The Occasion of "An Essay of Dramatic Poesy"

Abstract

DR. JOHNSON introduced the invidious distinction between the general and the occasional in Dryden's criticism, declaring in the Lives that his occasional positions are sometimes interested, negligent, or capricious-inconstant to his general precepts. In a less pejorative sense An essay of dramatic poesy illustrates the occasional as well as the general, but it is unique in Dryden's criticism because it was published without any visible means of support, not as a pendant to another work. Some writers, mistaking the personal apology in the Defence of an Essay-which, as a matter of fact, is incident only to the argument about rhyme-have overplayed the occasional bias of the Essay with respect to Sir Robert Howard. But one provocation to the Essay, to which an unidentified allusion directs us, has been unaccountably neglected. This motivation helps to explain the Essay, and even its concern with dramatic principles, without challenging its conformity to its own laws. When Dryden wrote the Essay, the French and English had already clashed in a notable exchange of opinion. The occasion actually led to diplomatic action and the banishment of the offender. The occasion especially concerned the Royal Society1 and so provided another reason why Dryden might not be insensitive to the controversy. It is hardly necessary to remark that complimentary allusions to science are a conspicuous feature of the Essay, which was probably written before he was dropped by the Society.2 But it does seem necessary to remark that dramatic poetry had been an issue in this clash. The famous exchange, in which the Royal Soci ty was directly involved, had for its principals Samuel Sorbibre and Thomas Sprat, and produced works which long kept a certain notoriety in England. It is, therefor , all the more strange that they have never entered the discussion of circumstances incident to the Essay of dramatic poesy. In the same year that Dryden published The rival ladies, with its prefatory defense of rhyme in serious plays, Samuel Sorbibre pu lished his Voyage to England3 and raised a storm of indignation, which was embarrassing to the Royal Society because he had been admitted a member. Thomas Sprat, the official spokesman for he Society, laid down his History