Of the works which still attract the notice of readers of poetry, the principal are his "Fables;" pieces formed upon the stories of early writers, and modernized with a free hand. Although these were composed at an advanced period of life, and indeed as a task for money, yet, such was the vigour of his genius, that they possess all the warmth of diction and facility of invention which distinguished his best days. The characteristics of Dryden are richness and freedom. His versification is much more varied than that of Pope. The pauses in the lines are placed with less uniformity; the sense of one line or couplet more frequently overflows to the next; triplets, or three successive rhymes, are often introduced; and alexandrines, or lines lengthened to twelve syllables, are scattered throughout. His poetical diction or style partakes of a similar variety. It is sometimes elevated and adorned with the most splendid figures; but its habitual cast is that of energy and animation, supported by the free free use of common words, which, if strong and expressive, are not rejected on account of a degree of coarseness. It is therefore well fitted for narration; and scarcely any poems of this class are to be found, which paint action and scenery on the reader's imagination in such lively colours as his Tales. It is, however, to be remarked, that no writer was ever less careful to preserve proprieties of manners and character than this poet, and that his violations of the costume surpass all allowable bounds. This defect, indeed, is in great part derived from the authors whom he paraphrased, who were chiefly those of a rude and tasteless age. The "Knight's Tale," or "Palamon and Arcite," taken from Chaucer, which I shall first recommend to your perusal, strangely attributes the manners of chivalry to the times and persons of remote classical antiquity. But after the reader has acquiesced in this leading incongruity, he cannot fail to receive much entertainment from the richness of the scenery and variety of the adventures; adventures; and as a study in the poetical art, few pieces in the English language deserve more attention. Dryden was versed in the learning of the schools, and was fond on all occasions of pouring forth his knowledge upon abstruse and speculative points. You will therefore find, intermixed with the description and sentiment proper to the story, many allusions relative to astronomy, theology, metaphysics, and other branches of philosophy, which perhaps you may think tedious. But in proportion as you have acquired a taste for poetry, you will dwell with delight and admiration upon his creations of the fancy, some of which are equally bold in the conception, and vivid in the representation. The temples of Venus and Mars are draughts of this kind, finely contrasted: the latter, especially, abounds with allegorical figures which, in the painter's phrase, perfectly start from the canvass. The purely narrative part of the tale flows easy and copious; and though protracted with great variety of circumstance, stance, keeps up the interest to the very conclusion. Of the other tales, "the Cock and the Fox" will entertain you by its description of familiar objects; but you will wonder to find so much reading and argumentation put into the mouths of barn-door fowl. Dryden, as well as some other writers, seems to have thought the character of that kind of fiction termed fable, sufficiently preserved, if the actions belong to the animals which are the personages of the story, while the language and sentiments are those of human beings. It is true, supposing them to converse at all, is giving them the principal attribute of man; yet the most correct fabulists limit their discourse to the mere illustration of the moral intended to be exemplified, and make them as nearly as possible utter the sense of a bird or beast that should be inspired with the gift of language. Dryden's Cock and Hen have all the knowledge which he himself possessed, and quote fathers and schoolmen just just as in his "Hind and Panther" (a picce which I do not recommend to you, notwithstanding its temporary fame) all the arguments in the controversy between papists and protestants are inserted in a dialogue between those two animals. He has contrived, however, in the present tale to make the absurdity sufficiently amusing, and it has many lines worth remembering. The theory of the production of dreams has often been quoted: Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes: A mob of coblers, and a court of kings. The Vision entitled "The Flower and the Leaf" is not very interesting as an al legory: it however contains much brilliant description. The picture of Spring with which it commences is uncommonly beautiful, and, upon a trite subject, is marked with the originality of genius. The Character of a Good Parson" is an admirable piece of moral portraiture : |