　vainly　sought　employment　as　an　actor；　and　barely　earned　bread　as　a　play…writer。　　Before　he　became　a　PROTEGE　of　my　Lord　Rochester　he　had　written　〃Alcibiades；〃　a　tragedy；　he　being　then；　in　1665；　in　his　twenty…　fifth　year。　　His　next　play　was　〃Don　Carlos；　Prince　of　Spain；〃　which；　through　the　earl's　influence；　gained　great　success。　　In　the　preface　to　this　tragedy　he　acknowledges　his　unspeakable　obligations　to　my　lord；　who　he　says　made　it　his　business　to　establish　〃Don　Carlos〃　in　the　good　opinion　of　the　king　and　of　his　royal　highness　the　Duke　of　York。　　Unwarned　by　the　fate　of　his　predecessors；　and　heedless　of　the　fickleness　of　his　patron；　he　basked　in　hope　in　the　present；　mercifully　unconscious　of　the　cruel　death　by　starvation　which　awaited　him　in　the　future。　　Alas！　Rochester　not　only　forsook　him；　but　loaded　him　with　satire　in　a　poem　entitled　〃Session　of　the　Poets。〃

In　verses　which　he　wrote　soon　after；　entitled　〃An　Allusion　to　the　Tenth　Satire；〃　Rochester　likewise　attacked　Dryden；　who；　in　the　preface　of　his　〃All　for　Love；〃　replied　in　like　manner。　　Then　there　appeared　an　〃Essay　on　Satire；〃　which　ridiculed　the　king；　dealt　severely　with　his　mistresses；　said　uncivil　things　of　the　courtiers　in　general；　and　of　my　Lord　Rochester　in　particular。　The　noble　earl　was　indeed　described　as　being　〃lewd　in　every　limb；〃　affected　in　his　wit；　mean　in　his　actions；　and　cowardly　in　his　disposition。　　Now；　though　this　was　conceived　and　brought　forth　by　my　Lord　Mulgrave；　Rochester　suspected　Dryden　of　its　authorship；　and　resolved　to　punish　him　forthwith。　　Accordingly　on　the　night　of　the　18th　of　December；　1679；　when　Dryden　was　passing　through　Rose　Street；　Covent　Garden；　on　his　homeward　way　from　Will's　Coffee　House；　he　was　waylaid　by　some　ruffians；　and；　before　he　could　draw　his　sword；　promptly　surrounded　and　severely　beaten。

This　occurrence　caused　considerable　sensation　throughout　the　town；　and　though　surmises　arose　in　many　minds　as　to　who　had　hired　the　bravoes；　it　was　found　impossible　to　prove　them。　　In　hope　of　gaining　some　clue　to　the　instigator　of　the　attack；　Dryden　caused　the　following　advertisement　to　be　inserted　in　the　LONDON　GAZETTE　AND　DOMESTIC　INTELLIGENCE　for　three　consecutive　days：　　〃Whereas　John　Dryden；　Esq。；　was　on　Monday；　the　18th　instant；　at　night；　barbarously　assaulted　and　wounded　in　Rose　Street；　in　Covent　Garden；　by　divers　men　unknown；　if　any　person　shall　make　discovery　of　the　said　offenders　to　the　said　Mr。　Dryden；　or　to　any　justice　of　the　peace；　he　shall　not　only　receive　fifty　pounds；　which　is　deposited　in　the　hands　of　Mr。　Blanchard　Goldsmith；　next　door　to　Temple　Bar；　for　the　said　purpose；　but　if　he　be　a　principal　or　an　accessory　in　the　said　fact；　his　majesty　is　graciously　pleased　to　promise　him　his　pardon　for　the　same。〃

