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"We ought not, like the spider, to spin a flimsy web wholly from our own magazine; but, like the bee, visit every store, and cull the most useful and the best."-GREGORY.

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THE IDLE AND INDUSTRIOUS APPRENTICES.

THE IDLE APPRENTICE BE- him. The officers of justice are enter-
TRAYED BY A PROSTITUTE,
AND TAKEN IN A NIGHT
CELLAR WITH HIS ACCOM-
PLICE

Proverbs, ch. vi. verse 26. "The adultress shall hunt for the precious life." FROM the last subject, the reward of diligence, we return to the consequence of sloth. The idle and incorrigible outcast, mature in vice, and lost to society, is here represented in a nightcellar. In this dreary and horrid cavern of vice and infamy, he is dividing the spoil produced by robbery with one of his wretched accomplices. The woman that seems his favourite, and in whose garret we saw him in the seventh plate, deliberately betrays

The scene is laid in the cellar of a house near Water-lane, Fleet-street, then known by the name of the Blood-Bowl House; which curious appellation was given it from the various scenes of riot and murder which were there perpetrated.

ing, and he is on the point of being seized. The corpse of a gentleman, who has been murdered, is with unfeeling indifference put down in a cavity made in the floor for the purpose of concealment. One of the greattitude, smoking in the corner. A nadier company is seen in a true Dutch scene of riot, likely to terminate in blood, passes in the back-ground. Some cards scattered on the floor show the amusements of this earthly Pandemonium.

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temerity in censuring his conduct, but that he might ease them of the griev-. ances they complained of, as far as was consistent with his duty to his sovereign.

As he was going his rounds one night, he perceived three soldiers sit ting upon a bench at the door of a public-house, who by their mirth and festivity, seemed in want of nothing to complete their happiness.

The duke, who had a longing inclination to know the subject matter of their discourse, dismissed his lacquey, and joined the soldiers, who gave him a hearty welcome, and offered him share of their liquor, which he accepted. When the bowl had gone round pretty freely, and many jovial songs had been sung, one of the soldiers proposed to his comrades, that by way of pastime, each of them in their turn should wish for that which he thought would render him happiest during the remainder of his life;" and to begin," said the soldier, who first made the proposal, "I wish I had the sum of one thousand crowns; I should then think myself happier than the viceroy himself.""That is a mercenary wish," quoth the second," beneath the garb of a soldier; but for my part, I wish he would make me one of the captains of his guards; I should then esteem my lot preferable to his,"-"If I might form a wish," cries the third, "I do assure you, that neither of your wishes would have any charms sufficient to attract me. The height of my ambition would be to obtain a night's lodg. ing with the vicereine, his spouse. I should then think myself far happier than both of you together."- "6 Come," said they, addressing themselves to the viceroy, "let us now hear your wish." "I wish," said he, "that I were viceroy. I would endeavour to render each of you happy in his wish." "An hearty fellow, egad!" cried the soldiers, shaking him by the hand, "though we would much rather forego our wishes than change our viceroy; for 'tis impossible to live beneath a milder or a gentler sway. All our wants are amply supplied, and he governs with the goodness and lenity of a parent."

This eulogium, though much short of what he deserved, was yet far from being displeasing to the viceroy.

The soldiers now took their leave, in order to return to the garrison; and the viceroy happening to meet, at that

very instant, an officer who belonged to the guards, ordered him to inquire the names of these three soldiers, whom he showed him at a distance, and what company they belonged to; and to bring him intelligence the next morning without fail.

