In this distress, Dr. Garth, who had been Mr. Dryden’s intimate friend, sent for the corpse to the college of physicians, and proposed a subscription; which succeeding, about three weeks after Mr. Dryden’s decease, Dr. Garth pronounced a fine latin oration over the body, which was conveyed from the college, attended by a numerous train of coaches to Westminster-Abbey, but in very great disorder.  At last the corpse arrived at the Abbey, which was all unlighted.  No organ played, no anthem sung; only two of the singing boys preceded the corpse, who sung an ode of Horace, with each a small candle in their hand.  When the funeral was over, Mr. Charles Dryden sent a challenge to lord Jefferys, who refusing to answer it, he sent several others, and went often himself; but could neither get a letter delivered, nor admittance to speak to him; which so incensed him, that finding his lordship refused to answer him like a gentleman, he resolved to watch an opportunity, and brave him to 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.