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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: this coffee house one night a memorable occurrence befell the
poet, of which more anon.
It happened at one time the brilliant, poetical, and mercurial
Earl of Rochester extended his favour and friendship towards
Dryden, gratified by which, the poet had, after the manner of
those days, dedicated a play to him, "Marriage a la Mode." This
favour his lordship received with graciousness, and no doubt
repaid with liberality. After a while, Dryden, led by choice or
interest, sought a new patron in the person of the Earl of
Mulgrave. For this nobleman Rochester had long entertained a
bitter animosity, which had arisen from rivalry, and had been
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