Page:Cousins's Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature.djvu/304

 292 Dictionary of English Literature

some money. Those by which he is best remembered, however, a- The Orphan (1680), and Venice Preserved (1682), both of which ha^s been frequently revived. O. made many adaptations from tl French, and in his tragedy of Caius Marius incorporated large par of Romeo and Juliet. He has been called " the most pathetic ar tear -drawing of all our dramatists," and he excelled in delineating tl stronger passions. The grossness of his comedies has banished the: from the stage. Other plays are The Cheats of Scapin, Friendsh', in Fashion, Soldier's Fortune (1681), and The Atheist.

OUIDA (See RAMEE).

OUTRAM, GEORGE (1805-1856). Humorous poet, was

Scottish advocate, a friend of Prof. Wilson, and for some time ed. the Glasgow Herald. He printed privately in 1851 Lyrics, Legal at Miscellaneous, which were pub. with a memoir in 1874. Many of h pieces are highly amusing, the Annuity being the best.

OVERBURY, SIR THOMAS (1581-1613). Poet and misce

laneous writer, ed. at Oxf., became the friend of Carr, afterwan Earl of Rochester and Somerset, and fell a victim to a Court intrigi connected with the proposed marriage of Rochester and Lady Esse being poisoned in the Tower with the connivance of the latter. P wrote a poem, A Wife, now a Widowe, and Characters (1614), shot witty descriptions of types of men. Some of those pub. along wr his are by other hands.

OWEN, JOHN (1560-1622). Epigrammatist, b. at PL

Dhu, Carnarvonshire, ed. at Winchester and Oxf., and became he? master of King Henry VIII. School at Warwick. His Lat epigrams, which have both sense and wit in a high degree, gain< him much applause, and were translated into English, Frenc German, and Spanish.

OWEN, JOHN (1616-1683). Puritan divine, b. at Sta(

hampton, Oxfordshire, and ed. at Oxf., from which he was driven 1 Laud's statutes. Originally a Presbyterian, he passed over to I dependency. In 1649 he accompanied Cromwell to Ireland, and 1650 to Edinburgh. He was Dean of Christ Church, Oxf. (i65i-6c and one of the " triers " of ministers appointed by Cromwell. Aft the Restoration he was ejected from his deanery, but was favour* by Clarendon, who endeavoured to induce him to conform to t) Anglican Church by offers of high preferment. Strange to s< Charles II. also held him in regard, and gave him money for t) Nonconformists; and he was allowed to preach to a congregation Independents in London. His great learning and ability render* him a formidable controversialist, specially against Arminianis and Romanism. His works fill 28 vols ; among the best known beii The Divine Original, etc., of the Scriptures, Indwelling Sin, Christ logia, or ... The Person of Christ, and a commentary on Hebrew

OWEN, ROBERT (1771-1858). Socialist and philai

thropist, 6. at Newton, Montgomeryshire, had for his object t] regeneration of the world on the principles of socialism. His si cerity was shown by the fact that he spent most of the fortune, whit