ohnson, whose fame was so
superior to Carew's. All these plays were printed together in one volume
in folio, London 1664.

* * * * *

EDWARD HOWARD, _Esq_;

Was descended from the noble family of the earl of Berkshire, and was
more illustrious by his birth than his genius; he addicted himself to
the study of dramatic poetry, and produced four plays, but gained no
reputation by any of them.

1. The Man of New-Market, a Comedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal; and
printed in quarto, London 1678.

2. Six Days Adventure, or the New Utopia, a Comedy, acted at his royal
highness the duke of York's Theatre, printed in quarto 1671. This play
miscarried in the action, as he himself acknowledges in his preface;
and the earl of Rochester, with his usual virulence, writ an invective
against it; but, Mrs. Behn, Mr. Ravenscroft, and some other poets,
taking compassion on him, sent the author recommendatory verses, which
are printed before that play, and in return he writ a Pindarique to Mrs.
Behn, which she printed in a Collection of Poems 1685.

3. The Usurper, a Tragedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal, and printed 1668,
in which the character of Damocles, is said to have been drawn for
Oliver Cromwel, and that the play is a parallel of those times.

4. Women's Conquest, a Tragi-Comedy, acted at the Duke's Theatre 1677.

Besides these plays, Mr. Howard has published an Epic Poem in octavo,
called the British Princes, which the earl of Rochester likewise handled
pretty severely. There is likewise ascribed to him another Book of
Poems and Essays, with a Paraphrase on Cicero's Laelius, or Tract of
Friendship, printed in 8vo. The Earl of Dorset, who was called by
cotemporary writers, the best good man, with the worst natured Muse,
has dedicated a few lines to the damnation of this extraordinary epic
production of Mr. Howard's.

The Spectator observes, that this epic piece is full of incongruity,
or in other words, abounds with nonsense. He quotes the two following
lines,

A coat of mail Prince Vortiger had on,
Which from a naked pict his grandsire won.

Who does not see the absurdity of winning a coat from a naked man?

The earl of Dorset thus addresses him;

To Mr. EDWARD HOWARD, on his incomparable, incomprehensible POEM called
the BRITISH PRINCES.

Come on, ye critics, find one fault who dare,
For, read it backward like a witch's prayer,
'Twill do as well; throw not away your jests