with such additions as could be gleaned, the lives and portions of the works of some of our poets. He had Dryden more especially, and Pope in view. Inquiries were therefore commenced among literary friends without explicitly disclosing his aims excepting to Lord Claremont, who thus replies so early as June, 1794:—
If a new edition be wanted of Dryden’s critical prose works, I know of nothing better worth republishing. The matter is for the most part excellent; the manner incomparable throughout. There cannot be a better antidote against our modern innovations in style than his compositions—perspicuous, graceful, elegant, humorous, and easy. His life will also be very acceptable, as nothing of the kind worth reading has hitherto been written.[1]
A still greater authority in eloquence, that of Burke, held his pieces in high estimation, not only for the criticism, but for the richness and freedom of his style and language. He was also considerate enough to offer an apology for the manner of the poet’s address to his patrons.
In a conversation, says Malone, which I had a few years ago with the late Mr. Burke, talking of Dryden’s dedications, he observed that the extravagant panegyrics which they contain were the vice of the time, not of the man; that the dedications of almost every other writer of that period were loaded with flattery, and that no disgrace was annexed to such an exercise of men’s talents, the contest being who should go farthest in the most graceful way, and with the best turns of
- ↑ His lordship here, of course, means the facts of his life. Dr. Johnson acknowledged to Malone that he had failed in procuring such as he wished. Neither was he young or perhaps zealous enough for such pursuits when he wrote the Lives of the Poets.
