_John Dauncey_, a true Son of _Apollo_, and _Bacchus_; was one who had an Excellent Command of his Pen, a fluent Stile, and quick Invention: nor did any thing come amiss to his undertaking. He wrote a compleat History of the late times; a Chronicle of the Kingdom of _Portugal_; the _English Lovers_, a Romance; which for Language and Contrivance, comes not short of either of the best of French or Spanish. He Translated a Tragi Comedy out of French, called _Nichomede_, equal in English to the French Original; besides several other things, too long to recite. His _English Lovers_ was Commended by divers of sound Judgment; amongst others, Mr. _Lewis Griffin_, our forementioned Poet, made these verses in commendations of it. Rich Soul of Wit and Language, thy high strains So plunge and puzzle unrefined brains; That their Illiterate Spirits do not know, How much to thy Ingenious Pen they owe, Should my presumptuous Muse attempt to raise Trophies to thee, she might as well go blaze Bright Planets with base Colours, or display The Worlds Creation in a Puppet-Play. Let this suffice, what Calumnies may chance, To blur thy Fame, they spring from Ignorance. When _Old Orpheus_ drew the Beasts along, By sweet Rhetorick of his learned Tongue, 'Twas deafness made the Adder sin; and this Caus'd him, who should have hum'd the Poet, hiss. * * * * * _RICHARD HEAD_. _Richard Head_, the Noted Author of the _English Rogue_, was a Ministers Son, born in _Ireland_, whose Father was killed in that horrid Rebellion in 1641. Whereupon his Mother with this her Son came into _England_; and he having been trained up in Learning, was by the help of some Friends, for some little time brought up in the University of _Oxford_, in the same Colledge wherein his Father had formerly been a Student. But means falling short, he was taken away from thence, and bound Apprentice to a Latin Bookseller in _London_; attaining to a good Proficiency in that Trade. But his Genius being addicted to Poetry, and having _Venus_ for his Horoscope, e're his time were fully out, he wrote a Piece called _Venus Cabinet Unlock'd_: Afterwards he married, and set up for himself: But being addicted to play, a Mans Estate then runs in _Hazard_, (for indeed that was his Game) until he had almost thrown his Shop away. Then he betook himself to _Ireland_, his Native Country; where he composed his _Hic & Ubique_, a noted Comedy; and which gained him a general Esteem for the worth thereof. And coming over into _England_, had it Printed, dedicating it to the then Duke of _Monmouth_; But receiving no great Incouragement from his Patron, he resolved to settle himself in the World, and to that purpose, with his Wife took a House in _Queens-Head Alley_, near _Pater-Noster-Row_; and for a while followed his Business, so that contrary to the Nature of a Poet, his Pockets began to be well lined with Money: But being