The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.Cibber, Theophilus
General
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.
Cibber, Theophilus
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Poets, Irish -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
All that we have left more of this poet, is a Latin Ode to Henry St.
John, esq; which is esteemed a master-piece; the stile being pure and
elegant, the subject of a mixt nature, resembling the Jublime spirit,
and gay facetious humour of Horace. He was beloved, says Dr. Sewel, 'by
all who knew him; somewhat reserved and silent amongst strangers, but
free, familiar, and easy with his friends; he was averse to disputes,
and thought no time so ill spent, and no wit so ill used, as that which
was employed in such debates; his whole life was distinguished by a
natural goodness, and well-grounded and unaffected piety, an universal
charity, and a steady adherence to his principles; no one observed the
natural and civil duties of life with a stricter regard, whether a son,
a friend, or a member of society, and he had the happiness to fill every
one of these parts, without even the suspicion either of undutifulness,
insincerity, or disrespect. Thus he continued to the last, not owing his
virtues to the happiness of his constitution, but the frame of his
mind, insomuch, that during a long sickness, which is apt to ruffle the
smoothest temper; he never betrayed any discontent or uneasiness, the
integrity of his life still preserving the chearfulness of his spirits;
and if his friends had measured their hopes of his life, only by his
unconcern in his sickness, they could not but conclude, that either his
date would be much longer, or that he was at all times prepared for
death.' He had long been troubled with a lingering consumption, attended
with an asthma; and the summer before he died, by the advice of his
physicians, he removed to Batly, where he got only some present ease,
but went from thence with but small hopes of recovery; and upon the
return of the distemper, he died at Hereford the 15th of February,
1708. He was interred in the Cathedral church of that city, with an
inscription upon his grave-stone, and had a monument erected to his
memory in Westminster-abbey by Sir Simon Harcourt, afterwards lord
chancellor; the epitaph of which was written by Dr. Friend.
* * * * *
WILLIAM WALSH, Esq;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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