be created Earl of Bristoll," and I hope is much
my
friend but I doubt I am in no condition of
having a kindness done, haveing the Chancellour3
my enemy; and not being capable of renounceing
the cause for which I have so long suffer'd.-My
Cousin Driden of Chesterton is in town, and lodges
with my brother in Westminster. My son has
seen him, and was very kindly receiv'd by him.-
Let this letter stand for nothing, because it has
nothing but news in it, and has so little of the
main business, which is to assure my fair Cousine
how much I am her admirer, and her

letter was written, (Nov. 15) was removed from the
Treasury, of which he was then one of the Lords Com-
missioners; not First Lord, as erroneously stated in Beat-
son's POLITICAL INDEX, i. 242. Mrs. Creed, (Mrs. Stew-
ard's mother,) and Mr. Montague, were second cousins.

* Such, it appears, was the rumour of the day. He
did not, however, obtain either the title of Bristol, or a
peerage, at that time; but about a year afterwards, on the
13th of December, 1700, he was created Baron of Halifax,
and soon after the accession of George I. was made an
Earl, with the same title.

8 Lord Somers.-Does not this passage add some sup-
port to what has been suggested in our author's Life,
(vol. i. p. i. p. 165,) that a part of Dryden's SATIRE TO
HIS MUSE was written in his younger days by this great

man ?

9 Erasmus Dryden, who lived in King's-street, West-
minster, and was a grocer. In Dec. 1710, he succeeded
to the title of Baronet.

I write no recommendations of service to our friends at Oundle, because I suppose they are leaveing that place; but I wish my Cousin Stuart a boy, as like Miss Jem:* as he and you can make him. My wife and sonn are never forgetfull of their acknowledgments to you both.

I

For Mrs. Stuart, Att

Cotterstock near Oundle,

in the County of Northton, These. To be left at the Posthouse in Oundle.

MADAM,

LETTER XLI.

TO MRS. STEWARD.

Thursday, Dec. the 14th, 1699.

WHEN I have either too much business, or want of health, to write to you, I count my time is lost, or at least my conscience accuses me that I spend it ill. At this time my head is full of cares, and my body ill at ease. My book is printing, and

* Jemima, Mrs. Steward's youngest daughter, probably then four or five years old. Hence Miss Jem, See p. 68, n. 9.

This friendly wish was not crowned with success. Mrs, Steward had three daughters, but never bore a son. FABLES, ANCIENT AND MODERN.

4

I had last night

at bed-time an unwelcome fit of vomiting; and my sonn, Charles, lyes sick upon his bed with the colique, which has been violent upon him for almost a week. With all this, I cannot but remember that you accus'd me of barbarity, I hope, in jeast onely, for mistaking one Sheriff for another, which proceeded from my want of heareing well. I am heartily sorry that a chargeable office is fallen on my Cousin Stuart. But But my Cousin Driden comforts me, that it must have come one time or other, like the small-pox ; and better have it young, than old. I hope it will leave no great marks behind it, and that your fortune will no more feel it than your beauty, by the addition of a year's wearing. My cousine, your mother, was heer yesterday, to see my wife, though I had not the happiness to be at home.-Both the IPHIGENIAS have been play'd with bad success; and being

3 In the latter part of the last century, the vowel (e) seems by general agreement to have been ejected from certain classes of verbs and substantives; as if the pro portion of consonants to vowels were not already too great in our language. On this ground, they wrote mov'd, prov'd, tast, hast, plac'd, oblig'd, &c.; but this unsightly practice has for these last fifty years been very properly discontinued, at least in most printed works.

4 Elmes Steward, Esq., was appointed Sheriff of the county of Northampton in Nov. 1699.

› Dennis's IPHIGENIA was performed at the Theatre in Little Lincoln's Fields; and ACHILLES, or IPHI

both acted one against the other in the same week, clash'd together, like two rotten ships which cou'd not endure the shock, and sunk to rights.-The King's Proclamation against vice and

GENIA IN AULIS, written by Abel Boyer, and (if we are to believe the author) corrected by Dryden, was acted at the Theatre in Drury-Lane. Dennis says in his Preface, that the success of his play was " neither despicable nor extraordinary ;" but Gildon in his " Comparison between the two Stages," 8vo. 1702, informs us, that it was acted but six times; and that the other tragedy, after four representations, was laid aside.

It is extraordinary that Dryden should not have men-. tioned Farquhar's TRIP TO THE JUBILEE, which we learn from Boyer's Preface, had been acted at Drury-Lane with considerable success, immediately before his ACHILLES was produced. “Another difficulty (says the author,) this play laboured under, was, its being acted at a time when the whole town was so much and so justly diverted with the TRIP TO THE JUBILEE." One of Farquhar's biographers says, that this comedy was exhibited fifty-three times in that season; but the theatrical history of that period confutes his assertion. According to Gildon, Betterton having gained a great deal of money by reviving King HENRY THE EIGHTH, 'and King HENRY THE FOUrth, (which in a letter written Jan. 28, 1699-1700, is said to have drawn "all the town more than any new play that has been performed of late." See vol. i. part i. p. 329, n.) the manager of the theatre in Drury-lane, after the failure of his IPHIGENIA, produced Ben Jonson's Fox, and ALCHEMIST, and THE SILENT WOMAN; and towards the end of the season brought out Fletcher's PILGRIM, altered by Vanbrugh, with additions by Dryden; exertions, which would scarcely have been necessary, if Farquhar's

DRYDEN'S LETTERS.

107

profaneness is issued out in print; but a deep disease is not to be cur'd with a slight medicine. The parsons, who must read it, will find as little effect from it, as from their dull sermons: 'tis a scarecrow, which will not fright many birds from preying on the fields and orchards.-The best news I heare is, that the land will not be charg❜d very deep this yeare: let that comfort you for your Shrievalty, and continue me in your good graces, who am, fair Cousine,

Your most faithfull oblig'd Servant,
Jo: DRYDEN.

For Mrs. Stuart,

Att Cotterstock near Oundle,

in Northamptonshyre,

These.

To be left with the Postmaster

of Oundle.

comedy had attracted fifty-three audiences. It is more probable, that it was not performed oftener than eighteen or twenty times at the utmost.

6 In the London Gazette, No. 3557, Thursday, Dec. 14, 1699, it is mentioned, that a Proclamation for preventing and punishing immorality and profaneness, had been issued out on the 11th instant.