This was Colley Cibber, Esq., poet laureate, and retired actor and dramatist, a gentleman who is entitled to a word or two.
This Cibber was the only actor since Shakespeare's time who had both acted and written well.

Pope's personal resentment misleads the reader of English poetry as to Cibber's real place among the wits of the day.
The man's talent was dramatic, not didactic, or epic, or pastoral.

Pope was not so deep in the drama as in other matters, and Cibber was one of its luminaries; he wrote some of the best comedies of his day.

He also succeeded where Dryden, for lack of true dramatic taste, failed.

He tampered successfully with Shakespeare.