The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets/Charles Hopkins
A Young Gentleman that is now living, his Father was that eminently Learned and Pious Divine, Ezekiel Hopkins, Bishop of London-Derry, in the Kingdom of Ireland. Our Poet was born in Devonshire, but carried, when a Child, to his Father's See; and when he had past his Childhood under so good a Father, he removed first to Dublin-College, and thence to Cambridge; whence he went to the Wars of Ireland, and having there exerted his early Valour, in so Glorious a Cause as that of his Country, Religion, and Liberty, he returned to England, and made London his Abold; where he fell into the Acquaintance of Gentlemen of the best Wit, and Parts, whose Age and Genius were most agreeable to his own. He is one of those who is, beyond Controversy, born a Poet, which he has shown in all the Pieces he has already Publish'd; the Sweetness of his Numbers, and Easiness of his Thoughts, in the several Copies of Verses he has Publish'd, particularly his Translations out of Ovid, Printed for Mr. Tonson, shew him born to translate that Author; for, if that Opinion of Pythagoras were true, we should conclude, the Soul of the tender Naso, were transmigrated into Mr. Hopkins: All the other Translators of that Poet, have lost his Genius, his Versification and Softness. But the Occasion of his being mentioned here is, his having Publish'd Two Plays, with different Success, (viz.)
Boadicea, Queen of Britain, a Tragedy, Acted at the Theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, 1697. 4to. and Dedicated, in Verse, to Mr. Congreve. This Play met with great Applause, pleasing both the Ladies and Gentlemen; and indeed, besides the peculiar Sweetness of his Numbers, for it is written in Heroick Verse, he has in this Play touch'd the Passions, and the First Scene of the Fourth Act, betwixt Cassibellan and Camilla, where she discovers her Rape, is most Masterly perform'd. The Story is the same with Bonduca, she being sometimes called, Boadicea, and sometimes Bonduca. You may read of her in the Fourteenth Book of Tacitus's Annals, the Second Book of Milton's History of England, the Seventh Page of Ubaldino de cita delle donne illustri del Regno d' Ingelterra & Scotia, and Mr. Tyrrell's History of England, lately Publish'd, Vol. 1.
Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, a Tragedy, Acted at the new Theatre, in Little Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, by his Majesty's Servants, 1695. 4to. and Dedicated to his illustrious Highness, the Duke of Gloucester. This was our Author's First Play, in which there is a great deal that shews him a Poet, but not enough, it seems, to gain it that Success which he desired: He was very Young when it was writ, and therefore may be well excus'd for wanting that Correctness, which a more Mature Author, perhaps, wou'd have observ'd. The History of Pyrrhus is to be found in Livy Book, Plutarch, in the Life of that King, Lucius Florus, &c.