storian by Sir Henry Sheers, and the Preface to the Dialogue
concerning Women, by William Walsh, Esquire.

Before we give an account of the dramatic works of Dryden, it will be
proper here to insert a story concerning him, from the life of Congreve
by Charles Wilson esquire, which that gentleman received from the lady
whom Mr. Dryden celebrates by the name of Corinna, of whom it appears he
was very fond; and who had the relation from lady Chudleigh. Dryden with
all his undemanding was weak enough to be fond of Judicial Astrology,
and used to calculate the nativity of his children. When his lady was in
labour with his son Charles, he being told it was decent to withdraw,
laid his watch on the table, begging one of the ladies then present, in
a most solemn manner, to take exact notice of the very minute the child
was born, which she did, and acquainted him with it. About a week after,
when his lady was pretty well recovered, Mr. Dryden took occasion
to tell her that he had been calculating the child's nativity, and
observed, with grief, that he was born in an evil hour, for Jupiter,
Venus, and the sun, were all under the earth, and the lord of his
ascendant afflicted with a hateful square of Mars and Saturn. If he
lives to arrive at his 8th year (says he) 'he will go near to die a
violent death on his very birth-day, but if he should escape, as I see
but small hopes, he will in the 23d year be under the very same evil
direction, and if he should escape that also, the 33d or 34th year is, I
fear'--here he was interrupted by the immoderate grief of his lady, who
could no longer hear calamity prophecy'd to befall her son. The time at
last came, and August was the inauspicious month in which young Dryden
was to enter into the eighth year of his age. The court being in
progress, and Mr. Dryden at leisure, he was invited to the country seat
of the earl of Berkshire, his brother-in-law, to keep the long vacation
with him in Charlton in Wilts; his lady was invited to her uncle
Mordaunt's, to pass the remainder of the summer. When they came to
divide the children, lady Elizabeth would have him take John, and suffer
her to take Charles; but Mr. Dryden was too absolute, and they parted in
anger; he took Charles with him, and she was obliged to be content
with John. When the fatal day came, the anxiety of the lady's spirits
occasioned such an effervescence of blood, as threw her into, so violent
a fever, that her life was despaired of