The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 06

This volume gathers a selection of John Dryden’s lesser‑known works, presented with detailed historical and critical notes that illuminate the Restoration stage. Central to the book is the comedy “Limberham; The Kind Keeper,” a sharp satire that skewers the pretensions of courtly and urban life. Listeners will hear the brisk, witty dialogue that made Dryden a favorite of his contemporaries, even as it provoked scandal.

The commentary explains how the play’s ribald jokes and pointed character sketches reflected the loosened morals of Charles II’s reign, while also revealing the delicate balance between satire and offense that Dryden navigated. By hearing the text alongside the scholarly observations, you gain a vivid sense of the theatrical tastes, gossip, and power plays that animated seventeenth‑century London. It’s a compact window into a world where comedy could both entertain and stir fierce controversy.