Dryden　sought　no　opportunity　for　revenge；　for　which　restraint；　outliving　Rochester；　and　having　a　noble　mind　and　generous　disposition；　he　was　no　doubt　glad　at　heart。　　Not　only　did　he　survive　the　earl；　but　likewise　the　king。　　To　the　company　and　conversation　of　that　gracious　sovereign　the　poet　was　frequently　admitted；　a　privilege　which　resulted　in　satisfaction　and　pleasure　to　both。　　One　pleasant　day　towards　the　end　of　his　majesty's　reign；　whilst　they　walked　in　the　Mall；　Charles　said　to　him；　〃If　I　were　a　poet；　and　indeed　I　think　I　am　poor　enough　to　be　one；　I　would　write　a　satire　on　sedition。〃　　Taking　this　hint；　Dryden　speedily　set　himself　to　work；　and　brought　a　poem　on　such　a　subject　to　his　royal　master；　who　rewarded　him　with　a　hundred　broad　pieces。

Amongst　Dryden's　friends　was　the　excellent　and　ingenious　Abraham　Cowley；　whose　youth　had　given　the　promise　of　distinction　his　manhood　fulfilled。　　It　is　related　that　when　quite　a　lad；　he　found　in　the　window　recess　of　his　mother's　apartment　a　copy　of　Spencer's　〃Faerie　Queene。〃　　Opening　the　book；　he　read　it　with　delight；　and　his　receptive　mind　reflecting　the　poet's　fire；　he　resolved　likewise　to　exercise　the　art　of　poesy。　　In　1628；　when　at　the　age　of　ten；　he　wrote　〃The　Tragic　History　of　Pyramus　and　Thisbe；〃　five　years　later　he　published　a　volume　of　poems；　and　whilst　yet　a　schoolboy　wrote　his　pastoral　comedy；　〃Love's　Riddle。〃

When　at　St。　John's　College；　Oxford；　he　gave　proof　of　his　loyalty　by　writing　a　poem　entitled　the　〃Puritan　and　the　Papist；〃　which　gained　him　the　friendship　of　courtiers。　　On　the　Queen　of　Charles　I。　taking　refuge　in　France；　he　soon　followed　her；　and　becoming　secretary　to　the　Earl　of　St。　Albans；　conducted　the　correspondence　between　her　majesty　and　the　king；　ciphering　and　deciphering　their　letters；　and　such　as　were　sent　or　received　by　those　immediately　concerned　in　the　cause　of　royalty。　　In　this　situation　he　remained　until　four　years　previous　to　the　restoration；　when　he　was　sent　into　England　for　the　purpose　of　observing　the　condition　of　the　nation；　and　reporting　the　same。　　Scarce　had　he　set　foot　in　London　when　he　was　seized；　examined；　and　only　liberated　on　a　friend　offering　bail　for　him　to　the　amount　of　one　thousand　pounds。

The　better　to　disguise　the　object　of　his　visit；　and　lull　suspicions　of　republicans；　he　took　out　the　degree　of　Doctor　of　Physic　at　Oxford；　after　which　he　retired　into　Kent；　where　he　devoted　a　great　portion　of　his　time　to　the　study　of　botany　and　the　composition　of　poetry。　　On　Cromwell's　death　he　hastened　to　France；　and　remained　there　until　the　king's　return；　which　he　celebrated　by　a　song　of　triumph。　　Like　hundreds　of　others　who　had　served　Charles　in　his　exile；　he　looked　forward　to　gratitude　and　reward；　but　met　disappointment　and　neglect。　　Amongst　the　numerous　places　and　employments　the　change　of　government　opened　in　court　and　state；　not　one　was　offered　the　loyal　poet。

Nay；　his　hardships　did　not　end　here；　for　having；　in　1663；　produced　his　merry　comedy；　〃Cutter　of　Coleman　Street；〃　it　was　treated　with　severity　as　a　censure　upon　the　king。　　Feeling　over…　nervous　to　witness　the　result　of　its　first　representation；　the　poet　absented　himself　from　the　playhouse；　but　thither　his　friends　Dryden　and　Sprat　sped；　hoping　they　might　be　able　to　bear　him　tidings　of　its　triumph。　　When　they　returned　to　him　at　night　and　told　him　of　its　fate；　〃he　received　the　news　of　its　ill　success；〃　says　Sprat；　〃not　with　so　much　firmness　as　might　have　been　expected　from　so　great　a　man。〃　　Of　all　intent　to　satirize　the　king　he　was　entirely　innocenta　fact　he　set　before　the　public　in　the　preface　to　his　play　on　its　publication。　　Having；　he　argues；　followed　the　fallen　fortunes　of　the　royal　family　so　long；　it　was　unlikely　he　would　select　the　time　of　their　restoration　to　quarrel　with　them。

