THE LIVES OF THE MOST EMINENT ENGLISH POETS; WITH CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS ΟΝ ΤΗEIR WORKS. By SAMUEL JOHNSON. ANEW EDITION, CORRECTED. THE SECOND VOLUME. LONDON: PRINTED FOR C. BATHURST, J. BUCKLAND, W. STRAHAN, J. RIVING- DRYDEN. F the great poet whose life I am about to delineate, the curiofity which his reputation must excite, will require a display more ample than can now be given. His contemporaries, however they reverenced his genius, left his life unwritten; and nothing therefore can be known beyond what cafual mention and uncertain tradition have supplied. JOHN DRYDEN was born August 9, 1631, at Aldwincle near Oundle, the fon of Erasmus Dryden of Tichmersh; who was the third son of Sir Erasmus Dryden, Baronet, of Canons Ashby. All these places are in Northamptonshire; but the original stock VOL. II. B |