The Works of John Dryden, Volume XVII: Prose, 1668-1691: An essay of Dramatick Poesie and Shorter Works

Of Dramatick Poesie, An Essay

8 Prose 1668-1691 An Essay of Dramatick Poesie I T was that memorable day, in the first Summer of the late War, when our Navy ingag'd the Dutch: a day wherein the two most mighty and best appointed Fleets which any age had ever seen, disputed the command of the greater half of the Globe, the commerce of Nations, and the riches of the Universe. While these vast floating bodies, on either side, mov'd against each other in parallel lines, and our Country men, under the happy conduct of his Royal Highness, went breaking, by little and little, into the line of the Enemies; the noise of the Cannon 10 from both Navies reach'd our ears about the City: so that all men, being alarm'd with it, and in a dreadful suspence of the event, which they knew was then deciding, every one went following the sound as his fancy led him; and leaving the Town almost empty, some took towards the Park, some cross the River, others down it; all seeking the noise in the depth of silence. Amongst the rest, it was the fortune of Eugenius, Crites, Lisideius and Neander, to be in company together: three of them persons whom their witt and Quality have made known to 20 all the Town: and whom I have chose to hide under these borrowed names, that they may not suffer by so ill a relation as 1am going to make of their discourse. Taking then a Barge which a servant of Lisideius had provided for them, they made haste to shoot the Bridge, and left behind them that great fall of waters which hindred them from hearing what they desired: after which, having disingag'd themselves from many Vessels which rode at Anchor in the Thames, and almost blockt up the passage towards Greenwich, they order'd the Watermen to let fall their Oares more gently; and ao then every one favouring his own curiosity with a strict silence, 2 Dutch} D; Dutch Qi-3, F. 10 all] Qz-3, F, D; al Qi. iz they] Qg-g, D; we Qi, F. 13 led] Qi (corrected state), Qs-3, F, D; ed Qi (uncorrecled state). This page intentionally left blank VIEW OF SOMERSET HOUSE So FROM Nouveau TheAtre de la See Of Dramatick P fj.vff&s Qa-3. 10 Romans] Q3, D; Romans Qi-2, F. 15-16 Greeklings] Q3, D; Greeklings Qi-a, F. 16 Ben.] Qa-3, F, D; Ben Qi. 24 more] Q2~3, D; two of Qi, F. 32 Romans] D; Romans Qi~3, F. 10 An Essay of Dramatick Poesie 25 Plots from the Greek Poets; and theirs was commonly a little Girle stollen or wandred from her Parents, brought back unknown to the City, there got with child by some lewd young fellow; who, by the help of his servant, cheats his father, and when her time comes, to cry Juno Lucina fer opem; one or other sees a little Box or Cabinet which was carried away with her, and so discovers her to her friends, if some God do not prevent it, by coming down in a Machine, and taking the thanks of it to himself. 10 By the Plot you may guess much of the Characters of the Persons. An Old Father who would willingly before he dies, see his Son well married; his Debauch'd Son, kind in his Nature to his Mistress, but miserably in want of Money; a Servant or Slave, who has so much wit to strike in with him, and help to dupe his Father, a Braggadochio Captain, a Parasite, and a Lady of Pleasure. As for the poor honest Maid, on whom the Story is built, and who ought to be one of the principal Actors in the Play, she is commonly a Mute in it: She has the breeding of the 20 Old Elizabeth way, which was for Maids to be seen and not to be heard; and it is enough you know she is willing to be married, when the Fifth Act requires it. These are Plots built after the Italian Mode of Houses, you see thorow them all at once; the Characters are indeed the Imitations of Nature, but so narrow as if they had imitated onely an Eye or an Hand, and did not dare to venture on the lines of a Face, or the Proportion of...