Pope's Last Illness
DURING Pope's last illness, a squabble happened in his chamber, between
his two physicians, Dr. Burton and Dr. Thomson, they mutually charging
each other with hastening the death of the patient by improper
prescriptions. Pope at length silenced them by saying, Gentlemen, I
only learn by your discourse that I am in a dangerous way; therefore,
all I now ask is, that the following epigram may be added after my death
to the next edition of the Dunciad, by way of postscript:--
'Dunces rejoice, forgive all censures past,
The greatest dunce has killed your foe at last.'