[29] The elder Richardson has told a story, that Lord Buckhurst, afterwards Earl of Dorset, was the first who introduced the “Paradise Lost,” then lying like waste paper in the bookseller’s hands, to the notice of Dryden.  But this tradition has been justly exploded by Mr. Malone, Life of Dryden, vol. i. p. 114.  Indeed it is by no means likely that Dryden could be a stranger to the very existence of a large poem, written by a man of such political as well as literary eminence, even if he had not happened, as was the case, to be personally known to the author. [The various legends as to Dryden and “Paradise Lost,” Dorset and “Paradise Lost,” etc., are well handled by Professor Masson, Life of Milton, vol. vi. pp. 628-635.—­ED.]

[30] Dennis’s Letters, quoted by Malone.

[31]
  “With thee conversing, I forget all time,
  All seasons, and their change; all please alike: 
  Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,
  With charm of earliest birds:  pleasant the sun,
  When first on this delightful land he spreads
  His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower,
  Glist’ning with dew:  fragrant the fertile earth
  After soft showers, and sweet the coming on
  Of grateful evening mild:  then, silent night,
  With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon,
  And these the gems of heaven, her starry train: 
  But neither breath of morn, when she ascends
  With charm of earliest birds; nor rising sun
  On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flower,
  Glist’ning with dew; nor fragrance after showers;
  Nor grateful evening mild; nor silent night,
  With this her solemn bird; nor walk by moon;
  Or glittering star-light, without thee is sweet.”

“The variety of images in this passage is infinitely pleasing, and the recapitulation of each particular image, with a little varying of the expression, makes one of the finest turns of words that I have ever seen; which I rather mention, because Mr. Dryden has said, in his Preface to Juvenal, that he could meet with no turn of words in Milton.”—­Tatler, No. 114.

[32] See this Epistle.  It was prefixed to “Alexander the Great;” a play, the merits and faults of which are both in extreme.

SECTION IV.

Dryden’s Controversy with Settle—­with Rochester—­He is assaulted in Rose-street—­Aureng-Zebe—­Dryden meditates an Epic Poem—­All for Love—­ Limberham—­Oedipus—­Troilus and Cressida—­The Spanish Friar—­Dryden supposed to be in opposition to the Court.