Wycherley, it may be remarked, took Pope's advice by turning some of his verses into prose maxims; and they seem to have been at last upon more or less friendly terms.

The final scene of Wycherley's questionable career, some four years later, is given by Pope in a letter to his friend, Edward Blount.

The old man, he says, joined the sacraments of marriage and extreme unction.

By one he supposed himself to gain some advantage of his soul; by the other, he had the pleasure of saddling his hated heir and nephew with the jointure of his widow.
When dying, he begged his wife to grant him a last request, and, upon her consent, explained it to be that she would never again marry an old man.

Sickness, says Pope in comment, often destroys wit and wisdom, but has seldom the power to remove humour.