Our author was by no means so fortunate in “Cleomenes,” his next dramatic effort.  The times were something changed since the Revolution The Tories, who had originally contributed greatly to that event, had repented them of abandoning the Stuart family, and, one after another, were returning to their attachment to James.  It is probable that this gave new courage to Dryden, who although upon the accession of King William he saw himself a member of an odious and proscribed sect, now belonged to a broad political faction, which a variety of events was daily increasing.  Hence his former caution was diminished, and the suspicion of his enemies increased in proportion.  The choice of the subject, the history of a Spartan prince exiled from his kingdom, and waiting the assistance of a foreign monarch to regain it, corresponded too nearly with that of the unfortunate James.  The scene of a popular insurrection, where the minds of a whole people were inflamed, was liable to misinterpretation.  In short, the whole story of the Spartan Cleomenes was capable of being wrested to political and Jacobitic purposes; and there wanted not many to aver, that to such purposes it had been actually applied by Dryden.  Neither was the state of our author such at the time as to permit his pleading his own cause.  The completion of the piece having been interrupted by indisposition, was devolved upon his friend Southerne, who revised and concluded the last act.  The whispers of the author’s enemies in the meantime procured a prohibition, at least a suspension, of the representation of “Cleomenes” from the lord chamberlain.  The exertions of Hyde, Earl of Rochester, who, although a Tory, was possessed necessarily of some influence as maternal uncle to the queen, procured a recall of this award against a play which was in every respect truly inoffensive.  But there was still a more insuperable obstacle to its success.  The plot is flat and unsatisfactory involving no great event, and in truth being only the question, whether Cleomenes should or should not depart upon an expedition, which appears far more hazardous than remaining where he was.  The grave and stoical character of the hero is more suitable to the French than the English stage; nor had the general conduct of the play that interest, or perhaps bustle, which is necessary to fix the attention of the promiscuous audience of London.  In a theatre, where every man may, if he will, express his dissatisfaction, in defiance of beaux-esprits, nobles, or mousquetaires, that which is dull will seldom be long fashionable:  “Cleomenes” was accordingly coldly received.  Dryden published it with a dedication to Lord Rochester, and the Life of Cleomenes prefixed, as translated from Plutarch by Creech, that it might appear how false those reports were, which imputed to him the composing a Jacobite play.