In the laft ftanza, having mentioned

the fudden eruption of new created Light, he fays,

Awhile th' Almighty wondering stood.

He ought to have remembered that Infinite Knowledge can never wonder. All wonder is the effect of novelty upon ignorance.

Of his other poems it is fufficient to fay that they deferve perufal, though they are not always exactly polished, and the rhymes are fometimes very ill forted, and though his faults feem rather the omiffions of idleness than the negligences of enthusiasm.

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THOMAS OTWAY, one of the first names in the English drama, little is known; nor is there any part of that little which his biographer can take pleasure in relating.di

He was born at Trottin in Suffex, March 3, 1651, the fon of Mr. Hymphry Otway, rector of Woolbeding. From Winchefter-school, where he was educated, he was entered in 1669 a com

moner of Chrift-church; but left the university without a degree, whether for want of money, or from impatience of academical reftraint, or mere eager, nefs to mingle with the world, is not known.

It feems likely that he was in hope of being bufy and confpicuous; for he went to London, and commenced player; but found himself unable to gain any repu. tation on the ftage.

This kind of inability he fhared with Shakespeare and Jonfon, as he fhared likewife fome of their excellencies. It feems reasonable to expect that a great dramatick poet fhould without difficulty become a great actor; that he who can feel, could exprefs; that he who can excite paf

fion, fhould exhibit with great readiness its external modes: but fince experience has fully proved that of thofe powers, whatever be their affinity, one may be poffeffed in a great degree by him who has very little of the other; it must be allowed that they depend upon different faculties, or on different use of the fame faculty; that the actor must have a pliancy of mien, a flexibility of countenance, and a variety of tones, which the poet may be eafily fuppofed to want; or that the attention of the poet and the player have been differently employed; the one has been confidering thought, and the other action; one has watched the heart, and the other cone templated the face. -:

Though he could not gain much no, tice as a player, he felt in himself fuch powers as might qualify for a dramatick author; and in 1675, his twentyfifth year, produced Alcibiades, a tra gedy; whether from the Alcibiade of Palaprat, I have not means to enquire. Langbain, the great detector of plagiarifm, is filent.

In 1677 he published Titus and Berenice, tranflated from Rapin, with the * Cheats of Scapin from Moliere; and in 10678 Friendskip in Fashion, a comedy, which, whatever might be its first reception, was, upon its revival at Drurylane in 1749, hiffed off the ftage for immorality and obscenity. .

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Want