Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/127

Rh Ferrex and Porrex, a Tragedy, 8 vo. firt printed 16651565 [sic]. but ince by the Title of

Gorboduc, a Tragedy, 4 to. re-printed, 1590. This Play was preented by the Gentlemen of the Inner-Temple, before the Queen’s mot excellent Majety; and accounted an excellent Play, full of Morality. Plot from our Britih Chronicles. N Author likewie in Queen Elizabeth’s Time, who tranlated one of Seneca’s Plays, called,

Octavia, a Tragedy, 4 to. Conult ''Sueton. in vit. Claud. Tacitus'', lib. 12. c. 14. ''Dion. Nero, &c.''

HE Place of Mr. Otway’s Birth I know not; but he was of a good Family, and has a Nephew a Captain in the preent Service. He was bred at Chrit-Church, in Oxford, and thence remov’d to London, not going on with the Deign of being of the Clergy. Tho’ at firt he met with but little Encouragement here, but what a mall Allowance and Sallery from the Play-houe afforded (for he was firt a Player) but after he had writ Don Carlos, he began to have a Name, having in that Play dicovered ome Touches of a Tallent, very few of our Englih Poets have been Mater of, in moving the Paions, that are, and ought to be the Aim of all Tragick Poets. Terror and Pity; and in which none equal’d him, in his two following Tragedies of The Orphan, and Venice Preerv’d. He was a Jovial Companion, and a great Lover of the Bottle, and Particularly of Punch; the lat thing he made before his Death, being an excellent Song on that Liquor. We have in Print of his, ten Plays; another more excellent than all of them, is, by ome malicious or deigning Person uppres’d, either hereafter to et up a Reputation to themelves, by owning it, or to procure a Profit by elling it for their own.

Alcibiades, a Tragedy, 4 to. 1675. acted at the Duke’s Theatre. The Dedication is to the Right Honourable, Charles, Earl of Middleex. This was the firt Product of our Author. The Plot from Corn.