Addison, Steele, all acknowledge Congreve's rank, and lavish compliments upon him. Voltaire went to wait upon him as on one of the Representatives of Literature; and the man who scarce praises any other living person who flung abuse at Pope, and Swift, and Steele, and Addison -the Grub Street Timon, old John Dennis,1 was hat in hand to Mr. Congreve; and said that when he retired from the stage, Comedy went with him. Nor was he less victorious elsewhere. He was admired in the drawing-rooms as well as the coffeehouses; as much beloved in the side-box as on the stage. He loved, and conquered, and jilted the beautiful Bracegirdle,' the heroine of all his plays, the favorite of all the town of her day; and the let me leave behind me a memorial of my friendship with one of the most valuable men as well as finest writers of my age and country one who has tried, and knows by his own experience. how hard an undertaking it is to do justice to Homer and one who, I am sure, seriously rejoices with me at the period of my labors. To him, therefore, having brought this long work to a conclusion, I desire to dedicate it, and to have the honor and satisfaction of placing together in this manner the names of Mr. Congreve and of— A. POPE." — Postscript to Translation of the Iliad of Homer. Mar. 25, 1720. 1 "When asked why he listened to the praises of Dennis, he said he had much rather be flattered than abused. Swift had a particular friendship for our author, and generously took him under his protection in his high authoritative manner."-THOS. DAVIES: Dramatic Miscellanies. 2 « 'Congreve was very intimate for years with Mrs. Bracegirdle, and lived in the same street, his house very near hers, until his acquaintance with the young Duchess of Marlborough. He then quitted that house. The Duchess showed me a diamond necklace (which Lady Di. used afterwards to wear) that cost seven thousand pounds, and was purchased with the money Congreve left her. How much better would it have been to have given it to poor Mrs. Bracegirdle." — DR. YOUNG. Spence's Anecdotes. |