; Indian. 
ABIL] 
displayed and exerted in the election 
of a master of the ceremonies, and he 
“was flattered ‘by the choice of the vo- 
lunteers, by whom he was chosen ma- 
jor-commandant. In consequence of an 
accession to their numbers, he after- 
wards obtained a commission as lieute- 
nant-colone], and the writer of this me- 
moir has often seen him marcha couple of 
niles at their head, and give the word 
of command with all the ardour of an ex~ 
perienced veteran. - ; 
Nor were his literary pursuits entirely 
forgotten. Mr. C. at an. advanced pe- 
riod of life, could still occasionally com- 
pose a jeu d’esprit, and he once more 
ventured even to write: for the stage; 
but welament to observe, that none of 
his latter performances evinced the spirit, . 
or experienced the success of his West 
He also undertook a quarterly 
review, to. which he prefixed a preface, 
and appended his name to this, as well 
as many of the leading articles; but this 
speculation also proved unfortunate. 
** Memoirs of his own Life,” however, 
were read with satisfaction, and circu- 
lated with a certain degree of avidity. 
Soon after their appearance, he confided 
the care of arranging his posthumous 
works to Messrs. Rogers* and Sharpe, 
together with Sir James Bland Burgess, 
It is with sorrow we are obliged to 
remark, that Mr. Cumberland towards 
the latter part of his life, experienced a’ 
variety of misfortunes. One of his grand- 
sons, having at an early period of life 
been sent to sea as a midshipman, had 
received a corporeal punishment for 
some: trifling fault; this circumstance, 
which we believe is unusual on the part 
ofa midshipman, preyed on his’mind, 
more especially as the young man died 
soon after. He wrote for, and, we have 
heard, obtained a court-martial for the 
trial of thie officer in question; but although 
he was acquitted, yet the circumstances 
. 
. of the case rankled in his mind, and ren- 
dered him attimesuneasy. [is favourite. 
daughter also was far from enjoying a 
good state of health, while her husband, 
a foreign officer, who had served abroad 
with credit, appeared to be afilicted with 
a mortal distemper. His own affairs too, 
were far from being flourishing, and his 
late Jiterary pursuits had not been ah 
tended with that flattering success which 
he experienced during his earlier years, 
It was in this situation, at some dis« 
a a ey res 
_* Mr. R. is author of the ** Pleasures of 
mory.” : 
Moyruty Mac, No, 214. 
Memoirs of the late Richard Cumberland, esq; 
545 
tance from his own beloved house, and 
from Tunbridge Wells, a residence to 
which. he was so much and so long ate 
tached, that Richard Cumberland. re« 
signed his breath, at the house of Mr. 
Heary Fry, in Bedford Place, Russel 
Square, in the 80th year of his age, on 
the 7th of May, 1811. The author of 
this article, who had known him for some 
years, beheld his grave on the day of his 
Interment*, in Poets Corner, Westmin« 
ster Abbey, with a considerable degree 
of emotion, A procession was formed 
on the occasion, and his mortal remains 
being deposited in a spot, nearly at an 
equal distance from Drydenand Addison, 
Dr. Vincent, the Dean of Westminster, 
and himself an author, pronounced the 
following funeral discourse over the re< 
mains of his old schoolfellow : 
“ The person you now see ‘deposited 
here, is Richard Cumberland, an author 
of no small merit: his writings were 
chiefly intended for the stage, but of a- 
tendency strictly moral; they were not 
destitute of faults, but cannot be charged. 
with grossness ;_ nor did they abound with 
oaths, or libidinous expressions, as I am 
shocked to observe is the case with many 
of such compositions of the present cay. 
-He wrote as much as any; few excelled 
more; and his works must be holden in 
the highest estimation so long as the 
English language will be understood. 
He considered the theatre 2s a school 
for moral improvement, and his remains 
are truly worthy of mingling with the il« 
lustrious dead which surround us; 
“ Read his prose subjects on divinity! 
there you will find the true christian spi. 
rit of the man who.trusted in our-lord 
and saviour Jesus Christ; so may God 
forgive him his sins, and at the resurs 
rection of the just, receive him into evere 
lasting glory !” 
Mr. Cumberland in person, appeared 
rather below the middle size, with a 
countenance, from which the vermi- 
lion flow of health was not banished 
until the last and most afflicting period - 
of his existence. He usually dressed 
in blue or black, was always neat 
in his apparel, and when he so chose, 
eould be both pleasing and instructive in 
his conversation. In respect to the 
world, he affected to possess a critical 
knowledge of it, yet he, to adopt his 
own language, 
¢ Tn its fair promises reposed more trust 
Than wiser heads, and older hearts, would 
risque.” 
* May 14th. 
aA j We 
. 
