Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/28

18 Being advanced to the autumn of her charms, ſhe converſed with the oppoſite ſex, in a manner very delicate, ſenſible, and agreeable, and when ſhe felt that time had left his impreſſion upon her brow, ſhe did not court praiſe and flattery. The greateſt genius’s of the times converſed freely with her, and gave her daily proofs of eſteem, and friendſhip, except Sir Richard Steele, with whom it ſeems ſhe was at variance; and indeed Sir Richard ſufficiently expoſed himſelf by his manner of taking revenge; for he publiſhed to the world that it was his own fault he was not happy with Mrs. Manley, for which omiſſion he publickly, and gravely aſked her pardon.

Theſe are the moſt material incidents in the life of our poeteſs; a lady, who was born with high powers from nature, which were afterwards cultivated by enjoying the brighteſt converſation; the early part of her life was unfortunate, ſhe fell a ſacrifice to a ſeducer, who laid the foundation for thoſe errors ſhe afterwards committed, and of thoſe ſufferings ſhe underwent; ſhe had a high reliſh for the pleaſures of life; ſhe was extremely ſuſceptible of the paſſion of love, and treated it with a peculiar vivacity.

Her dramatic works are

1. The Lover, or The Jealous Huſband; acted at the Theatre-Royal, 1696. This play did not ſucceed in the repreſentation.

2. The Royal Miſchief, a Tragedy; acted by his Majeſty’s Servants in the Theatre in Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, 1696. This was exhibited with general applauſe.

3. Lucius, the Firſt Chriſtian King of Britain, a Tragedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal in