, till a letter came from Mr.
Dryden, reproving her for her womanish credulity, and assuring her,
that her child was well, which recovered her spirits, and in six weeks
after she received an ecclaircissement-of the whole affair. Mr. Dryden,
either thro' fear of being reckoned superstitious, or thinking it a
science beneath his study, was extremely cautious of letting any one
know that he was a dealer in Astrology; therefore could not excuse his
absence, on his son's anniversary, from a general hunting match lord
Berkshire had made, to which all the adjacent gentlemen, were invited.
When he went out, he took care to set the boy a double exercise in the
Latin tongue, which he taught his children himself, with a strict charge
not to stir out of the room till his return; well knowing the task he
had set him would take up longer time. Charles was performing his duty,
in obedience to his father, but as ill fate would have it, the stag
made towards the house; and the noise alarming the servants, they hasted
out to, see the sport. One of them took young Dryden by the hand, and
led him out to see it also, when just as they came to the gate, the stag
being at bay with the dogs, made a bold push and leaped over the court
wall, which was very low, and very old; and the dogs following, threw
down a part of the wall ten yards in length, under which Charles Dryden
lay buried. He was immediately dug out, and after six weeks languishing
in a dangerous way he recovered; so far Dryden's prediction was
fulfilled: In the twenty-third year of his age, Charles fell from the
top of an old tower belonging to the Vatican at Rome, occasioned by a
swimming in his head, with which he was seized, the heat of the day
being excessive. He again recovered, but was ever after in a languishing
sickly state. In the thirty-third year of his age, being returned to
England, he was unhappily drowned at Windsor. He had with another
gentleman swam twice over the Thames; but returning a third time, it was
supposed he was taken with the cramp, because he called out for help,
tho' too late. Thus the father's calculation proved but too prophetical.

Mr. Dryden died the first of May 1701, and was interred in Westminster
Abby. On the 19th of April he had been very bad with the gout, and
erisipelas in one leg; but he was then somewhat recovered, and designed
to go abroad; on the Friday following he eat a partridge for his supper,
and going to take a turn in the little g