And what thou didst, and dost, so dearly prize,
  That fame, that darling fame, make that thy sacrifice. 
  ’Tis nothing thou hast given; then add thy tears
  For a long race of unrepenting years: 
  ’Tis nothing yet, yet all thou hast to give;
  Then add those may-be years thou hast to live: 
  Yet nothing still:  then poor and naked come,
  Thy father will receive his unthrift home,
  And thy blest Saviour’s blood discharge the mighty sum.”

Stillingfleet is, however, left personally undistinguished, but Burnet, afterwards Bishop of Salisbury, receives chastisement in his stead.  The character of this prelate, however unjustly exaggerated, preserves many striking and curious traits of resemblance to the original; and, as was natural, gave deep offence to the party for whom it was drawn.  For not only did Burnet at the time express himself with great asperity of Dryden, but long afterwards, when writing his history, he pronounced a severe censure on the immorality of his plays, so inaccurately expressed as to be applicable, by common construction to the author’s private character.  From this coarse and inexplicit accusation, the memory of Dryden was indignantly vindicated by his friend Lord Lansdowne.

It is also worth remarking, that in the allegory of the swallows, introduced in the Third Part of “The Hind and the Panther,” the author seems to have had in his eye the proposal made at a grand consult of the Catholics, that they should retire from the general and increasing hatred of all ranks, and either remain quiet at home, or settle abroad.  This plan, which originated in their despair of James’s being able to do anything effectual in their favour, was set aside by the fiery opposition of Father Petre, the martin of the fable told by the Panther to the Hind.[12]

The appearance of “The Hind and the Panther” excited a clamour against the author far more general than the publication of “Absalom and Achitophel.”  Upon that occasion the offence was given only to a party, but this open and avowed defence of James’s strides towards arbitrary power, with the unpopular circumstance of its coming from a new convert to the royal faith, involved our poet in the general suspicion with which the nation at large now viewed the slightest motions of their infatuated monarch.  The most noted amongst those who appeared to oppose the triumphant advocate of the Hind, were Montague and Prior, young men now rising into eminence.  They joined to produce a parody entitled the “Town and Country Mouse;” part of which Mr. Bayes is supposed to gratify his old friends, Smith and Johnson, by repeating to them.  The piece is, therefore, founded upon the twice-told jest of the “Rehearsal.”  Of the parody itself, we have given ample specimen in its proper place.  There is nothing new or original in the idea, which chiefly turns upon the ridiculing the poem of Dryden, where religious controversy is made the subject of dispute and adjustment between