The officer acquitted himself punctually of his commission, and waited on the duke at the time appointed, with the intelligence he desired; who sent an order to their captain to send those three soldiers immediately. "Speak boldly," said the duke, when they came into his presence, "and take heed you do not deviate from the truth. What was the subject of your discourse last night at such an hour, and in such a place?" The soldiers were astonished, and began to look at one another, but dared not to make a reply. "Hark-ye, gentlemen," continued the duke, "to the point immediately, or I protest you shall all three be tied up to the halberds for your disobedience." The soldier who proposed the topic of wishing the preceding night, being the boldest of the three, took upon himself at length to be spokesman. lord duke," said he, "I confess we were discoursing together last night, at such time, and in such place as your excellency has mentioned; but our discourse was general, and I really cannot recollect any thing in particular."-"The discourse you then held was relating to me," said the viceroy,

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"My

you know best whether I have been rightly informed. But let me advise you, once again, not to excite me to anger, by non-compliance with a known truth."

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The soldier perceiving that the duke grew warm, thought he had better comply with his orders, lest he should, as he threatened, proceed to extremities. My lord duke," said he, "I will tell your excellency the subject of my discourse at that time, humbly hoping that you will be pleased to pardon the freedom of a conversation that passed over the bottle. My comrades and I, being in a merry mood, agreed, the more socially to pass away the time, that each of us in his turn should wish for that which would render him most happy for the remainder of his days; and I remember to have said that the sum of one thousand crowns would render me happier than your excellency."

The duke sent immediately for his treasurer, and ordered him to pay one

thousand crowns to the soldier, who went away as happy as a man can be who is in possession of all he desires. "And you," said the viceroy, turning to the second, "what was your wish?" The soldier, emboldened by the duke's liberality to his comrade, answered without hesitation, “My lord, I said, that if I was one of the captains of your excellency's guards, I should esteem my lot infinitely preferable to yours."Well," resumed the viceroy, you shall not have any cause to reproach me for being less liberal to you than to your companion. From this moment be happy in your wish. I will promote one of the captains of my guards, and you shall enjoy his place. And now," continued he, addressing himself to the third, "let us hear your wish.""Ah! my lord," said the soldier, trembling and confounded, "I hope your excellency will be graciously pleased to excuse me. We were at the public-house, where we drank so freely that we knew not what we said; at least that was my case.""Speak," resumed the duke, "immediately, and to the purpose, lest I make you repent of your disobedience." The poor fellow, well knowing the duke would be obeyed, replied, in a voice as full of quavers as an opera singer, "My lord, I was rash enough to say, little imagining it would be brought to your excellency's ears, that a night's lodging with the vicereine would render me happier than if I were to enjoy the wishes of both my comrades together; but, my lord," continued he, casting himself at the duke's feet, "pardon, I beseech you, the temerity of a man, who spoke without thinking."

happy in your wish. Obtain her consent, and be assured I shall not oppose your happiness." The 'soldier hung down his head, and the vicereine, highly offended at his insolence, would have ordered him the strapado, had not the duke interposed, who sent him away safe and sound, thinking the mortification he would undergo in not having formed a more reasonable wish, in which he would probably have been indulged as well as his companions, punishment sufficient.

LIVES OF THE BRITISH
POETS.

DRYDEN.

[Continued from page 437.]

In 1673, Dryden produced two comedies, Marriage-a-la-mode, and the Assignation, or Love in a Nunnery; the former of which was indifferently received, and the latter driven off the stage. Amboyna, a tragedy, intended to inflame the nation against the Dutch, was also written in the course of the same year. The next year he published The State of Innocence and the Fall of Man, an opera, or rather a tragedy in heroic rhyme, but of which the personages are such as cannot be decently exhibited upon the stage. Dr. Johnson observes, that "this composition is addressed to the Princess of Modena, then Duchess of York, in a strain of flattery which disgraces genius, and which is wonderful that any man who knew the meaning of his own words, could use without self-detestation. It is an attempt to mingle earth and heaven, by praising human excellence in the language of religion.

The viceroy commanded him to rise. "I am sorry, friend," said he, "that "The reason which he gives for it is not in my power to grant your printing what was never acted cannot request; if it was, you should return be overpassed. I was induced to it as happy as your companions. All in my own defence, many hundred that I can do to serve you is, to speak copies of it being dispersed abroad to her in your favour. Come, follow without my knowledge or consent, and me." The poor fellow, trembling every every one gathering new faults, it bejoint, would have given both his ears came, at length, a libel against me.' to be well extricated from this dilemma; but the duke, who would take no denial, insisted on his following him to the apartment of the vicereine, whom they found at her toilette.

