Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/66

46 most of Mr. Drydens met with, yet it must be confess'd, That in several parts the Genius of that Great Man breaks out, especially in the Scene of the Discovery of Alphonsos Victorious Love, and the very last Scene, where the Catastrophe is extremely moving, tho' contrary to Aristotle it be made from the change of Will in Veramond.

Marriage A-la-mode, a Comedy, 4to. 1673. Acted at the Theatre Royal. The serious part built on the Story of Sesostris and Timareta, in B. 3. pt. 9. of Cyrus. The Characters of Palamede and Rodophil from the Story of Tyrianthes and Parthenia, in the same Romance, pt. 6. B. 1. some Features at least of Doralice drawn from Nogaret, in the Annals of Love. Melanthus making Love to her self, from Les Contes D'Ouville, pt. 1. p. 13.

The Mistaken Husband, a Comedy, 4to. 1675. Acted at the Theatre Royal. This is is not Mr. Dryden's, who only added a Scene; for the Plot consult Plautus's Mænechmi.

Oedipus, King of Thebes, a Tragedy, 4to. 1679. Acted at the Duke's Theatre. This Play was writ by Mr. Lee and Mr. Dryden; therefore to whom to attribute the Faults is difficult; and we have so little to accuse them of being Plagiaries here, that the most understanding Judges wish they had followed Sophocles yet closer, it had then been the best of our Modern Plays, as 'tis of the Ancients; but as it is, they have destroyed the Character of Oedipus, and made it absolutely Contradictory. For Oedipus that fled from a Crown, for fear of threatned Incest, and had pull'd out his Eyes on the Discovery of it, can relish an Embrace of Jocasta too well, in the 5th Act, till the Ghost of Laius frights him; but this place admits not all those just Criticisms that might be made on this Play.

The Rival Ladies, a Tragi-Comedy, 4to. 1679. Acted at the Theatre Royal. The Dispute betwixt Amideo and Hypolito, and Gonsalvas fighting with the Pyrates, borrowed from Encolpius, Giton, Eumolpus and Tryphenas, on Boarding the Vessel of Lyca's, in Petronius Arbiter, and the Catastrophe resembles Scarron's Rival Brothers.

Secret Love, or, The Maiden Queen, a Tragi-Comedy, 4to. 1679. Acted at the Theatre Royal. The serious part founded on Cleobuline Queen of Corinth, pt. 7. B. 7. Celadon, Florimel, Olinda, and Sabina, from the History of Pisistratus and Cerintha; in the said Cyrus, pt. 9. B. 3. and the French Marquess Ibra. Part 2. Book 1.

Fign'd Innocence, or Sir Martin Mar-all, a Comedy, 4to. 1678. Acted at the Duke's Theatre. The greatest part, both Plot and Language of Sir Martin and Warner, stol'n from Quinault's L'Amano indiscret, and Mollieres L'Etourdy ou le Contre temps. Sir Martin's foolish Discovery of his not Playing on the Lute, from Firmuren, L. 7. and Sir