Such unworthy attacks are not unfrequently made by ill-natured literary men.  Brown was no doubt jealous of his rival, but Addison’s generous heart formed a very different estimate of D’Urfey’s talent.  He says that after having “made the world merry he hopes they will make him easy” in his pecuniary affairs, for that although “Tom” had written more Odes than Horace, and four times as many Comedies as Terence, he was reduced to great difficulties by a set of men who had furnished him with the accommodations of life, and would not, as we say, “be paid with a song.”  “As my friend,” he continues, “after the manner of all the old lyrics, accompanies his works with his own voice, he has been the delight of the most polite companies and conversations from the beginning of King Charles II.’s reign to our present times.  Many an honest gentleman has got a reputation in his country by pretending to have been in company with Tom D’Urfey.”  “I myself remember King Charles II. leaning on Tom D’Urfey’s shoulder more than once, and humming over a song with him.  It is certain that monarch was not a little supported by ’Joy to great Caesar,’ which gave the Whigs such a blow as they were not able to recover that whole reign.  My friend afterwards attacked Popery with the same success—­he has made use of Italian tunes and Sonatas for promoting the Protestant interest, and turned a considerable part of the Pope’s music against himself.”

Little need be added to this eloquent commendation, except that it was written to obtain patronage for a benefit in behalf of an aged poet and friend.  D’Urfey wrote through the reigns of Charles II., James II., William and Anne, into that of George I. His plays, which were thought attractive at the time, contained much that was gross, and were deficient in humour and power.  Thus, they were soon forgotten, and neither he nor his rival Brown were able to reach a point, which would give them a permanent position in literature.

The following description would have led us to expect something better of him, at least in farcical talent[62]—­

“Mr. D’Urfey generally writes state-plays, and is wonderfully useful to the world in such representations.  This method is the same that was used by the old Athenians, to laugh out of countenance or promote opinions among the people.  My friend has therefore against this play is acted for his own benefit, made two dances which may be also of an universal benefit.  In the first he has represented absolute power in the person of a tall man with a hat and feathers, who gives his first minister who stands just before him a huge kick; the minister gives the kick to the next before; and so to the end of the stage.  In this moral and practical jest you are made to understand that there is in an absolute government no gratification, but giving the kick you receive from one above you to one below you.  This is performed to a grave and melancholy air; but on a sudden the tune