the great fire, and the Dutch War. In 1668
appeared his _Essay on Dramatic Poetry_ in the form of a dialogue, fine
alike as criticism and as prose. Two years later (1670) he became Poet
Laureate and Historiographer Royal with a pension of L300 a year. D. was
now in prosperous circumstances, having received a portion with his wife,
and besides the salaries of his appointments, and his profits from
literature, holding a valuable share in the King's play-house. In 1671 G.
Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, produced his _Rehearsal_, in ridicule of
the overdone heroics of the prevailing drama, and satirising D. as Mr.
Bayes. To this D. made no immediate reply, but bided his time. The next
years were devoted to the drama. But by this time public affairs were
assuming a critical aspect. A large section of the nation was becoming
alarmed at the prospect of the succession of the Duke of York, and a
restoration of popery, and Shaftesbury was supposed to be promoting the
claims of the Duke of Monmouth. And now D. showed; his full powers. The
first part of _Absalom and Achitophel_ appeared in 1681, in which Charles
figures as "David," Shaftesbury as "Achitophel," Monmouth as "Absalom,"
Buckingham as "Zimri," in the short but crushing delineation of whom the
attack of the _Rehearsal_ was requited in the most ample measure. The
effect; of the poem was tremendous. Nevertheless the indictment against
Shaftesbury for high treason was ignored by the Grand Jury at the Old
Bailey, and in honour of the event a medal was struck, which gave a title
to D.'s next stroke. His _Medal_ was issued in 1682. The success of these
wonderful poems raised a storm round D. Replies were forthcoming in
Elkanah Settle's _Absalom and Achitophel Transposed_, and Pordage's
_Azaria and Hushai_. These compositions, especially Pordage's, were
comparatively moderate. Far otherwise was Shadwell's _Medal of John
Bayes_, one of the most brutal and indecent pieces in the language. D.'s
revenge--and an ample one--was the publication of _MacFlecknoe_, a satire
in which all his opponents, but especially Shadwell, were held up to the
loathing and ridicule of succeeding ages, and others had conferred, upon
them an immortality which, however unenviable, no efforts of their own
could have secured for them. Its immediate effect was to crush and
silence all his assailants. The following year, 1683, saw the publication
of _Religio Laici_ (the religion of a layman). In 1686 D. joined the