The Poetical Works of John Dryden, Vol II | Page 8

from them a notion about Dryden's capabilities, which we
may state. It is, that had Dryden lived in a novel and romance-writing
age, and turned his great powers in that direction, he might have easily
become the best fictionist--next to Cervantes and Scott--that ever lived,
possessing, as he did, most of the qualities of a good novelist--vigorous
and facile diction; dramatic skill; an eye for character; the power of
graphic description, and rapid changeful narrative; the command of the
grave and the gay, the severe and the lively; and a sympathy both with
the bustling activities and the wild romance of human life, if not with
its more solemn aspects, its transcendental references, and its aerial
heights and giddy abysses of imagination and poetry.

[We have followed the judicious example of Warton and Mitford in
excluding several Prologues which appear in some editions, but which
reflect no honour on their author.
Dryden's Translations will be published in the separate series of
"Translations," which it is the intention of the Publisher to issue,
independent of the "Poetical Works" of the various authors.]
CONTENTS.
EPISTLES.
I. To my honoured friend, Sir Robert Howard, on his excellent
Poems
II. To my honoured friend, Dr Charleton, on his learned and
useful Works; but more particularly his Treatise of Stonehenge, by him
restored to the true founder
III. To the Lady Castlemain, upon her encouraging his first play
IV. To Mr Lee, on his "Alexander"
V. To the Earl of Roscommon, on his excellent Essay on Translated
Verse
VI. To the Duchess of York, on her return from Scotland in the
year 1682
VII. A Letter to Sir George Etherege
VIII. To Mr Southerne, on his Comedy called "The Wives' Excuse"
IX. To Henry Higden, Esq., on his translation of the Tenth

Satire of Juvenal
X. To my dear friend, Mr Congreve, on his Comedy called "The
Double-dealer"
XI. To Mr Granville, on his excellent Tragedy called "Heroic
Love"
XII. To my friend, Mr Motteux, on his Tragedy called "Beauty
in Distress"
XIII. To my honoured kinsman, John Dryden of Chesterton, in
the county of Huntingdon, Esq.
XIV. To Sir Godfrey Kneller, principal painter to his Majesty
XV. To his friend the author, John Hoddesdon, on his Divine
Epigrams
XVI. To my friend, Mr J. Northleigh, author of "The Parallel"
on his "Triumph of the British Monarchy"
ELEGIES AND EPITAPHS.
I. To the Memory of Mr Oldham
II. To the pious memory of the accomplished young lady, Mrs
Anne Killigrew, excellent in the two sister arts of Poesy and Painting:
an Ode
III. Upon the death of the Earl of Dundee
IV. Eleonora: a Panegyrical Poem, dedicated to the memory of

the late Countess of Abingdon
V. On the Death of Amyntas: a Pastoral Elegy
VI. On the Death of a very Young Gentleman
VII. Upon young Mr Rogers of Gloucestershire
VIII. On the Death of Mr Purcell
IX. Epitaph on the Lady Whitmore
X. Epitaph on Sir Palmes Fairbone's tomb in Westminster Abbey
XI. Under Mr Milton's picture, before his "Paradise Lost"
XII. On the monument of a fair Maiden Lady, who died at Bath,
and is there interred
XIII. Epitaph on Mrs Margaret Paston of Burningham, in Norfolk
XIV. On the monument of the Marquis of Winchester
SONGS, ODES, AND A MASQUE.
I. The Fair Stranger
II. On the Young Statesmen
III. A Song for St Cecilia's Day, 1687
IV. The Tears of Amynta for the death of Damon
V. The Lady's Song
VI. A Song
VII. A Song

VIII. Roundelay
IX. A Song
X. A Song to a fair Young Lady going out of town in Spring
XI. Song in the "Indian Emperor"
XII. Song in "The Maiden Queen"
XIII. Songs in "The Conquest of Granada"
XIV. Song of the Sea-fight in "Amboyna"
XV. Incantation in "Oedipus"
XVI. Songs in "Albion and Albanius"
XVII. Songs in "King Arthur"
XVIII. Song of Jealousy in "Love Triumphant"
XIX. Song--Farewell, fair Armida
XX. Alexander's Feast; or, the Power of Music: an Ode in
honour of St Cecilia's Day
XXI. The Secular Masque
XXII. Song of a Scholar and his Mistress
PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES.
I. Prologue to "The Rival Ladies"
II. Prologue to "The Indian Queen"
III. Epilogue to "The Indian Queen"

IV. Epilogue to "The Indian Emperor"
V. Prologue to "Sir Martin Marr-all"
VI. Prologue to "The Tempest"
VII. Prologue to "Tyrannic Love"
VIII. Epilogue to "The Wild Gallant"
IX. Prologue, spoken the first day of the King's House acting
after the fire of London
X. Epilogue to the Second Part of the "Conquest of Granada"
XI. Prologue to "Aboyna"
XII. Epilogue to "Aboyna"
XIII. Prologue, spoken at the Opening of the New House,
March 26, 1674
XIV. Prologue to the University of Oxford, 1674
XV. Prologue to "Circe," a Tragic Opera
XVI. Epilogue, intended to have been spoken by