my arms, like the foot when deserted by their horse; not in hope to overcome, but only to yield on more honourable terms. And yet, my lord, this war of opinions, you well know, has fallen out among the writers of all ages, and sometimes betwixt friends. 5 Only it has been prosecuted by some, like pedants, with violence of words, and managed by others like gentlemen, with candour and civility. Even Tully had a controversy with his dear Atticus; and in one of his Dialogues, makes him sustain the part of an 10 enemy in philosophy, who, in his letters, is his confident of state, and made privy to the most weighty affairs of the Roman senate. And the same respect which was paid by Tully to Atticus, we find returned to him afterwards by Caesar on a like occasion, who 15 answering his book in praise of Cato, made it not so much his business to condemn Cato, as to praise Cicero. n

But that I may decline some part of the encounter with my adversaries, whom I am neither willing to 20 combat, nor well able to resist; I will give your lordship the relation of a dispute betwixt some of our wits on the same subject', in which they did not only speak of plays in verse, but mingled, in the freedom of discourse, some things of the ancient, many of the 25 modern, ways of writing; comparing those with these, and the wits of our nation with those of others: it is true, they differed in their opinions, as it is probable3 they would neither do I take upon me to reconcile, but to relate them; and that as Tacitus professes of 30 2 'tis true, A.

1

upon this subject, A.

3 'tis probable, A.

himself, sine studio partium, aut irá1, without passion or interest; leaving your lordship to decide it in favour of which part you shall judge most reasonable, and withal, to pardon the many errors of

Your Lordship's

Most obedient humble servant,

JOHN DRYDEN.

1 Tac. Ann. I. I; sine ira aut studío, quorum causas procul habeo.

TO THE READER.

THE drift of the ensuing discourse was chiefly to vindicate the honour of our English writers, from the censure of those who unjustly prefer the French before them. This I intimate, lest any should think me so exceeding vain," as to teach others an art which they understand much better than myself. But if this incorrect Essay, written in the country without the help of books or advice of friends, shall find any acceptance in the world, I promise to myself a better success of the Second Part, wherein I shall more fully treat of1 the virtues and faults of the English poets, who have written either in this, the epick, or the lyrick way'.

1 A om. I shall more fully treat of. 3 Lyrique, A.

2

3

Epique, A.

A has, 'will be more fully treated of, and their several styles impartially imitated.'

AN ESSAY

OF

DRAMATIC

POESY'

5

3

It was that memorable day2, in the first summer of 195 the late war, when our navy engaged the Dutch; a day wherein the two most mighty and best appointed fleets which any age had ever seen, disputed the command of the greater half of the globe, the commerce of nations, and the riches of the universe: while' 10 these vast floating bodies, on either side, moved against each other in parallel lines, and our countrymen, under the happy conduct of his royal highness, went breaking, by little and little, into the line of the enemies; the noise of the cannon 15 from both navies reached our ears about the city, n so that all men being alarmed with it, and in a dreadful suspense of the event, which they knew was then deciding, every one went following the sound as his fancy led him; and leaving the town almost empty,

1 Dramatick Poesie, A.

3 ingag'd, A.

6

James, duke of York, afterwards James II (Malone).

we knew, A.

some took towards the park, some cross the river, others down it; all seeking the noise in the depth of silence.

Among the rest, it was the fortune of Eugenius, Crites, Lisideius, and Neander, to be in company 5 together; three of them persons whom their wit and quality have made known to all the town; and whom I have chose to hide under these borrowed names, that they may not suffer by so ill a relation as I am going to make of their discourse.

2. Taking then a barge, which a servant of Lisideius had provided for them, they made haste to shoot the bridge, and left behind them that great fall of waters which hindered them from hearing what they desired: after which, having disengaged1 themselves from many 15 vessels which rode at anchor in the Thames, and almost blocked up the passage towards Greenwich, they ordered the watermen to let fall their oars more gently; and then, every one favouring his own curiosity with a strict silence, it was not long ere they perceived the air 20 to break about them like the noise of distant thunder, or of swallows in a chimney: those little undulations of sound, though almost vanishing before they reached them, yet still seeming to retain somewhat of their first horrour, which they had betwixt the fleets. 25 After they had attentively listened till such time as the sound by little and little went from them, Eugenius, lifting up his head, and taking notice of it, was the first who congratulated to the rest that happy omen of our nation's victory: adding, that we had but 30 3 The Air to break, A.

4

1 disingag'd, A. Fleets: after.

• blockt, A.

5 A om.