SUPPRESSED EPILOGUE BY DRYDEN.

Mr. Payne Collier communicates to the Athenæum of the 22nd November, 1851, an interesting letter relative to an unspoken epilogue to Dryden, and Nat Lee's famous tragedy of The Duke of Guise. This rare composition, entitled "Another Epilogue intended to have been spoken to the Play before it was forbidden last Summer, written by Mr. Dryden," occurs in conjunction with the Prologue and Epilogue which were actually spoken, upon a separate sheet of foolscap; in which shape, as Mr. Collier informs us, they were often printed for sale at the playhouse doors. Mr. Collier's acceptable communication suggests a Query or two. At the end of my copy of this play, the 4to. edit. of 1687, is the following

"ADVERTISEMENT.

"There was a Preface intended to this play, in vindication of it, against two scurrilous libels lately printed. But it was judged, that a defence of this nature would require more room than a preface would reasonably allow. For this cause, and for the importunity of the stationers, who hastened their impression, 'tis deferred for some little time, and will be printed by itself. Most men are already of opinion that neither of the pamphlets deserve an answer, because they are stuffed with open falsities, and sometimes contradict each other; but, for once, they shall have a day or two thrown away upon them, tho' I break an old custom for their sakes, which was to scorn them."

Was this threatened preface ever issued? Are the "two scurrilous libels" here spoken of so scornfully, known to be in existence?

The new-found Epilogue belongs as much to the political as to the dramatic history of those troublous times; and let us hope, maugre the unfortunate coarseness of the school to which it belongs, that Mr. Collier will some day present us with a reprint of it in toto, accompanied by the above noted preface, if it exist. There is ample matter, as the pages of "N OTES AND Q UERIES" have lately shown, for a new volume of Dryden Miscellanies.

HENRY C AMPKIN.