Page:The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, Volume 2.djvu/46

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
40
DRYDEN.

Albion and Albanius (1685) is a musical drama or opera, written, like the Duke of Guise, against the republicans. With what success it was performed, I have not found[1].

The State of Innocence and Fall of Man (1675) is termed, by him, an opera: it is rather a tragedy in heroick rhyme, but of which the personages are such as cannot decently be exhibited on the stage. Some such production was foreseen by Marvel, who writes thus to Milton:

Or if a work so infinite be spann'd,
Jealous I was lest some less skilful hand,
(Such as disquiet always what is well,
And by ill-imitating would excel,)
Might hence presume the whole creation's day
To change in scenes, and show it in a play.

It is another of his hasty productions; for the heat of his imagination raised it in a month.

This composition is addressed to the princess of Modena, then dutchess of York, in

  1. Downes says, it was performed on a very unlucky day, viz. that on which the Duke of Monmouth landed in the West; and he intimates, that the consternation into which the kingdom was thrown by this event, was a reason why it was performed but six times, and was in general ill received.H.
a