The rich creation of his pen:

Preferr’d the prayer—the marble god

Methinks I see, assenting, nod,

And, pointing to his laurell’d brow,

Cry—“Half this wreath to you I owe:

Lost to the stage, and lost to fame;

Murder’d my scenes, scarce known my name;

Sunk in oblivion and disgrace

Among the common scribbling race,

Unnotic’d long thy Shakespeare lay,