ABSTRACT
Rochester is the author of both of these imperishable descriptions of Charles II, and by them and his poem Upon Nothing and his death bed conversation with Bishop Burnet is now chiefly known. His poetry has hardly had a fair chance against that of his contemporaries, for owing to his scandalous character, which was probably worse than the time only in respect of his ostentatious defiance of proprieties, all kinds of indecencies were fathered upon him and inserted in unauthorized editions of his works. This has ensured his exclusion from decent libraries, an edition issued in 1691 by friends careful of his memory having been pushed out of sight by the more piquant publications. [Comment on his character omitted.] Some of his lyrics are very pretty, full of ingenious fancy and musical rhythm, but wit and intellect are more marked in his writing than the free flow of lyrical sentiment. For wit, versatility and intense vitality of intellect this strangely wasted life stood high above the level of the age.
