fight, though with all the rules of honour; which
his lordship hearing, quitted the town, and Mr. Charles never had an
opportunity to meet him, though he sought it to his death, with the
utmost application.

Mr. Dryden had no monument erected to him for several years; to which
Mr. Pope alludes in his epitaph intended for Mr. Rowe, in this line.

Beneath a rude and nameless stone he lies.

In a note upon which we are informed, that the tomb of Mr. Dryden was
erected upon this hint, by Sheffield duke of Buckingham, to which was
originally intended this epitaph.

This Sheffield raised.--The sacred dust below,
Was Dryden once; the rest who does not know.

Which was since changed into the plain inscription now upon it, viz.

J. DRYDEN,
Natus Aug. 9. 1631.
Mortus Maii 1. 1701.
Johannes Sheffield, Dux Buckinghamienfis secit.

The character of Mr. Dryden has been drawn by various hands; some have
done it in a favourable, others in an opposite manner. The bishop of
Sarum in the history of his own times, says, that the stage was defiled
beyond all example. 'Dryden, the great master of dramatic poetry, being
a monster of immodesty and impurities of all sorts.'[8] The late lord
Lansdown took upon himself to vindicate Mr. Dryden's character from this
severe imputation; which was again answered, and apologies for it, by
Mr. Burnet, the bishop's son. But not to dwell on these controversies
about his character, let us hear what Mr. Congreve says in the
dedication of Dryden's works to the duke of Newcastle: Congreve knew him
intimately, and as he could have no motive to deceive the world in that
particular; and being a man of untainted morals, none can suspect his
authority; and by his account we shall see, that Dryden was indeed as
amiable in private life, as a Man, as he was illustrious in the eye of
the public, as a Poet.

Mr. Dryden (says Congreve) 'had personal qualities, to challenge love
and esteem from all who were truly acquainted with him. He was of a
nature exceeding humane and compassionate, easily forgiving injuries,
and capable of a prompt and sincere reconciliation with those who had
offended him.--His friendship, where he professed it, went much beyond
his professions.--As his reading had been very extensive, so was he very
happy in a memory, tenacious of every thing he had read. He was not more
possessed of knowledge, than he was communicative of it; but then,
his communication of it was by no m