27. Love Triumphant; or Nature will prevail, a Tragi-comedy, acted 1694. It is dedicated to the earl of Shaftsbury, and is the last Mr. Dryden wrote, or intended for the theatre. It met with but indifferent success, tho' in many parts the genius of that great man breaks out, especially in the discovery of Alphonfo's successful love, and in the catastrophe, which is extremely effecting.
In Obitum JOHAN. DRYDENI, poetarum Anglorum facilé principis.
Pindarus Anglorum magnus, cujusque senilem Ornavit nuper frontem Parnissia laurus, Sive cothurnatum molitur musa laborem, Sive levem ludit foccum, seu grande Maronis Immortalis epos tentat, seu carmine pingit Mordaci mores homitium, nunc occidit, eheu! Occidit, atque tulit secum Permessidos undas; Et fontem exhausit totum Drydenius Heros.
Heu! miserande senex! jam frigida tempora circùm Marcessit laurus, musæ, mæstissima turba! Circumstant, largoque humeclant imbre cadaver; Sheffeildum video, in lacrymis multoque dolore Formosum, ætatis Flaccum, vatisque patronum; Te Montacute, te, cujus musa triumphos Carmine Boynæos cucinit, magnumque Wilhelmum Æternavit, et olim Boynam, ignobile flumen; Teque, O! et legum et musarum gloria! et alter Mæcenas; cui lingua olim facunda labantem Defendit mitræ causam; nee teruit aula Prava jubens--vos, O jam tanguni funera vatis!
Jamque dies aderat, magnâ stipante catervâ, Quo Phoebea cohors facras comitatur ad urnam Reliquias, et supremum pia solvit honorem; Jamque graves planctus, jamque illaetabile murmur Audio Melpomenis latè, dum noster Apollo Flebilis ante omnes, Sacvillus, tristia ducit Agmina Pieridum, Cytharamqueaccommodatodæ; Ipse ego, dum totidem comitentur funera musæ, Ipse sequor mæstus; bustum venerabile fletu Carminibufque struam multis, animumque poetæ His faltem donis cumulabo, et fungar inani Munere.----
At te musa mori vetat, O post sata, vel ipsa Marmora, cum annorum fuerint rubigine scabra; Major eris vivo; tibi scripta perennius ære Aut faxo, condent monumentum illustre per orbem, Secula cuncta legant, et te mirentur in illis.
1700. Ætat. 24. Interioris templi alumnus.
The above were thrown in Dryden's grave. We are assured they were never in print before.
[Footnote 2: He might have added, 'twas unnatural.]