after the accession of James II. our author turned Roman Catholic, and
by this extraordinary step drew upon himself abundance of ridicule from
wits of the opposite faction; and in 1689 he wrote a Defence of the
Papers, written by the late King of blessed memory, found in his
strong box. Mr. Dryden, in the abovementioned piece, takes occasion to
vindicate the authority of the Catholic Church, in decreeing matters of
faith, upon this principle, that the church is more visible than the
scriptures, because the scriptures are seen by the church, and to
abuse the reformation in England, which he affirms was erected on
the foundation of lust, sacrilege, and usurpation. Dr. Stillingfleet
hereupon answered Mr. Dryden, and treated him with some severity.
Another author affirms, that Mr. Dryden's tract is very light, in some
places ridiculous; and observes, that his talent lay towards controversy
no more in prose, than, by the Hind and Panther, it appeared to do in
verse. This poem of the Hind and Panther is a direct defence of the
Romish Church, in a dialogue between a Hind, which represents the Church
of Rome, and a Panther, which supports the character of the Church of
England. The first part of this poem consists most in general characters
and narration, which, says he, 'I have endeavoured to raise, and give it
the majestic turn of heroic poetry. The second being matter of dispute,
and chiefly concerning church authority, I was obliged to make as plain
and perspicuous as possibly I could, yet not wholly neglecting the
numbers, though I had not frequent occasion for the magnificence of
verse. The third, which has more of the nature of domestic conversation,
is, or ought to be, more free and familiar than the two former. There
are in it two episodes or fables, which are interwoven with the main
design, so that they are properly parts of it, though they are also
distinct stories of themselves. In both of these I have made use of the
common places of satire, whether true or false, which are urged by the
members of the one church against the other.'