eces which we still welcome on the stage.

His last tragedy (1715) was Lady Jane Grey. This subject had been
chosen by Mr. Smith, whose papers were put into Rowe's hands such as
he describes them in his preface. This play has likewise sunk into
oblivion. From this time he gave nothing more to the stage.

Being by a competent fortune exempted from any necessity of combating
his inclination, he never wrote in distress, and therefore does not
appear to have ever written in haste. His works were finished to his own
approbation, and bear few marks of negligence or hurry. It is remarkable
that his prologues and epilogues are all his own, though he sometimes
supplied others; he afforded help, but did not solicit it.

As his studies necessarily made him acquainted with Shakespeare, and
acquaintance produced veneration, he undertook (1709) an edition of his
works, from which he neither received much praise, nor seems to have
expected it; yet I believe those who compare it with former copies will
find that he has done more than he promised; and that, without the pomp
of notes or boasts of criticism, many passages are happily restored. He
prefixed a life of the author, such as tradition, then almost expiring,
could supply, and a preface, which cannot be said to discover much
profundity or penetration. He at least contributed to the popularity of
his author. He was willing enough to improve his fortune by other arts
than poetry. He was under-secretary for three years when the Duke of
Queensberry was Secretary of State, and afterwards applied to the Earl
of Oxford for some public employment. Oxford enjoined him to study
Spanish; and when, some time afterwards, he came again, and said that he
had mastered it, dismissed him with this congratulation, "Then, sir, I
envy you the pleasure of reading 'Don Quixote' in the original."

This story is sufficiently attested; but why Oxford, who desired to
be thought a favourer of literature, should thus insult a man of
acknowledged merit, or how Rowe, who was so keen a Whig that he did not
willingly converse with men of the opposite party, could ask preferment
from Oxford, it is not now possible to discover. Pope, who told the
story, did not say on what occasion the advice was given; and, though
he owned Rowe's disappointment, doubted whether any injury was intended
him, but thought it rather Lord Oxford's ODD WAY.

It is likely that he lived on discontented through the rest of Queen
Anne's