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trated all his labours in the execution of his mission, in the very moment when the most sanguine success seemed on the point of crowning his exertions.

During his residence in that country, his health was most sensibly impaired, partly by the climate and partly by too close an application to his duties, exclusive of the impression which the ungeneruos proceeding abovementioned must have left upon his mind. In addition to these distresses, he experienced the loss of his situation as secretary to the Board of Trade, on the suppression of that commission in consequence of Mr. Burke's bill, as before mentioned.

Few men have experienced a more singular combination of untoward scenes, some of which singly were sufficient to have borne down many by their weight. His sufferings seem to have been poured down in full measure; but there was still ano, ther draught to be taken from the bitter cup, and one which,` in its effects, could not fail to increase the afflictions of his body and mind. A person advanced in years, with whom hẹ was connected only by the tie of relationship, but without any particular intimacy farther, presented him with the deeds of his estates, with the injunction, that he should cause a transfer to be made to him of whatever he might be possessed at the time of his death. But here Mr. Cumberland gave another proof of the most disinterested generosity, by his refusal of this offer, unless it were made on the express condition, that it should always be optional with the donor to reclaim his gift at any future period. After a lapse of ten years, during which their friendship had existed unalloyed, his relation suddenly thought proper, from private motives, to reclaim his donation and papers, with which our author immediately complied, to the great injury of his own fortune.

Thus deprived of his situation in his official capacity, and of the prospect of an easy, independent fortune, he now appears to have applied himself entirely to those literary pursuits, from which the republic of letters have derived such considerable advantage. In the year 1782, he published "Anecdotes of Eminent Painters in Spain, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries;" for an account of which see the Monthly

Review, vol. lxvii. p. 50. If we consider the various matters treated of by him in the course of his literary career, his publications of "The Observer," his novels, dramatic and poetical works, particularly his chef d'œuvre, his epic poem, denominated" Calvary *," we are almost at a loss which to admire most, whether the diversity or fertility of his genius, in which he has been equalled but by few, and surpassed scarcely by any author in so short a space. With respect to his dramatic writings, of which we already have nearly forty, we observe that, considering their number, merits, and exquisite execution, Mr. Cumberland certainly ranks high as a dramatic author. As a proof of the favourable reception they have met with from the public, it is necessary to remark, that of this number, the comedy of "The Dependant' is reported to be the only exception which experienced total censure from a British audience.

It is but natural to suppose, that such a continual flow of public applause should attract the jaundiced eye of invidiousness, an occurrence by no means rare in the republic of letters; thus we find him occasionally charged with a certain degree of haste and inattention in his writings. To this it may be replied, that if an opinion be formed of their merit merely from the great rapidity in their succession, compared with the tardy productions of many authors, without examining them closely, and without considering the fertility of his genius, there might appear to be some foundation for the charge. But of any precipitation, in fact, no one can decide, except those who were in the habits of the closest intimacy with him, and who are, therefore, the best judges of the labour which he bestowed on his performances. Like many other men of great talents, he has frequently been severely handled by illiberal criticism, and borne it with manly patience, and without expressing any resentment. The best opinion may be formed of his character from the following passage in his "Observers," where, in speaking of himself, he says,

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"I have passed a life of many labours, and now being near its end, have little to boast but of an inherent good-will towards mankind, which disappointments, injuries, and age itself, have not been able to diminish. It has been the chief aim of all my attempts to reconcile and endear man to man; I love my country and contemporaries to a degree of enthusiasm, that I am not sure is perfectly defensible; though, to do them justice, each in their turns have taken some pains to cure me of my partiality. It is, however, one of those stubborn habits which people are apt to excuse in themselves, by calling it a second nature."

Of his writings, the greater part of which are dramatic, the following will be found a correct list.

Summer's Tale, a musical comedy, acted at Covent Garden. Brothers, one of the most sterling comedies on the English stage, acted at ditto.

West Indian, a comedy, acted at Drury Lane, in 1771, at that time reconciled him with Garrick.

