The Works of John Dryden, Volume VII

Dryden's last three years of published works begin with Alexander's Feast and end with Fables, his largest miscellany of poetical translations. Alexander's Feast, like the earlier Song for St. Cecilia's Day (Works, III), was commissioned by the Musical Society for performance at its annual tribute to sacred music. The Fables included selections from Homer, Ovid, Boccaccio, and Chaucer. Extensive and detailed notes to these translations show readers how well Dryden succeeded in transmitting the styles and the very sounds of his originals. Volume VII ends with a section of miscellaneous pieces published at other times, including Dryden's only known Latin work. The presentation of the writings in this volume, like that of the entire twenty-volume series, is a tribute not only to Dryden but also to the editors who have guided it through five decades.


Dryden's last three years of published works begin with Alexander's Feast and end with Fables, his largest miscellany of poetical translations. Alexander's Feast, like the earlier Song for St. Cecilia's Day (Works, III),

John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668. Vinton A. Dearing was Professor of English and Computer Applications in Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Poems 1697-1699
Alexander's Feast; or the Power of Musique. An Ode, In Honour of St. Cecilia's Day
To Mr. Granville, on his Excellent Tragedy, call'd Heroick Love
To my Friend, the Author [Peter Motteux]

FABLES ANCIENT AND MODERN; TRANSLATED INTO VERSE, FROM HOMER, OVID, BOCCACE, & CHAUCER: WITH ORIGINAL POEMS
To His Grace the Duke of Ormond
Preface
To Her Grace the Dutchess of Ormond
Palamon and Arcite: or, The Knight's Tale From Chaucer. In Three Books
To My Honour'd Kinsman, John Driden, of Chesterton in the County of Huntingdon, Esquire
Meleager and Atalanta, Out of the Eighth Book of Ovid's Metamorphoses
Sigismonda and Guiscardo, from Boccace
Baucis and Philemon, Out of the Eighth Book of Ovid's Metamorphoses
Pygmalion and the Statue, Out of the Tenth Book of Ovid's Metamorphoses
Cinyras and Myrrha, Out of the Tenth Book of Ovid's Metamorphoses
The First Book of Homer's Ilias
The Cock and the Fox: Or, The Tale of the Nun's Priest, From Chaucer
Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace
Ceyx and Alcyone, Out of the Tenth Book of Ovid's Metamorphoses
The Flower and the Leaf; Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision
The Twelfth Book of Ovid his Metamorphoses, Wholly Translated
The Speeches of Ajax and Ulysses, From Ovid's Metamorphoses Book XIII
The Wife of Bath Her Tale
Of the Pythagorean Philosophy From Ovid's Metamorphoses Book XV
The Character of a Good Parson; Imitated from Chaucer, and Inlarg'd
The Monument of a Fair Maiden Lady, Who dy'd at Bath, and is there Interr'd
Cymon and Iphigenia, from Boccace

POSTHUMOUS PIECES AND MISCELLANY
From Covent Garden Drollery, 1672
Prologue to Julius Ceasar
Epitaphs
In Obitum Johannis Smithii
On the Monument of the Marquis of Winchester
Epitaph of Sir Palmes Fairborne
Upon Young Mr. Rogers of Gloucestershire
Epitaph on Mrs. Margaret Paston of Barningham in Norfolk
Epitaph on Erasmus Lawton
Impromtus
Epigram on Jacob Tonson
Lines to Mrs. Elizabeth Creed
From A New Collection of Poems, 1701
The Fair Stranger
From Poetical Miscellanies: The Fifth Part, 1704
On the Death of Amyntas: A Pastoral Elegy
A Song ("Fair, sweet and young")
From Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1717
AEsacus Transform'd into a Cormorant

Commentary
Textual Notes
Appendixes
Index to the Commentary