The music to _Œdipus_ is very dramatic, but not of great importance. That of the _Fairy Queen_, on the contrary, is of considerable pretension and was a great success. Downes, in his _Roscius Anglicanus_, says:-- "This in ornaments was superior to the other two (_King Arthur_ and _Dioclesian_), especially in cloaths for all the singers and dancers; scenes, machines, and decorations, all most profusely set off, and excellently perform'd: chiefly the instrumental and vocal part compos'd by the said Mr. Purcell, and dances by Mr. Priest. The Court and town were wonderfully satisfy'd with it, but the expences in setting it out being so great the company got little by it." A portion of the music was published by the composer with the title, "Some select songs as they are sung in the _Fairy Queen_, set to musick by Mr. Henry Purcell, London. Printed by J. Heptinstall for the Author, and are to be sold by John Carr, at the Inner Temple Gate, near Temple Barr, by Henry Playford at his shop in the Temple, and at the Theatre in Dorset Gardens, 1692." A few pieces from the opera were also published separately; one beginning "Now the maids and the men," with the curious heading "A Dialogue in the Opera call'd the _Fairy Queen_, set by Mr. Henry Purcell, sung by Mr. Reading[44] and (Mr. Pate in Woman's habit), and exactly engrav'd by Tho. Cross." _The Fairy Queen_ seems to have shared the fate of much other music of Purcell's, for the _London Gazette_, Oct. 13th, 1700, has the following advertisement:--"The score of the musick for the _Fairy Queen_ set by the late Mr. Henry Purcell, and belonging to the Patentees of the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, London, being lost by his death, whosoever brings the said score, or a copy thereof, to Mr. Zackary Baggs, Treasurer of the said Theatre, shall have 20 guineas reward." The advertisement was repeated, evidently without any successful result, as the opera was not reproduced, but long years afterwards one of the songs, "If Love's a Sweet Passion," was adapted to words by Gay for the _Beggar's Opera_. In this same year, 1692, Purcell composed an ode for the Queen's birthday to words of Sir Charles Sedley, commencing "Love's Goddess sure was blind." This ode is notable as containing the song, "May her blest example chase," the bass of which is the melody of the old ballad "Cold and raw," a very popular song of the day. It had been wrought into a catch by John Hilton in 1652, but the reason for its incorporation by Purcell in the Queen's birthday ode is narrated by Hawkins as follows:--