me.

publish to antedate the objections some people may make against that play, who have been (and much good may it do 'em) very severe, as they think, upon this. Whoever they are, I am sure I never disobliged them : nor have they (thank my good fortune) much injured

In the mean while I forgive 'em, and since I am out of the reach on't, leave them to chew the củd on their own yenom.

I am well satisfied I had the greatest party of men of wit and sense on my side; amongst which I can never enough acknowledge the unspeakable obligations I received from the Earl of R*. who, far above what I am ever able to deserve from bim, seemed almost to make it his business, to establish it in the good opinion of the King and his Royal Highness; from both of whom I have since received confirmation of their good liking of it, and encouragement to proceed. And it is to him, I must in all gratitude confess, I owe the greatest part of my good success in this, and on whose indulgency I extremely build my hopes of a next. sume to take to myself what a great many, and those (I am sure) of good judgment too, have been so kind to afford me, (viz.) That it is the best heroic play that has been written of late; for, I thank heaven, I am not yet so vain.

But this I may modestly boast of, which the author of the French Berenice has done before me, in his preface to that play, that it never failed to draw tears from the eyes of the au litors; mean, those whose souls were capable of so noble a pleasure: for it was not my business to take such as only come to a playhouse to see farce-fools, and laugh at their own deformed pictures. Thongh a certain writert, that shall be nameless, (but you shall guess at him by what follows) being asked his opinion of this play, very gravely cocked,

I dare not pre

Rochester, whose motive in patronizing Otway at this time, was solely a desire to mortify Dryden.

† This was Dryden, who having probably formed a just estimate of it's merits, was vexed at it's popularity. It will be remembered that I'gad is an expression frequently used by Bayes in the “Rehearsal;" a character written to ridicule Dryden.

85

and cried, “ l'gad he knew not a line in it he would be author of.” But he is a fiue facetious witty person, as my friend Sir Formal bas it; and to be even with him, I know a Comedy of his, that has not so much as a quibble in it which I would be author of. And so, Reader, I bid him and thee

Farewell.

PROLOGUE.

When first our author took this play in hand,
He doubted much, and long was at a stand.
He knew the fame and memory of kings
Were to be treated of as sacred things,
Not as they're represented in this age,
Where they appear the lumber of the stage!
Us'd only just for reconciling tools,
Or what is worse, made villains all, or fools.
Besides, the characters he shows to-night,
He found were very difficult to write:
He found the fame of France and Spain at stake,
Therefore long paus’d, and fear'd which part to take;
Till this his judgment safest understood,
To make them both heroic as he cou'd.
But now the greatest stop was yet unpast;
He found hiinself, alas! confin'd too fast.
He is a man of pleasure, sirs, like you,
And therefore hardly could to bus'ness bow;
Till at the last he did this conquest get,
To make his pleasure whetstone to his wit;
So sometimes for variety he writ.
But as those blockheads, who discourse by rute,
Sometimes speak sense, altho' they rarely know't;
So he scarce knew to what his work would grow,
But 'twas a play, because it would be so:
Yet well he knows this is a weak pretence,
For idleness is the worst want of sense.
Let him not now of carelessness be tax'd,
He'll write in earnest, when he writes the next:
Mean while-
Prune his superfluous branches, never spare ;
Yet do it kindly, be not too severe,
He may bear better fruit another year.

}

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

Pullip II. King of Spain,
Don Carlos, his Son.
Don John of Austria.
Marquis of Posa, the Prince's Confident.
RuI-GOMEZ.
Officer of the Guards.
Queen of Spain.
Duchess of EBOLI, Wife to Rui-Gomez.
HENRIETTA.
GARCIA.