of.’ There is, however, abundant proof that Dryden made no secret of the authorship.
After an interval of seven years Shadwell produced one of his best plays, ‘The Squire of Alsatia’ (May 1688), in which the rogues make free use of their cant language. The play ran for thirteen nights, and the author's third night brought him in 130l., ‘16l. more than any other poet ever did.’ The title first proposed seems to have been the ‘Alsatia Bully’ (Hist. MSS. Comm. 5th Rep. p. 198, 12th Rep. pt. v. p. 119).
At the Revolution Dryden lost the laureateship, and was succeeded by Shadwell, as poet-laureate and historiographer royal. The salary of 300l. a year was sometimes in arrear (ib. 13th Rep. v. 373, 14th Rep. vi. 166). The lord chamberlain, on being asked why he did not give the laureateship to a better poet, is reported to have said, ‘I do not pretend to say how great a poet Shadwell may be, but I am sure he is an honest man.’ Besides some loyal poems Shadwell produced in 1689 the comedy ‘Bury Fair,’ based partly on the Duke of Newcastle's ‘Triumphant Widow’ and Molière's ‘Les Précieuses Ridicules.’ In the dedication to Lord Dorset Shadwell says that it was written during an eight months' illness, and that for nearly ten years his ruin had been designed, and he had been kept from the exercise of a profession which would have afforded him a competent living. After the ‘Amorous Bigot’ in 1690, Shadwell brought out ‘The Scowrers’ (1691), an excellent but coarse comedy, which gives an interesting picture of the times.
Shadwell died suddenly on 19 Nov. 1692, and was buried at Chelsea on the 24th. An article upon him appeared in Peter Motteux's ‘Gentleman's Journal’ for November; and in a funeral sermon, by Dr. Nicholas Brady, printed in 1693, Shadwell is highly praised as a complete gentleman and an unalterable friend, with a deep sense of religion. The report that he died of an overdose of opium is rendered probable by Brady's remark that ‘he never took his dose of opium but he solemnly recommended himself to God by prayer, as if he were then about to resign up his soul.’ Shadwell's will (P. C. C. 231 Fane) is without date, but on 13 Dec. 1692 Ellinor Leigh, wife of Anthony Leigh, of St. Bride's parish, gentleman, made affidavit that she had been present at the execution of the will in 1690. Probate was granted to the widow, Anne, daughter of Thomas Gibbs, late of Norwich, proctor and public notary. Shadwell left rings to the Earl of Dorset, Sir Charles Sedley, William Jephson, and Colonel Edmund Ashton, ‘my most dear friends by whom I have been extremely obliged.’ He wished to be buried in flannel. To his son John he left 5l. for mourning, together with his books, including Hobbes's ‘Works,’ with a warning of ‘some ill opinions’ of Hobbes concerning government. He left his property, including his interest in the Dorset Garden Theatre, to his ‘diligent, careful, and provident’ wife, commending to her the interests of his children, especially his little daughter Anne (afterwards Mrs. Oldfield). Mrs. Shadwell, as we have seen, was an actress; she appeared in Otway's ‘Don Carlos’ in 1676, in ‘Timon of Athens’ in 1678, and was living at Chelsea in 1696.
Estimates of Shadwell's literary powers differ widely. Rochester said that ‘if Shadwell had burnt all he wrote, and printed all he spoke, he would have had more wit and humour than any other poet.’ Elsewhere, Rochester praised ‘Hasty Shadwell and slow Wycherley,’ while Addison, in the ‘Spectator,’ applauds his humour (No. 35). Shadwell depended, like Jonson—whom he vainly tried to imitate—for the amusement of his hearers on the ‘humours’ of his characters; he had little wit, though it is not fair to bracket him, as Dryden did, with Settle. His comedies are useful for the vivid account they give of the life of his time. Although no poet, he was, as Scott says, an acute observer of nature, and he showed considerable skill in invention. He seems to have been naturally coarse, and was grossly indecent without designing to corrupt.
The dates of publication of Shadwell's plays were as follows:
- ‘The Sullen Lovers,’ 1668.
- ‘The Royal Shepherdess,’ 1669.
- ‘The Humourists,’ 1671.
- ‘The Miser,’ 1672.
- ‘Epsom Wells,’ 1673.
- ‘Psyche,’ 1675.
- ‘The Virtuoso,’ 1676.
- ‘The Libertine,’ 1676.
- ‘Timon of Athens,’ 1678.
- ‘A True Widow,’ 1679.
- ‘The Woman Captain,’ 1680.
- ‘The Lancashire Witches,’ 1681.
- ‘The Squire of Alsatia,’ 1688.
- ‘Bury Fair,’ 1689.
- ‘The Amorous Bigot,’ 1690.
- ‘The Scowrers,’ 1691.
- ‘The Volunteers,’ 1693 (posthumous, with a dedication to the queen, signed by the widow, and a prologue by D'Urfey).
A play called ‘The Innocent Impostors’ is also referred to Shadwell, but cannot be traced (Hist. MSS. Comm. 4th Rep. App. pp. 280–1). Shadwell published also the following occasional verses, in folio form, besides the translation from Juvenal and ‘Medal of John Bayes’ already noticed:
- ‘A Lenten Prologue refused by the Players’ (in reply to the ‘Medal’), 1683.
- ‘A Congratulatory Poem on His Highness the Prince
