When some persons urged to the then lord chamberlain, that there were authors who had better pretensions to the Laurel; his lordship replied, ’He did not pretend to say how great a poet Shadwell might be, but was sure he was an honest man.’

Besides his dramatic works, he wrote several other pieces of poetry; the chief of which are his congratulatory poem on the Prince of Orange’s coming to England; another on queen Mary; his translation of the 10th Satire of Juvenal, &c.  Shadwell in his Comedies imitated Ben Johnson, and proposed him as his model of excellence, with what degree of success we shall not take upon us to determine, but proceed to give an account of his plays.

1.  The Sullen Lovers, or the Impertinent, a Comedy; acted at the duke’s theatre, dedicated to William duke of Newcastle:  the dedication is dated September 1st, 1668.

2.  The Humorist, a Comedy; acted by his royal highest servants, dedicated to Margaret duchess of Newcastle.

3.  The Royal Shepherdess, a Tragi-Comedy; acted by the duke of York’s servants, printed at London 1669, in quarto.  This play was originally written by Mr. Fountain of Devonshire, but altered throughout by Mr. Shadwell.

4.  The Virtuoso, a Comedy; acted at the duke’s theatre, printed at London 1676, in quarto, dedicated to the duke of Newcastle.

Mr. Langbaine observes, that no body will deny this play its due applause; at least I know, says he, that the university of Oxford, who may be allowed competent judges of comedy, especially such characters as Sir Nicholas Gimcrack, and Sir Formal Trifle, applauded it.  And as no man ever undertook to discover the frailties of such pretenders to this kind of knowledge before Mr. Shadwell, so none since Johnson’s time, ever drew so many different characters of humour, and with such success.

5.  Pysche, a Tragedy; acted at the duke’s theatre, printed in London 1675 in 4to, and dedicated to the duke of Monmouth.  In the preface he tell us, that this play was written in five weeks.

6.  The Libertine, a Tragedy; acted by his royal highness’s servants, printed in London 1676, in quarto, and dedicated to the duke of Newcastle.  In the preface Mr. Shadwell observes, that the story from which he took the hint of this play, is famous all over Spain, Italy, and France.  It was first used in a Spanish play, the Spaniards having a tradition of such a vicious Spaniard, as is represented in this play; from them the Italian comedians took it; the French borrowed it from them, and four several plays have been made upon the story.

7.  Epsom Wells, a comedy; acted at the duke’s theatre; printed at London 1676, in 4to, and dedicated to the duke of Newcastle.  Mr. Langbaine says, that this is so diverting and so true a comedy, that even foreigners, who are not in general kind to the wit of our nation, have extremely commended it.

8.  The History of Timon of Athens the Manhater; acted at the duke’s theatre, printed at London 1678, in 4to.  In the dedication to George duke of Buckingham he observes, that this play was originally Shakespear’s, who never made, says he, more masterly strokes than in this; yet I can truly say, I have made it into a play.