Doctor Donne, the greateft wit, though not the greateft poet of our nation, acknowledges, that he had never feen Mrs. Drury, whom he has made immortal in his admirable Anniverfaries. I have had the fame fortune, though I have not fucceeded to the fame genius. However, I have followed his footsteps in the defign of his panegyric; which was to raise an emulation in the living, to copy out the example of the dead. And therefore it was, that I once intended to have called this poem, The Pattern and though, on a fecond confideration, I changed the title into the name of the illuftrious perfon, yet the defign continues, and Eleonora is still the pattern of charity, devotion, and humility; of the beft wife, the best mother, and the best of friends. And now, my lord, though I have endeavoured to answer your commands, yet I could not answer it to the world, nor to my confcience, if I gave not your lordship my teftimony of being the beft husband now living: I fay my teftimony only; for the praise of it is given you by yourself. They who defpife the rules of virtue both in their practice and their morals, will think this a very trivial commendation. But I think it the peculiar happiness of the Countefs of Abingdon, to have been fo truly loved by you, while she was living, and fo gratefully honoured, after she was dead. Few there are who have either had, or could have, fuch a lofs; and yet fewer who carried their love and conftancy beyond the grave. The exteriors of mourning, a decent funeral, and black habits, are the ufual ftints of common husbands: and perhaps their wives deferve no better than to be mourned with hypocrify, and forgot with eafe. But you have diftinguifhed yourself from ordinary lovers, by a real and lafting grief for the deceafed; and by endeavouring to raife for her the moft durable monument, which is that of verfe. And fo it would have proved, if the workman had been equal to the work, and your choice of the artificer as happy as your defign. Yet, as Phidias, when he had made the ftatue of Minerva, could not forbear to ingrave his own name, as author of the piece: fo give me leave to hope, that, by fubfcribing mine to this poem, I may live by the goddess, and transmit my name to pofterity by the memory of hers. 'Tis no flattery to affure your lordship, that the is remembered, in the prefent age, by all who have had the honour of her converfation and acquaintance; and that I have never been in any company fince the news of her death was firft brought me, where they have not extolled her virtues, and even spoken the fame things of her in profe, which I have done in verse. I therefore think myfelf obliged to thank your lordship for the commiffion which you have given me : how I have acquitted myself of it, must be left to the opinion of the world, in fpite of any proteftation which I can enter against the prefent age, as incompetent or corrupt judges. For my comfort, they are but Englishmen, and, as such, if they think i of me to-day, they are inconftant enough to think well of me to-morrow. And after all, I have not much to thank my fortune that I was born ainongst them. The good of both sexes are fo few, in Eng land, that they stand like exceptions against general rules: and though one of them has deserved a greater commendation than I could give her, they have taken care that I fhould not tire my pen with frequent exercise on the like fubjects; that praises, like taxes, fhould be appropriated, and left almost as individual as the perfon. They fay, my talent is fatire if it be fo, 'tis a fruitful age, and there is an extraordinary crop to gather. But a fingle hand is infufficient for such a harvest: they have fown the dragon's teeth themselves, and 'tis but just they fhould reap each other in lampoons. You, my lord, who have the character of honour, though 'tis not my happiness to know you, may stand aside, with the small remainders of the English nobility, truly fuch, and, unhurt yourselves, behold the mad combat. If I have pleafed you, and fome few others, I have obtained my end. You fee I have disabled myfelf, like an elected Speaker of the Houfe: yet like him I have undertaken the charge, and find the burden fufficiently recompenfed by the honour. Be pleafed to accept of these my unworthy labours, this paper monument; and let her pious memory, which I am fure is facred to you, not only plead the pardon of my many faults, but gain me your protection, which is ambitiously fought by, My Lord, Your Lordship's Moft obedient Servant, JOHN DRYDEN. *ELEONORA†: A PANEGYRICAL POEM, DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE COUNTESS OF ABINGDON. As when fome great and gracious monarch dies, Soft whispers, first, and mournful murmurs rife Among the fad attendants; then the found Soon gathers voice, and fpreads the news around, Through town and country, till the dreadful blaft Is blown to diftant colonies at laft; 5 *It appears, from the dedication to the Earl of Abingdon, that this poem was written at his Lordship's own defire. The lady whom the poem affects to praife, was one of the coheireffes of Sir Henry Lee of Chicheley in Oxfordshire, and fifter to the celebrated Mrs. Anne Wharton, a lady eminent for her poetical genius, whom Mr. Waller has celebrated in an elegant copy of verfes. DERRICK. + The Earl is faid to have given Dryden 500 guineas for this Who, then, perhaps, were offering vows in vain, For his long life, and for his happy reign: 10 The nation felt it in the extremeft parts, With eyes o'erflowing, and with bleeding hearts; 15 But most the poor, whom daily fhe supply'd, Secure of bread, as of returning light; nurft, 20 That the herself might fear her wanting firft. Of her five talents, other five fhe made; Heaven, that had largely given, was largely paid: And in few lives, in wonderous few, we find Nor did her alms from oftentation fall, 25 |