last came, and August was the inauspicious month in which young Dryden
was to enter into the eighth year of his age. The court being in
progress, and Mr. Dryden at leisure, he was invited to the country seat
of the earl of Berkshire, his brother-in-law, to keep the long vacation
with him in Charlton in Wilts; his lady was invited to her uncle
Mordaunt's, to pass the remainder of the summer. When they came to
divide the children, lady Elizabeth would have him take John, and suffer
her to take Charles; but Mr. Dryden was too absolute, and they parted in
anger; he took Charles with him, and she was obliged to be content
with John. When the fatal day came, the anxiety of the lady's spirits
occasioned such an effervescence of blood, as threw her into, so violent
a fever, that her life was despaired of, till a letter came from Mr.
Dryden, reproving her for her womanish credulity, and assuring her,
that her child was well, which recovered her spirits, and in six weeks
after she received an ecclaircissement-of the whole affair. Mr. Dryden,
either thro' fear of being reckoned superstitious, or thinking it a
science beneath his study, was extremely cautious of letting any one
know that he was a dealer in Astrology; therefore could not excuse his
absence, on his son's anniversary, from a general hunting match lord
Berkshire had made, to which all the adjacent gentlemen, were invited.
When he went out, he took care to set the boy a double exercise in the
Latin tongue, which he taught his children himself, with a strict charge
not to stir out of the room till his return; well knowing the task he
had set him would take up longer time. Charles was performing his duty,
in obedience to his father, but as ill fate would have it, the stag
made towards the house; and the noise alarming the servants, they hasted
out to, see the sport. One of them took young Dryden by the hand, and
led him out to see it also, when just as they came to the gate, the stag
being at bay with the dogs, made a bold push and leaped over the court
wall, which was very low, and very old; and the dogs following, threw