Fashionable Lover, a comedy, at ditto, in 1772.

Amelia, a musical entertainment, altered.

Choleric Man, a comedy, at ditto, in 1775, bearing some affinity to Richard Steele's Tender Husband.

Note of Hand, or a Trip to Newmarket, a farce, at ditto, in 1774.

Timon of Athens, altered from Shakespeare, at ditto.

A volume of odes, in 4to. published in 1776.

Banishment of Cicero, in 4to. published in the year 1761. This piece was refused to be brought on the stage by Garrick, being rather a dramatic poem than a tragedy.

Battle of Hastings, a tragedy, at Drury Lane.

The Duke of Milan, a tragedy, altered.

Calypso, an opera, the music by Butler, at Covent Garden.

The Bondman, a tragedy, altered.

The Widow of Delphi, a comic opera, at ditto.

The Walloons, a comedy, at ditto.

The Mysterious Husband, a tragedy, in prose, at ditto, in the year 1783.

The Carmelite, a tragedy, at Drury Lane, in 1785.

The Natural San, a comedy, at Drury Lane, published in 1785. In the same year, Mr. Cumberland published a character of his deceased friend, Lord Viscount Sackville,

The School for Widows, a comedy, at Covent Garden. The Country Attorney, a comedy, at the Haymarket. The Armourer, a comic opera, at Covent Garden, in 1793. The Arab, a tragedy, acted for the benefit of Mr. Henderson. The Jew, a comedy, at Drury Lane, in 1794, most deser. vedly esteemed; being written with the laudable design of removing the stigma which accompanies that most persecu ted people.

The Wheel of Fortune, a comedy, at ditto, in 1795.

First Love, a comedy, at ditto, in 1795.

The Dependant, a comedy, at ditto.

The Duke of York, a play, in three acts, at Covent Garden, published in 1796.

Don Pedro, a play, at the Haymarket.

The Last of the Family, a comedy, at Drury Lane, published in 1797.

The Impostor.

The Spanish Painters, with an accurate descriptive catalogue of the paintings in the king of Spain's palace at Madrid, 2 vols. published in 1787.

Arundel, in 2 vols. published in 1787. He is accused, but on very slight foundation, as seeming to palliate, in this novel, adultery and duelling.

Henry, in 4 vols. 1795.

Calvary, an epic poem, 1 vol. in 4to. published in 1792; but lately republished in a portable size, with beautiful engravings. The Box Lobby Challenge, published in 1794.

Various tracts, controversial and political, with some few poems, mostly juvenile.

Prologues, Epilogues, &c. &c. pretty numerous.

We believe he has written one or two pieces between the last mentioned period, and 1804, when he produced the Sailor's Daughter; but we cannot recal them to our remembrance.

The Observer, first published in 1785, in 5 vols. These essays abound with pleasing and instructive information, and dis

⚫over extensive reading. On mentioning this performance, the learned author of the Pursuits of Literature, observes,

"Richard Cumberland, esq. is an author of various talents, and of considerable learning. It is scarcely necessary to enumerate his compositions, in particular his dramatic works, which have received the sanction of public esteem. In my opinion he has done very great service to the cause of morality and of literature. He is author of a work called "The Observer," and from the translations in that work of the fragments of the Greek comic writers, I believe all learned readers will agree, that he is the only man in the kingdom (with whom we are publicly acquainted) equal to the translation of Aristophanes. I wish it were to be the amusement of his retired hours. I shall never think he has been "public too long," but as he has quitted the stage, (as he affirms himself,) such a translation would be an easy, yet an adequate and honourable employment for a man of unquestionable genius, versatility of talents, knowledge of the world, and a consummate master of the poetical language of our best ancient dramatic writers. Let us hope that Aristophanes may yet be our own."

The portrait which is given of Mr. Cumberland, in our frontispiece, may be relied on as a most correct likeness, it having been copied from a drawing in the possession of an in. timate friend, to whom it was not long since presented.

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