The duke having previously acquainted her with the soldier's wish, took him by the hand, and presenting him to his lady, "This," said he, "is the only person capable of making you

"These copies, as they gathered faults, were apparently manuscript; and he lived in an age very unlike ours, if many hundred copies of fourteen hundred lines were likely to be transcribed. An author has a right to print his own works, and needs not seek an apology in falshood; but he that could bear to write the dedication, felt no pain in writing the preface."

In 1676, he produced Aureng Zebe, a tragedy written in rhyme, which has the appearance of being the most elaborate of all his dramas. Dr. Johnson remarks on this play, that "the personages are imperial; but the dialogue is often domestic, and therefore susceptible of sentiments, accommodated to familiar incidents. The complaint of life is celebrated, and there are many other passages that may be read with pleasure."

This play is addressed to the Earl of Mulgrave, afterwards Duke of Buckingham, "himself," says Johnson, "if not a poet, yet a writer of verses, and a critic." In this address Dryden gave the first hints of his intentions to write an epic poem. He mentions his design in terms so obscure, that he seems afraid lest his plan should be purloined, as he says happened to him when he told it more plainly in his preface to Juvenal. "The design," says he, "you know, is great, the story English, and neither too near the present times, nor too distant from them."

All for Love, or the World well lost, a tragedy written in 1678, and founded upon Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra the author tells us "was written for himself; the rest were given to the people." It is by universal consent accounted the work in which our author has admitted the fewest improprieties of style or character; but Dr. Johnson remarks, that "it has one fault equal to many, though rather moral than critical, that by admitting the romantic omnipotence of love, he has recommended as laudable and worthy of imitation, that conduct, which, through all ages, the good have censured as vicious, and the bad despised as foolish."

The next year he formed, in conjunction with Lee, Oedipus, a tragedy from the works of Sophocles, Seneca, and Corneille. Dryden planned the scenes, &c. composed the first and third acts; the rest of the piece was written by Lee. It was followed by Troilus and Cressida, a play, altered from Skakespeare, "to which," says Langbaine, "he added several new scenes, and improved what he borrowed from the original. The last scene in the third act is a master piece." It is introduced by a Discourse on the ground of Criticism in Tragedy.

His comedy called Limberham, or the Hind Keeper, produced in 1680, after the third night, was prohibited

as too indecent for the stage. Dryden confesses that its indecency was objected to, but Langbaine, who seldom favours him, imputes its expulsion to resentment, because it "so much exposed the keeping part of the town.”

The following year he brought on the stage his Spanish Friar, or the Double Discovery, a tragi-comedy, eminent for the happy coincidence and coalition of the two plots. As it was written against the Papists, it would naturally at that time have friends and enemies; and partly by the popularity it obtained at first, and partly by the real power both of the serious and risible parts, it continued long a favourite of the public. Dr. Johnson observes, that "it was Dryden's opinion, at least for some time, and he maintains it in the dedication of this play, that the drama required an alternation of comic and ragic scenes, and that it is necessary to mitigate by alleviations of merriment, the pressure of ponderous events, and the fatigue of toilsome passions. Whoever," says he, "cannot perform both parts, is but half a writer for the stage."

In 1683, appeared the Duke of Guise, a tragedy, written in conjunction with Lee. It happened that a contract had been made between the two poets by which they were to join in writing a play;" and he happened," says Dryden," to claim the promise just upon the finishing of a poem, when I would have been glad of a little respite. Two thirds of it belonged to him; and to me only the first scene of the play, the whole fourth act, and the first half, or somewhat more of the fifth.

This was a play, written professedly for the party of the Duke of York, whose succession was then opposed. A parallel is intended between the leaguers of France and the covenanters of England; and this intention produced the controversy.

