Our Cumberland's' sweet-bread its place shall ob tain, And Douglas is pudding, substantial and plain: 1 Mr. Richard Cumberland, author of the West Indian, Fashionable Lover, The Brothers, and other dramatic pieces. 2 Dr. Douglas, canon of Windsor, an ingenious Scotch gentleman, who has no less distinguished himself as a citizen of the world, than a sound critic, in detecting several literary mistakes (or rather forgeries) of his countrymen; particularly Lauder on Milton, and Bower's History of the Popes. 3 David Garrick, Esq. 4 Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman belonging to the Irish bar. 5 Sir Joshua Reynolds. 6 An eminent attorney. Then, with chaos and blunders encircling my head, Let me ponder, and tell what I think of the dead. Here lies the good dean, re-united to earth, Who mixt reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth : If he had any faults, he has left us in doubt, such, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much; Who, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind: Though fraught with all learning, yet straining his throat To persuade Tommy Townshend' to lend him a vote; Who, too deep for his hearers, still went on refining, And thought of convincing, while they thought of dining; Though equal to all things, for all things unfit; Too nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit; 1 Mr. T. Townshend, Member for Whitchurch. For a patriot too cool; for a drudge disobedient; And too fond of the right to pursue the expedient. In short, 'twas his fate, unemploy'd, or in place, sir, To eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor. Here lies honest William, whose heart was a mint, While the owner ne'er knew half the good that was in't; The pupil of impulse, it fore'd him along, Here lies honest Richard', whose fate I must sigh at; Alas! that such frolic should now be so quiet! What spirits were his! what wit and what whim! Now breaking a jest, and now breaking a limb! 1 Mr. Richard Burke. This gentleman having slightly fractured one of his arms and legs, at different times, the Doctor has rallied him on those accidents, as a kind of retributive justice for breaking his jests upon other people. Now wrangling and grumbling to keep up the ball! Here Cumberland lies, having acted his parts, His fools have their follies so lost in a crowd Quite sick of pursuing each troublesome elf, Here Douglas retires from his toils to relax, The scourge of impostors, the terror of quacks: Come, all ye quack bards, and ye quacking divines, Come, and dance on the spot where your tyrant reclines: When satire and censure encircled his throne, 1 The Rev. Dr. Dodd. 2 Dr. Kenrick, who read lectures at the Devil tavern, under the title of "The School of Shakspeare." 3 James Macpherson, Esq. who lately, from the mere force of his style, wrote down the first poet of all antiquity. |