Illustrated biography; or, Memoirs of the great and the good of all nations and all times; comprising sketches of eminent statesmen, philosophers, heroes, artists, reformers, philanthropists, mechanics, navigators, authors, poets, divines, soldiers, savans, etc . gress,without the steady and sanitary influence of his domestic ties—without thehealing and hallowing influences of wife and children. Having lost his firstwife he married a second—a woman of strong and noble mind, and of warmand devoted affection, who thrice pleaded for him heroically before the judgesof the land. She and her childre
Illustrated biography; or, Memoirs of the great and the good of all nations and all times; comprising sketches of eminent statesmen, philosophers, heroes, artists, reformers, philanthropists, mechanics, navigators, authors, poets, divines, soldiers, savans, etc . gress,without the steady and sanitary influence of his domestic ties—without thehealing and hallowing influences of wife and children. Having lost his firstwife he married a second—a woman of strong and noble mind, and of warmand devoted affection, who thrice pleaded for him heroically before the judgesof the land. She and her children often gathered round the confessor in hisdungeon, which was lightened by their presence. There was one child espe-cially—a little blind girl—who often sat by his knee, and whose helpless condition especially drew forth his sympathy. With such objects before hiamind, with such human cords ever pulling at his heart, the present life retainedfor him all its freshness and reality in spite of the floods of splendor thatpoured upon his mind from the heavenly world, and saved him from the fanat-ical egotism which has often been the disease of such a mind as his, preyingupon itself for want of the outlets of kindred sympathizing hearts. 208 JOHN JOHN DRYDEN. JOHN DRYDEN, one of the most celebrated English poots, was born at Aidwinkle, Northamptonshire, in 1631, and received his education at Westministerschool arid Trinity college, Cambridge. On the death of his father, in 1654,he came to London, and acted as secretary to his relation, Sir Gilbert Pick-ering, who was one of Cromwells council; and on the death of the protector,he wrote his well-known laudatory stanzas on that event. At the Restoration,however, he greeted Charles II. with a poem, entitled Astrea Redux, whichwas quickly followed by a panegyric on the coronation ; and from that time hislove for the royal house of Stuart appears to have known no decay. In 1661he produced his first play, The Duke of Guise,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbiography, bookyear18