In 1685, appeared his Albion and Albania, a musical drama, or opera, written, like the Duke of Guise, against the Whig party, whom Dr. Johnson, with intemperate zeal for the opposite party, called the republicans. Downes says, that happening to be first performed the very day on which the Duke of Monmouth landed in the West, and the kingdom was in great consternation, it ran but six nights.

Don Sebastian, supposed to have been one of Dryden's early dramatic performances, was not acted till 1690.

It appears to have been designed for a tragi-comedy, for amidst the distresses of princes and the vicissitudes of empires, are inserted several scenes which the writer intended for comic; but which it seems that age did not much commend, and the succeeding would most probably reprobate. There are, however, in this piece, passages of excellence universally acknowledged; and the reconciliation of Dorax and Sebastian has always been admired.

The dedication to Amphitryon, a comedy, derived from Plautus and Moliere, is dated October 6, 1690. It succeeded at its first appearance, and has long been considered as a very diverting entertainment, having undergone various alterations and additions. Soon after he produced King Arthur, an opera, the incidents of which are extravagant, and many of them puerile. It was revived some years ago, with alterations, and, taken in a bur lesque point of view, has afforded much merriment.

Cleomenes, a tragedy, performed in 1692, is remarkable for having occasioned an incident related in the Guardian, and allusively mentioned by Dryden, in his preface. As he came out from the representation, he was thus accosted by some airy stripling. "Had I been left alone with a young beauty I would not have spent my time like your Spartan."-" That, sir," said Dryden, "perhaps is true, but give me leave to tell you, that you are no hero."

His last dramatic production, called Love Triumphant, a tragi-comedy, appeared in 1694, and is said, like his first essay, for the stage, to have been received with much indifference. Thus he began and ended his dramatic labours with ill success.

From the exhibition of such a number of theatrical pieces, it might reasonably be supposed, that our author must have improved his fortune; at least, that such diligence, with such abilities, must have set penury at defiance. But it is to be observed, that in Dryden's time, the drama was not in that universal estimation it has since obtained. The play-house was abhorred by the Puritans, and avoided by those who desired the character of seriousness or decency. A grave lawyer would, in those times, have debased his dignity, and a young trader impared his credit, by appearing in those mansions of dissolute licentiousness. The profits of

the theatre, when so many classes of the people were deducted from the audience, were not great, and the poet had for a long time but a single night. The first that had two nights was Southerne, and the first that had three was Rowe; a play, therefore, seldom produced Dryden more than an hundred pounds, by the accumulated gains of the third night, the dedication, and the copy.

Dr. Johnson's remarks on the dramatic talents of our author, and the anecdotes he intersperses with them, cannot fail of conducing to the information and entertainment of those readers who are attached to theatrical exhibitions; to such, therefore, the following are presented:

"Almost every piece had a dedication, written with such elegance and luxuriance of praise, as neither haughtiness nor avarice could be imagined able to resist. But he seems to have made flattery too cheap. That praise is worth nothing of which the price is known.

"To increase the value of his copies, he often accompanied his work with a preface of criticism; a kind of learning then little known, and therefore welcome as a novelty; and of so flexile and applicable a kind, that it might be always introduced, without apparent violence or affectation. By these dissertations, the public judgment must have been much improved; and Swift, who conversed with Dryden, relates, that he regretted the success of his own instructions, and found his readers made suddenly too skilful to be easily satisfied.

"His prologues had such reputation, that, for some time, a play was considered as less likely to be well received, if some of his verses did not introduce it. The price of a prologue was two guineas, till being asked to write one for Mr. Southerne, he demanded three; 'Not,' said he, 'young man, out of disrespect to you, but the players have had my goods too cheap.'

"Though he declares, that, in his own opinion, his genius was not dramatic, he had great confidence in his own fertility; for he is said to have engaged, by contract, to furnish four plays a year; and it is certain that, in one year, he published six complete dramatic productions, with a celerity of performance, which notwithstanding the charge of plagiarism alleged against him, shews such facility of

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