The Ingratitude of a Commonwealth; or, the Fall of Caius Martius Coriolanus. Acted 1682. Cuckold's Haven; or, An Alderman no Conjuror. A Duke, and No Duke. Farce. Acted 1685. The Island Princess. Acted 1687. Injured Love; or, the Cruel Husband. T. 1707. Dido and Eneas. Opera. Performed at Mr. Joseph Priest's Boarding School, Chelsea. Masque for Valentinian. The Sicilian Usurper. This play was suppressed for political reasons. During the reign of Nahum Tate there was a greater poet, and much more distinguished personage about the court, namely Matthew Prior, one of the lucky literary men of Queen Anne's reign. This gentleman, whom Thackeray tersely describes as a worldly philosopher of no small genius, good nature, and acumen, would probably have been appointed Laureate had the post become vacant during Anne's lifetime, as, according to Swift, he was very well at Court and with the ministry, was adviser to Lord Jersey, had distinguished himself in several diplomatic missions, and was for a time English ambassador to Louis XIV. Whether he sighed for the reversion of the laurels, or whether he thought Tate's muse was incapable of doing justice to the glorious events then transpiring, is doubtful; but he frequently supplemented the Laureate odes by courtly effusions far superior to those which were officially inspired by sack and pension. The first of these, a long poem, entitled, "An English Ballad on the Taking of Namur by the King of Great Britain," 1695, was a somewhat sarcastic imitation of an ode written by Boileau to congratulate Louis XIV. on his capture of the same city three years earlier. There was also an ode to King William on his Majesty's arrival in Holland after Queen Mary's death, in 1695, and another on his arrival in Holland in 1696; and Carmen Seculare, for the year 1700, dedicated to the king. Then, in 1704, a Prologue, which was spoken at Court before Queen Anne on her birthday, and in 1706 a longer and more ambitious poem, entitled, "An Ode Humbly Inscribed to the Queen on the Glorious Success of Her Majesty's Arms," written in imitation of Spenser's style, and containing some fine passages, although the poet's boastful prophecy— "And latest times shall in my number's read Anne's immortal fame, and Marlbro's hardy deed." is capable of but limited application in the present day, It will be seen that all these poems were of a semiofficial character, and such as might have been expected from a Laureate, or a candidate for that title. แ Enough for him that Congreve was his friend, AMHURST, on the death of Mr. Rowe. NICHOLAS ROWE was born in 1673, at Little Beckford, in Bedfordshire, his father was a sergeant-at-law, and Nicholas studied for the same profession in the Middle Temple, after having achieved considerable distinction for his industry and abilities at Westminster School, under the celebrated Dr. Busby. On the death of his father, in 1692, he inherited a fortune of about £300 a year-an ample competence in those days-and henceforth he deserted his dry legal studies for the more enticing pursuits of elegant literature. His first play, The Ambitious Step-mother, was so successful at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, that he was encouraged to continue dramatic composition. His next tragedy was Tamerlane, produced in 1702, in which the hero was intended for a complimentary portrait of William III., whilst the villainous part of Bajazet was a caricature of Louis XIV. -suitable to the character popularly ascribed to him in England at that period. Louis was the bugbear of the day, and the people were delighted thus to have an opportunity of beholding him "Painted upon a pole, and underwrit 'Here you may see the tyrant! It became a custom to act this play annually on William's birthday, and the anniversary of his landing in England, the 4th and 5th of November. Rowe's other tragedies are: The Fair Penitent, Ulysses, The Royal Convert, Jane Shore, and Lady Jane Grey. Although he was of an exceedingly cheerful disposition, and witty in conversation, Rowe's only attempt at comedy, The Biter, was a lamentable failure, and is not included in his works. In 1709 he produced his well-known edition of Shakespeare's plays, with a carefully-compiled life of the great dramatist. In the collection of materials for this work he was assisted by the actor Betterton, who went to Stratford to glean any lingering traditions that might be found, but with small success. For three years Rowe acted as under secretary to the Duke of Queensberry, on whose death, wishing to obtain further state employment, he applied to Lord Oxford, who strongly advised him to study the Spanish language. The sanguine poet naturally concluded that it was intended to confer upon him some post connected with Spanish affairs, and, elated by his good fortune, at once applied himself to the study of that noble language. Having attained considerable proficiency, he again appeared before Lord Oxford, and eagerly announced the fact. The minister complimented him upon his industry, calmly assured him that he was greatly to be envied the pleasure of reading Don Quixote in the original, and, without any mention of place or office, bowed the disappointed Rowe from the room. During the latter part of Queen Anne's reign Rowe lived in retirement, but on the accession of George he at once received considerable signs of Court favour, being appointed Clerk of the Council to the Prince of Wales, Secretary of Presentations to the Lord Chancellor Parker, and one of the Land Surveyors of the Port of London. In 1715 he succeeded Tate as Poet Laureate; but his connection with the post was unmarked by any circumstances of great interest, literary or political, and was of short duration, as he died in 1718. He wrote the usual odes, and the following extract shows that he could invest a threadbare theme with some grace, and a little life : ODE FOR THE NEW YEAR, 1717. By Nicholas Rowe, Esq., Poet Laureate. "WINTER! thou hoary venerable sire, All richly in thy furry mantle clad, What thoughts of mirth can feeble age inspire, "Now I see the reason plain, Now I see thy jolly train; Snowy headed winter leads, Spring and summer next succeeds, Yellow autumn brings the rear, Thou art father of the year. While from the frosty mellow'd earth The seasons spread their rich increase; What bliss thou dost supply! : |