An account of the English dramatick poets, or, Some observations and remarks on the lives and writings of all those that have publish'd either comedies, tragedies, tragi-comedies, pastorals, masques, interludes, farces or opera's in the English tongue by Gerard Langbaine.

Sir John SUCKLING.

A Gentleman, whose Admirable Parts made him sufficiently Famous, in the Reign of King Charles the First, to whom he was Comptroller. He was born at Witham, in the County of Mid∣dlesex in the Year 1631. and which was Extra∣ordinary, (according to his Mother's Reckon∣ing) in the beginning of the Eleventh Month. Nor was his Life less Remarkable, than his Birth: for he had so pregnant a Genius that he spoke Latin at Five Years Old, and writ it at Nine Years of Age. His Skill in Languages, and Musick, was Remarkable; but above all

his Poetry, took with all the People, whose Souls were polished by the Charms of the Muses: And tho' War did not so well agree with his Constitution; yet in his Travels he made a Campaign under the Famous Gustavus, where he was present at three Battles, five Sieges, and as many Skirmishes: and if his Valour was not so Remarkable, in the North in the be∣ginning of the Wars; yet his Loyalty was conspicuous, by his Expence in the Troop of Horse, which he rais'd, whose Equipage, viz. Horses, Arms and Clothes, were provided all at his own Charge, and stood him in 12000 l. But these passages being at present forreign to my Subject, I shall return to his Poetry; and begin with his Dramatick Pieces, which are Four in Number, viz.

Aglaura, presented at the Private-house in Black-fryars. This Play was first printed in Fol. upon which an Anonymous Satyrist (i. e. Mr. Rich. Brome, see at the Entrance of Covent Garden weeded) made a Copy of Verses; which being too large to be transcrib'd, I shall refer my Reader to a Small Book of Poems, call'd Mu∣sarum Deliciae, or The Muses Recreation, where he may find them in the 51^st. page. Only by this we may observe the truth of that saying of Ovidy 1.1:

Pascitur in vivis livor: post fata quieseit, Cum suus ex merito quemque tuetur Honos.

This Play is much priz'd at this Day, and has this Remarkable, That the last Act is so al∣tered,

that 'tis at the pleasure of the Actors, to make it a Tragedy, or Tragi-comedy: which was so well approv'd of by that Excellent Poet Sir Robert Howard, that he has followed this president, in his Vestal Virgin.

Brenoralt, or The Discontented Colonel; a Tragedy presented at the Private-house in Blackfryars, by His Majesty's Servants.

Goblings, a Tragi-comedy presented at the Private-house in Blackfryars, by His Majesty's Servants.

Sad One, a Tragedy. This Piece was never finish'd. 'Tis not to be expected that I should give any Account of the Plots, or Thefts in this Author's Works; for his Muse was Young, and Vigorous enough, had she not so soon been cut off by Death, to have brought forth many more Children, without any Assistance, but that of the proper Parent: All that I have further to say is, That these Plays, with the rest of his Works, are printed under the Title of Frag∣menta Aurea; or A Collection of all the Incom∣parable Pieces, written by Sir John Suckling, 8^o. There are several Editions of his Works: and the last (as I think) was printed 8O. Lond. 1676. to which are added several Poems, and other Pieces, which were by his Sisters Permission allowed to be published. I shall not pretend to give a Character of his Works, but sub∣scribe to One already printed* 1.2; viz. That his Poems are Clean, Sprightly, and Natural; his Discourses Full and Convincing; his Plays well humor'd and Taking; his Letters Fragrant,

and Sparking: only his Thoughts were not so loose as his Expression, witness his Excellent Discourse to My Lord Dorset, about Religion.

This Ingenious Gentleman died of a Feaver, A. D. 164— being about 29. Years of Age: What Excellent Advice he left to his Friends about him, may be read in Mr. Lloyd's Memoirs; nor can I forbear transcribing what that Au∣thor writ upon that Subject.

Ne hae zelantis animae sacriores Scintillulae ipsum unde deciderant spirantes Coelum, & Author magnus ipsa quam Aliis dedit careret memoria; Interesse Posteris putavimus brevem Honoratissimi Viri Johannis Sucklingii vitam Historia esse perennandam.

Utpote qui Nobilissima Sucklingiorum Familia Oriundus, cui tantum reddidit, quantum ac∣cepit honorem; Nat. Cal. Apr. 1613. Witha∣miae in Agro Middles. Renatus ibid. Maii 70. and Denatus 164— haud jam Trigessimus, & Scriptu dignissima fecit & factu dignissima scripsit. Calamo pariter & Gladio celebris, pacis artium gnarus & belli.

Notes

• y 1.1

  Amorum, L.〈8 letters〉〈8 letters〉. 19
• * 1.2

  Lloyd's Memoires, p. 159.