I proceed to the second extract.--Who wrote the _Prologue to Julius Cæsar_? To what master-hand are we to ascribe this twofold specimen of psychologic portraiture? Take up the dramatic histories of Langbaine and Baker; take up the _Theatrical register_ of the reverend Charles Burney; take up the voluminous _Some account_ of the reverend John Genest; examine the mass of commendatory verses in the twenty-one-volume editions of Shakspere; examine also the commendatory verses in the nine-volume edition of Ben. Jonson. Here is the result: Langbaine calls attention to the prologue in question as an _excellent prologue_, and Genest repeats what had been said one hundred and forty years before by Langbaine. There is not the slightest hint on its authorship. {96} I must therefore leave the stronghold of facts, and advance into the of conjecture. _I ascribe the prologue to John Dryden._ It appears by the list of plays altered from Shakspere, as drawn up by Steevens and Reed, that _Julius Cæsar_ had been altered by sir William D'Avenant and Dryden jointly, and acted at the Theatre-royal in Drury-lane. It would therefore seem probable that one of those poets wrote the _prologue_ on that occasion. Nevertheless, it does not appear in the works of either poet. The _Works_ of sir William D'Avenant were edited by Mr. Herringman, with the sanction of lady D'Avenant, in 1673; and its exclusion so far decides the question. The non-appearance of it in the _Poems_ of Dryden, as published by Mr. Tonson in 1701, is no disproof of the claim which I advocate. The volume contains only twenty prologues and epilogues--but Dryden wrote _twice_ that number! I shall now produce some circumstantial evidence in favour of Dryden. It is derived from an examination of the volume entitled _Covent Garden drolery_. This small volume contains twenty-two prologues or epilogues, and more than fifty songs--all anonymous, but said to be written by the _refinedest wits of the age_. We have, 1. A prologue and epilogue to the _Maiden queen_ of Dryden--not those printed in 1668; 2. A prologue and epilogue to the _Parson's wedding_ of Thomas Killigrew; 3. A prologue and epilogue to the _Marriage à la mode_ of Dryden--printed with the play in 1673; 4. The prologue to JULIUS CÆSAR; 5. A prologue to the _Wit without money_ of Beaumont and Fletcher--printed in the _Poems_ of Dryden, 1701; 6. A prologue to the _Pilgrim_ of Fletcher--not that printed in 1700. These pieces occupy the first twelve pages of the volume. It cannot be requisite to give any further account of its contents. I waive the question of internal evidence; but have no misgiving, on that score, as to the opinion which may henceforth prevail on the validity of the claim now advanced in favour of Dryden.