The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-11-15
Dryden.

We nave G1tfn noI1cSQ LnAi ouA S3sASS
ehildreD are carried through q course OF htera- |
bure without acquiring any clear or reasonable
sasas in regard to the Euthors whose prodnc-
tons they have ee5oyad, and perhaps without
Learning that many Of the best writer's OF
znrasnf CT modern times we're Catholic.
DRYDEN stands tins among the long array of
British ppeIs, and is seldom pointed cat ~ one
who, becoming Catholic In prosperous days,
clung humbly 80 his Faith when deprived Of
hL his bpnurs md obliged 50 depend for snb-
sisbspce upon tie efforts Of his muse Protest
Rnf writer's Ere p8ekssa to call him weather
cock, . man without sound principles either In
morals OF in religion and yei we Know thai.
R1tbonga The noble family Of Towards os5 srted
to the marriage of Dryden with member Of
their heuss, they were soon reooaeiled 10 tbs
rnateh, bscause his manners were RIniahls,
his reputation rs III autbor high, and ms
a,Drn7 uhrrnorr Eneaoen5iOnahA-n
1t il frna, one Of his earliest poems was
! lkaaatury Of The fy-ant Cromwell, whose iron
! hand worked surh dirsfnl woe TO English
liberty but We unst remember that Cromwell
YRS the patron Of D-ydsn's family. and the
young poet SEW in him only The hsnsfacSoc
snd the friend He was but = college Lad,
easily WIN By military glory, and fall 81 En-
Jhnstasn fnV the victories achieved oEer the
Dutch and Spanish. On the rssSorntion OF
Charles IL 10 the throne Of his fathers, Dry
dan wrote +tPRpegyrar To his Sacred Majesty,
which IL certainly not Inurs fulsn1ne In ITS
praise Of 3 king who promised happiness 10
his subjects. than was TO be expected from e
pzsurtisr Of that time
Other bigoted writer's tsl rs that when
Popsry became The chief uAhheEtaon fur eo1r1
favor, Dryden rsoounoed ProtsstAutasu and
rurnsd PapisL" And then with m eIulidng
Tp5rs they nd: Ee gained but little by It,
\ though he wrote IL defence Of the Rouisa
/ fEITh IL TIE Hind End The Panther"
4 Yes. 10 oas vii dispabs The faci thai he
gained nothing ty his change Of religion, l.
4 far rs sooors CT s1nolnpsnts were epoosrDed
/ Il, he gained Ihk1 which made his Life peace
ful. and his death one OF entire Submission and
perfect resignation 10 the viii OF God
Ii is csr intsnfioa 10 hold Dryden mp, NOT 70
the pity md lRkeVarm praise q PrctesIanI4
! but 30 TIE sdnirstisn aod esieen Of orr Cath.
oIis youth
] Dr. Drake speaks Of hin TINS: NO writer,
i0deed, seems 10 hsre studied the gsui1s o.
cur lADgnage with happier snrosss- If in e1e-
gKDce sod graunEtieAl precision he has since
been exceeded, 10 roos need he give rsE, Il
point Of yiga-, richness and spirit
Dr. johnson -EsssAks4ss : I9F.-ss-5
couuT Of Shakespeare " In few lines Il Elk
| hipita6 character 50 extensive II its ooDpre
! hers5or and 50 c1r5o1s a lis Limitations, thai
nothing caa be added, diminished or 70
formed; oor eEn The edito-s and admirers O:
sLak Faa-f, IN AL their emulation And reyer.
soee, boast Of noeh more Ihau Of having diE
| fRssa 9od TlR-aphrased this epibo-ns Of excel
1enns-of having changed Drydens gold 70,
hHssr meta ii 3e~es rA3re though Of gre1fsc
bulk"
MI MaloD~. 1be critic, pays Dryden ID.
1 highest csIppllraeuI whea be records thai
/ Edaannd Burke Initiated his dictjor, who bad
very diligently read al his -nisptll aoeoa:
ESSAYS, which he beld in high estimation. Dot
| only fur the instruction they contain, bat CT
| account of the rich sod harBorioas prose II
which that instruction Is eonveyed-7
! Campbell, IN the Eet-pspso4iss EsrSes, sSys o:
Or poet This great High Priest Of AL The
! Nine WIS not eonfeasor to the finer secrets OF
| the human breast Had The subject Of Eloisa
! fallen into has hands, he would have left bat q
coarse draft OF ber passion
That is 30 say, Dryden's honest genins could
Tot, OF rather would not, enbellish crime; and
however winning the sinner might be, be
knew il Eas not Christians part TO add q
| charm 30 the Sin itself.
.D-yden's description of the Church Of Christ
I Is rery fine, and comes home 10 the hearts o;
AL Catholics in this, her time Of persecution:
WITHOUT unEpsfSe6- innocent within
She frkrR i'm HhE knows
! Tgnid souls wondsr ST the grand fe&IIessness
Of The Church in striking at popular errors,
I Indifferent whether the powerful ones Of thi.
world are thereby pleased OF not But TIE
poets lines reveal the secret eff ber most mar
4 re43oRs strength, md make tins wonder eisar-
4 PeRI- The Lines In which he records that
/ Truth hRB sucb D taas End Buuh = 1r1sr-
&pIsa IIesdB Unly 10 I've BsesDH -
j is 1hs testimony Of al those who have been
4 blessed fyy vision of Ctrist's InnAcRlA1s
sFFsvaBs- Alas. tbe world lie 50 determined she
shall not be sssu il her intrinsic lUEelIDe#s