Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Jane Robins and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net THE WORKS OF JOHN DRYDEN, NOW FIRST COLLECTED _IN EIGHTEEN VOLUMES_. ILLUSTRATED WITH NOTES, HISTORICAL, CRITICAL, AND EXPLANATORY, AND A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, BY WALTER SCOTT, ESQ. VOL. III. LONDON: PRINTED FOR WILLIAM MILLER, ALBEMARLE STREET, BY JAMES BALLANTYNE AND CO. EDINBURGH. 1808. CONTENTS OF VOLUME THIRD. * * * * * PAGE Sir Martin Mar-All, or the Feigned Innocence, a Comedy, 1 The Tempest, or the Enchanted Island, a Comedy, 95 Preface, 99 An Evening's Love, or the Mock Astrologer, a Comedy, 207 Epistle Dedicatory to the Duke of Newcastle, 209 Preface, 218 Tyrannic Love, or the Royal Martyr, a Tragedy, 341 Epistle Dedicatory to the Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch, 346 Preface, 349 SIR MARTIN MAR-ALL; OR, THE FEIGNED INNOCENCE. A COMEDY. SIR MARTIN MAR-ALL. Sir Martin Mar-All is imitated from the French of Moliere: nor, even with that qualification, is it entirely the work of Dryden. William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle, renowned for his loyalty and gallantry during the civil wars, whether in compliance with the general custom amongst the men of wit and honour at the court of Charles, or in order to place himself upon a level with that voluminous authoress, his Duchess, thought fit to compose several plays. Amongst other lucubrations, he translated Moliere's "_L'Etourdi_," and presented it to our author, by whom it was adapted for the stage. From respect to his Grace, it was published anonymously until 1697, when it appeared with Dryden's name. The noble Duke being far more eminent as a soldier and an equestrian, than as an author, it may be readily allowed, that what is diverting in the piece has been inserted by our author. Upon the stage, indeed, the repeated and incorrigible blunders of Sir Martin must have appeared very diverting, since the play ran for no less than thirty-three nights, and was four times acted at court. Nokes, who acted this unfortunate coxcomb with inimitable humour, is said to have contributed much to this uncommon success. Moliere's play is followed with considerable exactness, allowing for such variations as the change of the scene from Paris to London appeared naturally to demand. One remarkable difference occurs in the conclusion: Coelie is, in the original, at length united to her inconsiderate and blundering admirer. Mrs Millisent, the corresponding character in Sir Martin