ce, Octavia was a short character of a scene or two, in which
Mrs Porter drew not only respect, but the more affecting approbation
of tears from the audience. Since that time, "All for Love" has
gradually sunk into forgetfulness."

If this last observation be true, it is, under Mr Davies' favour, a
striking illustration of the caprice of the public taste. The play of
"All for Love" was first acted and printed in 1678.

Footnotes:
1. Dryden has himself, in the prologue, alluded to this predominance
of sentiment in his hero's character.

His hero, whom you wits his bully call,
Bates of his mettle, and scarce rants at all;
He's somewhat lewd; but a well meaning mind,
Weeps much, fights little, but is wondrous kind.

2. But, spite of all his pride, a secret shame
Invades his breast at Shakespeare's sacred name:
Awed, when he hears his god-like Romans rage,
He, in a just despair, would quit the stage,
And, to an age less polished, more unskilled,
Does, with disdain, the foremost honours yield.

3. Lest any reader should have anticipated better things of "Sedley's
noble muse," the Lisideius of our author's dialogue on dramatic
poetry, I subjoin a specimen, taken at hazard:

Gape, hell, and to thy dismal bottom take
The lost Antonius; this was our last stake:
Warned by my ruin, let no Roman more,
Set foot on the inhospitable shore.
Cowards and traitors filled this impious land,
Faithless and fearful, without heart or hand,
Some ran to Caesar, like a headlong tide,
The rest their fear made useless on our side.

"This passion, with the death of a dear friend, would go nigh to
make one sad;" yet some of the authors of the day held a very
different doctrine. Shadwell, in his dedication to "A true Widow,"
tells Sedley, "You have in that Mulberry Garden shewn the true wit,
humour, and satire of a comedy; and, in Antony and Cleopatra, the
true spirit of a tragedy; the only one, except two of Jonson's and
one of Shakespeare's, wherein Romans are made to speak and do like
Romans. There are to be found the true characters of Antony and
Cleopatra, as they were; whereas a French author would have made
the Egyptian and Roman both become French under his pen. And even
our English authors are too much given to make history (in these
plays) romantic and impossible; but, in this play, the Romans are