He was fuppofed to have undertaken to tranflate Varillas's Hiflory of Hereftes; and, when Burnet published remarks upon it, to have written an Answer; upon which Burnet makes the following obfervation:

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"I have been informed from England, that a gentleman, who is famous both for poetry and feveral other things, had fpent three months in tranflating M. Varillas's Hiftory; but that, as "foon as my Reflections appeared, he difcontinued "his labour, finding the credit of his author was "gone. Now, if he thinks it is recovered by his "Anfwer, he will perhaps go on with his tranflation; and this may be, for aught I know, as good an entertainment for him as the converfation that he had fet on between the Hinds and "Panthers, and all the rest of animals, for whom

M. Varillas may ferve well enough as an au"thor: and this history and that poem are fuch "extraordinary things of their kind, that it will "be but fuitable to fee the author of the worst

poem become likewife the tranflator of the worst "hiftory that the age has produced. If his grace "and his wit improve both proportionably, he "will hardly find that he has gained much by the

change he has made, from having no religion, "to chufe one of the worft. It is true, he had "fomewhat to fink from in matter of wit; but,

as for his morals, it is fcarcely poffible for him "to grow a worfe man than he was. He has "lately wreaked his malice on me for fpoiling his "three months labour; but in it he has done me "all the honour that any man can receive from

him, which is to be railed at by him. If I had "ill-nature enough to prompt me to with a very

"bad

"bad with for him, it fhould be, that he would

go on and finith his tranflation. By that it will "appear, whether the Englith nation, which is "the most competent judge in this matter, has, "upon the feeing our debate, pronounced in M.

Varillas's favour, or in mine. It is true, Mr. "D. will fuffer a little by it; but at least it will "ferve to keep him in from other extravagancies'; "and if he gains little honour by this work, yet "he cannot lofe fo much by it as he has done by his laft employment."

Having probably felt his own inferiority in theological controverfy, he was defirous of trying whether, by bringing poetry to aid his arguments, he might become a more efficacious defender of his new profeftion. To reafon in verfe was, indeed, one of his powers; but fubtilty and harmony united are still feeble, when oppofed to truth.

Actuated therefore by zeal for Rome, or hope of fame, he published the Hind and Panther, a poem in which the church of Rome, figured by the milkwhite Hind, defends her tenets against the church of England, reprefented by the Panther, a beast beautiful, but fpotted.

A fable which exhibits two beafts talking Theology, appears at once full of abfurdity; and it was accordingly ridiculed in the City Mouse and Country Moufe, a parody, written by Montague, afterwards carl of Halifax, and Prior, who then gave the firft fpecimen of his abilities.

The converfion of fuch a man, at fuch a time, was not likely to pafs uncenfured. Three dialogues were published by the facetious Thomas Brown, of which the two firft were called Reafons of Mr. Bayes's changing his Religion and the third, the

Reasons

Reafons of Mr. Hains the Player's Converfion and Re-converfion. The firft was printed in 1688, the fecond not till 1690, the third in 1691. The clamour feems to have been long continued, and the fubject to have ftrongly fixed the public at

tention.

In the two firft dialogues Bayes is brought into the company of Crites and Eugenius, with whom lie had formerly debated on dramatick poetry. The two talkers in the third are Mr. Bayes and Mr. Hains.

Brown was a man not deficient in literature, nor deftitute of fancy; but he feems to have thought it the pinnacle of excellence to be a merry fellow; and therefore laid out his powers upon fmall jefts or grofs buffoonery, fo that his performances have little intrinfic value, and were read only while they were recommended by the novelty of the event that occafioned them.

Thefe dialogues are like his other works; what fenfe or knowledge they contain is difgraced by the garb in which it is exhibited. One great fource of pleasure is to call Dryden little Bayes. Ajax, who happens to be mentioned, is "he that wore as "many cow-hides upon his fhield as would have "furnished half the king's army with fhoe-leather." Being asked whether he had feen the Hind and Panther, Crites anfwers: "Seen it! Mr. Bayes,

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why I can ftir no where but it purfues me; it "haunts me worfe than a pewter-buttoned ferjeant "does a decayed cit. Sometimes I meet it in a "band-box, when my laundrefs brings home my "linen; fometimes, whether I will or no, it lights "my pipe at a coffee-houfe; fometimes it furprifes me in a trunk-maker's fhop; and fometimes it'

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"refreshes

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"refreshes my memory for me on the back-fide of "a Chancery-lane parcel. For your comfort too, "Mr. Bayes, I have not only feen it, as you may perceive, but have read it too, and can quote "it as freely upon occafion as a frugal tradefman. "can quote that noble treatife the orth of a Penny "to his extravagant 'prentice, that revels in ftewed "apples, and penny cuftards."

The whole animation of thefe compofitions arifes from a profufion of ludicrous and affected comparifons. "To fecure one's chastity," fays Bayes, "little more is neceffary than to leave off a cor"refpondence with the other fex, which, to a "wife man, is no greater a punishment than it "would be to a fanatick perfon to forbid feeing the "Cheats and the Committee; or for my Lord Mayor "and Aldermen to be interdicted the fight of the "London Cuckolds." This is the general ftrain, and therefore I fhall be easily excused the labour of more tranfcription.

Brown does not wholly forget past transactions: "You began," fays Crites to Bayes," a very dif"ferent religion, and have not mended the matter

in your laft choice. It was but reason that your "Mufe, which appeared firft in a tyrant's quarrel, "fhould employ her laft efforts to justify the ufur"pation of the Hind."

Next year the nation was fummoned to celebrate the birth of the Prince. Now was the time for Dryden to roufe his imagination, and ftrain his voice. Happy days were at hand, and he was willing to enjoy and diffufe the anticipated bleffings. He published a poem, filled with predictions of greatnefs and profperity, of which it is not neceffary to tell how they have been verified.

4

A few

A few months paffed after thefe joyful notes, and every bloffom of popifh hope was blafted for ever by the Revolution. A Papift now could be no longer laureat. The revenue, which he had enjoyed with fo much pride and praife, was tranfferred to Shadwell, an old enemy, whom he had formerly ftigmatifed by the name of Og. Dryden could not decently complain that he was depofed; but feemed very angry that Shadwell fucceeded him, and has therefore celebrated the intruder's inauguration in a poem exquifitely fatirical, called Mac Flackne; of which the Dunciad, as Pope himfelf declares, is an imitation, though more extended in its plan, and more diverfified in its incidents.

It is related by Prior, that Lord Dorfet, when as chamberlain he was conftrained to eject Dryden from his office, gave him from his own purse an allowance equal to the falary. This is no romantick or incredible act of generofity; an hundred a year is often enough given to claims lefs cogent by men lefs famed for liberality. Yet Dryden always reprefented himself as fuffering under a public infiction; and once particularly demands refpect for the patience with which he endured the lofs of his little fortune. His patron might, indeed, enjoin him to fupprefs his bounty; but, if he fuffered nothing, he fhould not have complained.

During the short reign of king James, he had written nothing for the ftage *, being, in his opinion, more profitably employed in controverfy and flattery. Of praife he might perhaps have been lefs lavish without inconvenience, for James was

* Albion and Albianus muft however be excepted. R.