servants, 1687. It is taken from Terence's Eunuch. While this play was
acting, the roof of the play-house fell down, but very few were hurt,
except the author: whose merry friend Sir Fleetwood Shepherd told him,
that there was so much fire in the play, that it blew up the poet, house
and all: Sir Charles answered, No, the play was so heavy it brought down
the house, and buried the poet in his own rubbish.

4. Beauty the Conqueror; or the Death of Mark Anthony, a Tragedy.

Besides these plays, Mr. Coxeter says, he is author of the two
following, which were never printed till with his works in 2 vols. 8vo.
1719, dedicated by Briscoe the bookseller to the duke of Chandois.

The Grumbler, a Comedy of three acts, scene Paris.

The Tyrant King of Crete, a Tragedy.

Sedley's poems, however amorously tender and delicate, yet have not much
strength; nor do they afford great marks of genius. The softness of his
verses is denominated by the Duke of Buckingham, Sedley's Witchcraft. It
was an art too successful in those days to propagate the immoralities
of the times, but it must be owned that in point of chastity he excels
Dorset, and Rochester; who as they conceived lewdly, wrote in plain
English, and did not give themselves any trouble to wrap up their
ribbaldry in a dress tollerably decent. But if Sedley was the more
chaste, I know not if he was the less pernicious writer: for that
pill which is gilded will be swallowed more readily, and with less
reluctance, than if tendered in its own disgustful colours. Sedley
insinuates gently into the heart, without giving any alarm, but is no
less fraught with poison, than are those whose deformity bespeaks their