Anti-Achitophel (1682) Three Verse Replies to Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden

This volume presents three Restoration‑era verse replies that were written in direct conversation with a well‑known political allegory of the late 1600s. The facsimile reproduces each poem with careful pagination, marginal notes and an introductory essay that sets the historical scene—briefly outlining the heated debates over religion, succession and the emerging European alliances that animated the original work.

The first piece, by a playwright who later became a rival poet, offers a pointed, rhymed counter‑argument that mirrors the original’s biblical imagery while turning the satire back on its targets. The second, an anonymous reflection, adopts a lighter, more contemplative tone, illustrating how the controversy filtered down into everyday literary circles. The third, a lesser‑known composition, captures the frenzy of pamphleteering that followed the Popish Plot, giving listeners a sense of the rapid, often improvisational, poetic responses of the period. Together, these texts provide a vivid glimpse into the vibrant, argumentative culture of Restoration England.