, such by nature still I am,
Be thine the glory, and be mine the shame,
Good life be now my talk, my doubts are done.[4]

This poem was attacked by Mr. Charles Montague, afterwards Earl of
Hallifax, and Mr. Matthew Prior, who joined in writing the Hind and
Panther, transversed to the Country Mouse, and City Mouse, Lond. 1678,
4to. In the preface to which, the author observes, 'that Mr. Dryden's
poem naturally falls into ridicule, and that in this burlesque, nothing
is represented monstrous and unnatural, that is not equally so in the
original.' They afterwards remark, that they have this comfort under the
severity of Mr. Dryden's satire, to see his abilities equally lessened
with his opinion of them, and that he could not be a fit champion
against the Panther till he had laid aside his judgment.

Mr. Dryden is supposed to have been engaged in translating M. Varillas's
History of Heresies, but to have dropped that design. This we learn from
a passage in Burnet's reflexions on the ninth book of the first volume
of M. Varillas's History, being a reply to his answer.

I shall here give the picture the Dr. has drawn of this noble poet,
which is, like a great many of the doctor's other characters, rather
exhibited to please himself than according to the true resemblance.

The doctor says, 'I have been informed from England, that a gentleman
who is famous both for poetry, and several other things, has spent
three months in translating Mr. Varillas's history; but as soon as my
reflexions appeared, he discontinued his labours, finding the credit of
his author being gone. Now if he thinks it is recovered by his answer,
he will, perhaps, go on with his translation; but this may be, for ought
I know, as good an entertainment for him, as the conversation he has set
on foot between the Hinds and Panthers, and all the rest of the animals;
for whom M. Varillas may serve well enough as an author; and this
history and that poem are such extraordinary things of their kind, that
it will be but suitable to see the author of the worst poem become the
translator of the worst history, that the age has produced. If his grace
and his wit improve so proportionably, we shall hardly find, that he has
gained much by the change he has made, from having no religion, to chuse
one of the worst. It is true he had somewhat to sink from in matter of
wit, but as for his morals, it is scarce possible for him to grow a
worse man than he was. He has lat