The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 10

This tenth volume shines a spotlight on Drydry’s later, more contemplative side, gathering together an epistle, a royal funeral ode, and a trio of allegorical poems that stride between faith and politics. The centerpiece, “Religio Laici,” offers a measured, philosophical defence of the Church of England, while “Threnodia Augustalis” mourns a monarch with dignified Pindaric flair.

The collection also contains the three‑part “Hind and the Panther,” a bold animal allegory, the celebratory “Britannia Rediviva” on a princely birth, and Drydry’s sharp satire “Mack‑Flecknoe” aimed at a rival poet. Each piece is accompanied by detailed notes and a prefatory essay, all drawn from Walter Scott’s careful scholarship, providing listeners with historical context and literary insight without giving away later developments.