in Sussex, and was born at Trottin in that county, on March
3, 1651. He received his education at Wickeham school, near
Winchester, and became a commoner of Christ Church in Oxford, in the
beginning of the year 1669. He quitted the university without a
degree, and retired to London, though, in the opinion of some
historians, he went afterwards to Cambridge, which seems very
probable, from a copy of verses of Mr. Duke's to him, between whom
subsisted a sincere friendship till the death of Mr. Otway. When our
poet came to London, the first account we hear of him, is, that he
commenced player, but without success, for he is said to have failed
in want of execution, which is so material to a good player, that a
tolerable execution, with advantage of a good person, will often
supply the place of judgment, in which it is not to be supposed Otway
was deficient.

Though his success as an actor was but indifferent, yet he gained upon
the world by the sprightliness of his conversation, and the acuteness
of his wit, which, it seems, gained him the favour of Charles Fitz
Charles, earl of Plymouth, one of the natural sons of King Charles II.
who procured him a cornet's Pommission in the new raised English
forces designed for Flanders. All who have written of Mr. Otway
observe, that he returned from Flanders in very necessitous
circumstances, but give no account how that reverse of fortune
happened: it is not natural to suppose that it proceeded from actual
cowardice, or that Mr. Otway had drawn down any disgrace upon himself
by misbehaviour in a military station. If this had been the case, he
wanted not enemies who would have improved the circumstance, and
recorded it against him, with a malicious satisfaction; but if it did
not proceed from actual cowardice, yet we have some reason to
conjecture that Mr. Otway felt a strong disinclination to a military
life, perhaps from a consciousness that his heart failed him, and a
dread of misbehaving, should he ever be called to an engagement; and
to avoid the shame of which he was apprehensive in consequence of such
behaviour, he, in all probability, resigned his commission, which
could not but disoblige the earl of Plymouth, and expose himself to
necessity. What pity is it, that he who could put such masculine
strong sentiments into the mouth of such a resolute hero as his own
Pierre, should himself fail in personal courage, but this quality
nature withheld from him, and he exchanged the c