Unhappy I! who, once ordained to bear God's justice-sword, and be's vicegerent here, Am now deposed--'gainst me my children rise, My life must be their only sacrifice; Highly they me accuse, but nothing prove, But this is out of tenderness and love. They seek to spill my blood; 'tis that alone Must for the nation's crying sins atone. But careful heaven forewarned me in a dream, And shewed me that my dangers were extreme; The heavenly vision spoke, and bade me flee The ungrateful brood, that were not worthy me; Alarmed, I fled at the appointed time, And mere necessity became my crime! FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 91: Lord Halifax, whose correspondence with the Prince of Orange may be seen in Dalrymple's "Memoirs." He wrote several tracts about the time of the Revolution, and was in religious principle a Free-thinker.] [Footnote 92: Who is here meant I am ignorant. T. F., as chief of the Socinians, is mentioned in a very satirical pamphlet in Somers' Tracts, entitled, "Remarks from the Country upon the two Letters relating to the Convocation, and Alterations in the Liturgy."] [Footnote 93: Compton, Bishop of London, who took up arms in person on the Revolution, and escorted the Princess, afterwards Queen Anne, from London. See Vol. IX. p. 303.] DRYDEN'S ORIGINAL PROSE WORKS. ESSAY OF DRAMATIC POESY. ----_Fungar vice cotis, acutum Reddere quæ ferrum valet, exors ipsa secandi._ This Essay contains the first detailed view of our author's opinions concerning the Drama. In many things, particularly in the main point of preference given to rhyme, he afterwards saw cause to retract some of the principles here laid down. We have endeavoured elsewhere to trace the progress and alteration of Dryden's sentiments upon these subjects.[94] But the reader's attention may be here called to the elegant form into which he has thrown his Essay, and which has been so often in vain followed by clumsy imitators. The scene of the dialogue, and the striking incident by which it is introduced, have the happiest effect in arresting the attention; and infinite address is displayed in conducting the subject, from the distant noise of a bloody sea-fight, into the academic prolusions of dramatic criticism.