The arts and sciences were imported from Italy into this island as early as into France; and made at first more sensible advances.

Spenser, Shakspeare, Bacon, Jonson, were superior to their contemporaries who flourished in that kingdom.

Milton, Waller, Denham, Cowley, Harvey, were at least equal to their contemporaries.

The reign of Charles II., which some preposterously represent as our Augustan age, retarded the progress of polite literature in this island; and it was then found, that the immeasurable licentiousness, indulged or rather applauded at court, was more destructive to the refined arts, than even the cant, nonsense, and enthusiasm of the preceding period.
Most of the celebrated writers of this age remain monuments of genius, perverted by indecency and bad taste; and none more than Dryden, both by reason of the greatness of his talents and the gross abuse which he made of them.

His plays, excepting a few scenes, are utterly disfigured by vice or folly, or both.