His versions of the two Odes of Horace are made with great liberty, which is not recompensed by much elegance or vigour.

His political verses are sprightly; and when they were written must have been very popular.

Of the scene of “Guarini,' and the prologue of 'Pompey,' Mrs. Philips, in her letters to Sir Charles Cotterel," has given the history.

"My Lord Roscommon," says she," "is a very ingenious person, of excellent natural parts, and certainly the most hopeful young nobleman in Ireland. He has paraphrased a Psalm admirably well, and the scene of Care salve Beate,' in 'Pastor Fido,' very finely ; in many places much better than Sir Richard Fanshaw. He begins it thus :

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'Dear happy groves, and you the dark retreat
Of silent Horror, Rest's eternal seat!' &c.

This last he undertook purely out of compliment to me, having heard me say 'twas the best scene in the Italian, and the worst in the English. He was but two hours about it, having certainly as easy and fluent a vein as ever I observed or heard of, and which 'tis great pity he does not improve by practice.”

From these lines, which are since somewhat mended, it appears that he did not think a work of two hours fit to endure the eye of criticism without revisal.

When Mrs. Philips was in Ireland, some ladies that had seen her translation of ‘Pompey' resolved to bring it on the stage at Dublin ; and, to promote their design, Lord Roscommon gave them a prologue, and Sir Edward Dering an epilogue; "which,” says she, are the best performances of those kinds I ever saw.” If this is not criticism, it is at least gratitude. The thought of bringing Cæsar and Pompey into Ireland, the only country over which Cæsar never had any power, is lucky.

Of Roscommon's works, the judgment of the public seems to be right. He is elegant, but not great ; he never labours after

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exquisite beauties, and he seldom falls into gross faults. His versification is smooth, but rarely vigorous, and his rhymes are remarkably exact. He improved taste, if he did not enlarge knowledge, and may be numbered among the benefactors to English literature.16

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Such was Roscommon-not more learn'd than good,
With manners generous as his noble blood:
To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known,
And every author's merit but his own.

POPE: Essay on Criticisin.

THOMAS OTWAY.

OTWAY.

1651-1685.

Born at Trotton, in Sussex-Educated at Winchester and Oxford-Fails as an Actor-Great

Success as a Dramatist-Serves as a Cornet in the English Army in Flanders-His Poverty and tragic End-Buried in St. Clement's Danes-His Works and Character.

OF THomas Orway, one of the first names in the English drama, little is known; nor is there any part of that little which his biographer can take pleasure in relating.

He was born at Trotton, in Sussex, March 3, 1651-2, the son of Mr. Humphrey Otway, rector of Woolbeding. From Winchester school, where he was educated, he was entered, in 1669, a commoner of Christ Church [Oxford] ; but left the university without a degree, whether for want of money, or from impatience of academical restraint, or mere eagerness to mingle with the world, is not known. It seems likely that he was in hope of being busy and conspicu

; for he went to London, and commenced player, but found himself unable to gain any reputation on the stage.?

This kind of inability he shared with Shakespeare and Jonson, as he shared likewise some of their excellences. It seems reasonable to expect that a great dramatic poet should, without difficulty, become a great actor ; that he who can feel, could express ; that he who can excite passion, should exhibit with great readiness its external modes ; but, since experience has fully proved that of those powers, whatever be their affinity, one may be possessed in a great

ous