Curran says, there are two kind of
prophets, those who are really inspired, and those who prophesy events
which they intend themselves to bring about. Upon this occasion, poor
Lilly had the ill-luck to be deemed one of the latter class.
* * * * *
WHIGS AND TORIES.
Whenever these terms were first introduced, and whatever might be
their original meaning, it is certain that in the reign of Charles the
Second they carried the political signification which they still
retain. Take, as a proof, the following nervous passage from Dryden's
Epilogue to "The Duke of Guise," 1683:
"Damn'd neuters, in their middle way of steering,
Are neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring:
Nor whigs, nor Tories they; nor this nor that;
Not birds, not beasts, but just a kind of bat:
A twilight animal, true to neither cause,
With _Tory_ wings, but _Whiggish_ teeth and claws."
* * * * *
OTWAY'S "CAIUS MARIUS."
When poor Otway's "unpardonable piracy," in taking part of this play
from "Romeo and Juliet," was reprobated so severely, the critic might
have done him the justice to mention, that, instead of attempting to
pass off the borrowed beauties as his own, he, in the prologue, fully
avowed his obligations.
Pages:
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41