of Kirby.  Perhaps the greatest merit which this author has to plead, is his attachment to Ben Johnson, and admiration of him:  Silius Italicus performed an annual visit to Virgil’s tomb, and that circumstance reflects more honour upon him in the eyes of Virgil’s admirers, than all the works of that author.  Langbaine has preserved a monument of Randolph’s friendship for Ben Johnson, in an ode he addressed to him, occasioned by Mr. Feltham’s severe attack upon him, which is particularized in the life of Ben; from this ode we shall quote a stanza or two, before I give an account of his dramatic compositions.

  Ben, do not leave the stage,
  ’Cause ’tis a loathsome age;
  For pride, and impudence will grow too bold,
  When they shall hear it told,
  They frighted thee; stand high as is thy cause,
  Their hiss is thy applause. 
  Most just were thy disdain,
  Had they approved thy vein: 
  So thou for them, and they for thee were born;
  They to incense, and thou too much to scorn.

  Wilt thou engross thy store
  Of wheat, and pour no more,
  Because their bacon brains have such a taste
  As more delight in mast? 
  No! set them forth a board of dainties, full
  As thy best muse can cull;
  Whilst they the while do pine,
  And thirst ’midst all their wine,
  What greater plague can hell itself devize,
  Than to be willing thus to tantalize?

The reader may observe that the stanzas are reasonably smooth, and mark him a tolerable versifier.  I shall now give some account of his plays.

1.  Amyntas, or the Impossible Dowry, a Pastoral acted before the King and Queen at Whitehall. 2.  Aristippus, or the Jovial Philosopher; presented in a private shew, to which is added the Conceited Pedlar. 3.  Jealous Lovers, a Comedy, presented to their Majesties at Cambridge, by the students of Trinity College.  This play Langbaine thinks the best of Randolph’s, as appears by an epilogue written by Mrs. Behn, and printed in her collection of poems published in 8vo, 1681; it was revised and printed by the author in his life-time, being ushered into the world with copies of verses by some of the best wits, both of Oxford and Cambridge. 4.  Muses Looking Glass, a Comedy, which by the author was first called The Entertainment; as appears from Sir Aston Cokaine’s Works, who writ an encomium on it, and Mr. Richard West said of it,

  Who looks within this clearer glass will say,
  At once he writ an ethic tract and play.

All these dramatic pieces and poems were published in 1668; he translated-likewise the second Epod of Horace, several pieces out of Claudian, and likewise a dramatic piece from Aristophanes, which he calls Hey for Honesty, Down with Knavery, a pleasant comedy printed in 4to.  London 1651.  A gentleman of St. John’s College, writes thus in honour of our author;