Our author’s comedy, named the Guardian, he afterwards altered, and published under the title of the Cutter of Coleman-Street.  Langbaine says, notwithstanding Mr. Cowley’s modest opinion of this play, it was acted not only at Cambridge, but several times afterwards privately, during the prohibition of the stage, and after the King’s return publickly at Dublin; and always with applause.  It was this probably that put the author upon revising it; after which he permitted it to appear publickly on the stage under a new title, at his royal highness the Duke of York’s theatre.  It met with opposition at first from some who envied the author’s unshaken loyalty; but afterwards it was acted with general applause, and was esteemed by the critics an excellent comedy.

In the year 1656 it was judged proper by those on whom Mr. Cowley depended, that he should come over into England, and under pretence of privacy and retirement, give notice of the situation of affairs in this nation.  Upon his return he published a new edition of all his poems, consisting of four parts, viz.

1.  Miscellanies.

2.  The Mistress; or several copies of love-verses.

3.  Pindarique Odes, written in imitation of the stile and manner of Pindar.

4.  Davedeis, a sacred poem of the troubles of David in four books.

“Which, says Dr. Sprat, was written in so young an age, that if we shall reflect on the vastness of the argument, and his manner of handling it, he may seem like one of the miracles that he there adorns; like a boy attempting Goliah.  This perhaps, may be the reason, that in some places, there may be more youthfulness and redundance of fancy, than his riper judgement would have allowed.  But for the main of it I will affirm, that it is a better instance and beginning of a divine poem, than ever I yet saw in any language.  The contrivance is perfectly ancient, which is certainly the true form of an heroic poem, and such as was never yet done by any new devices of modern wits.  The subject was truly divine, even according to God’s own heart.  The matters of his invention, all the treasures of knowledge and histories of the bible.  The model of it comprehended all the learning of the East.  The characters lofty and various; the numbers firm and powerful; the digressions beautiful and proportionable.  The design, to submit mortal wit to heavenly truths.  In all, there is an admirable mixture of human virtues and passions with religious raptures.  The truth is, continues Dr. Sprat, methinks in other matters his wit exceeded all other men’s, but in his moral and divine works it out-did itself; and no doubt it proceeded from this cause, that in the lighter kinds of poetry he chiefly represented the humours and affections of others; but in these he sat to himself, and drew the figure of his own mind.  We have the first book of the Davideis translated out of English into very elegant Latin by Mr. Cowley himself.”