Feeling　his　grievances　acutely；　he　now　published　a　poem　called　〃The　Complaint；〃　which　met　with　but　little　success；　whereon；　depressed　by　ill…fortune　and　disgusted　by　ingratitude；　he　sought　consolation　in　the　peace　of　a　country　life。　　Through　the　influence　of　his　old　friend；　Lord　St。　Albans；　and　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　he　obtained　a　lease　of　the　queen's　lands　at　Chertsey；　which　produced　him　an　income　of　about　three　hundred　pounds　a　yeara　sum　sufficient　for　his　few　wants　and　moderate　desires。　He　resided　here　but　two　years；　when　he　died；　on　the　28th　of　July；　1667。　　Milton；　on　hearing　of　his　death；　was　troubled。　　The　three　greatest　English　poets；　he　declared；　were　Spenser；　Shakespeare；　and　Cowley。

The　ungrateful　neglect　with　which　he　was　treated　in　life　was　sought　to　be　atoned　for　by　useless　honours　paid　him　after　death。　His　remains　were　first　conveyed　to　Wallingford　House；　then　a　residence　of　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　from　whence　they　were　carried　in　a　coach　drawn　by　six　horses；　and　followed　by　all　the　men　of　letters　and　wits　of　the　town；　divers　stately　bishops；　courtiers；　and　men　of　quality；　whose　carriages　exceeded　one　hundred　in　number；　to　Westminster　Abbey。　　Here　the　Poet　was　laid　at　rest　beside　Geoffrey　Chaucer；　and　not　far　removed　from　gentle　Spenser；　whose　words　had　first　inspired　his　happy　muse。

The　literary　wealth　of　this　reign　was　furthermore　enhanced　by　the　genius　of　Butler；　the　inimitable　author　of　〃Hudibras；〃　concerning　whom　little　is　known；　save　that　he　was　born　in　1612；　and　spent　his　life　in　poverty。　　He　passed　some　years　as　clerk　to　a　justice　of　the　peace；　he　also　served　a　great　man's　steward；　and　acted　as　secretary　to　Sir　Samuel　Luke；　one　of　Cromwell's　officers。　　With　those　of　the　commonwealth　he　held　no　part；　that　he　was　a　royalist　at　heart　his　great　satire　indicates。　　The　first　part　of　this　was　published　in　the　third　year　of　the　restoration；　and　was　introduced　to　the　notice　of　his　majesty　by　my　Lord　Dorset。　　So　delighted　was　the　monarch　by　its　wit　that　its　lines　were　continually　on　his　lips；　an　example　speedily　followed　by　the　courtiers。　　It　was　considered　certain　a　man　possessing　such　brilliant　genius　and　loyal　nature　would　be　rewarded　with　place　or　pension；　but　neither　boon　was　bestowed　upon　him。　　Resting　his　hopes　on　future　achievements；　the　second　part　of　〃Hudibras〃　appeared　in　1664；　but　again　his　recompense　was　delayed。　Clarendon　made　him　promises　of　valuable　employments；　which　were　never　fulfilled；　and　to　soothe　his　disappointment　the　king　sent　him　a　present　of　three　hundred　guineas。

Indignant　at　the　neglect　from　which　he　suffered；　his　friend　Wycherley　spoke　to　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　on　his　behalf；　saying　it　was　a　shame　to　the　court　a　man　of　Butler's　parts　should　be　allowed　to　suffer　want。　　With　this　his　grace　readily　agreed；　and　promised　to　use　his　influence　towards　remedying　the　poet's　ill…　fortune；　but　time　went　by；　and　his　condition　remained　unaltered。　Whereon　Wycherley　conceived　the　idea　of　b