The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III. — John Shaqi
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.Cibber, Theophilus
General
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.
Cibber, Theophilus
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Poets, Irish -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
the young spark put to bed, but he found himself accosted with ardour,
and a man's voice, saying, 'have I now caught thee, thou malicious
charmer! now I'll not let thee go till thou hast done me justice for all
the wrongs thou hast offered my dealing love.' The rest of the company
were extremely surprized to find Albert in Astraea's bed instead of the
old woman, and Albert no less surprized to find the young spark instead
of Astræa. In the conclusion, the old woman was discarded, and Albert's
fury at his disappointment appeased by a promise from Mrs. Behn, of
marrying him at his arrival in England; but Albert returning to Holland
to make preparations for his voyage to England, died of a Fever
at Amsterdam[3]. From this adventure it plainly appears, that the
observation of a Dutchman's not being capable to love is false; for both
Albert, and the Nestorian wooer, seem to have been warm enough in their
addresses.
After passing some time in this manner at Antwerp, she embarked at
Dunkirk for England; and in her passage, was near being lost, for the
ship being driven on the coast, foundered within sight of land, but by
the assistance of boats from the shore, they were all saved; and Mrs.
Behn arriving in London, dedicated the rest of her life to pleasure and
poetry. Besides publishing three volumes of miscellany poems, she
wrote seventeen plays, and some histories and novels. She translated
Fontenelle's History of Oracles, and plurality of worlds, to which
last she annexed an Essay on Translation, and translated Prose. The
Paraphrase of Oenone's, Epistle to Paris, in the English Translation
of Ovid's Epistles is Mrs. Behn's; as are the celebrated Love Letters
between a Nobleman and his Sister. Her wit gained her the esteem of Mr.
Dryden, Mr. Southern, &c. and at the same time the love and addresses of
several gentlemen, in particular one, with whom she corresponded under
the name of Lycida, who it seems did not return her passion with equal
warmth, and with the earnestness and rapture, she imagined her beauty
had a right to command.
Mrs. Behn died after a long indisposition, April 16, 1689, and was
buried in the cloister of Westminster Abbey. We shall beg leave to
exhibit her character, as we find it drawn by some of her cotemporaries,
and add a remark of our own. 'Mr. Langbain 'thinks her Memory will
be long fresh among all lovers of dramatic poetry, as having been
sufficiently eminent, not only for her theatrical performances; but
several other pieces both in prose and verse, which gained her an esteem
among the wits almost equal to that of the incomparable Orinda, Mrs.
Katherine Phillips.'
There are several encomiums on Mrs. Behn prefixed to her lover's watch;
among the rest, Mr. Charles Cotton, author of Virgil Travesty, throws in
his mite in her praise; though the lines are but poorly writ. But of all
her admirers, Mr. Charles Gildon, who was intimately acquainted with our
poetess, speaks of her with the highest encomiums.
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