took to confute part, and laugh at the reft. The controverfy is now forgotten: and books of this kind feldom live long, when intereft and refentment have ceafed.

In 1697 he mingled in the controverfy between Boyle and Bentley; and was one of thofe who tried what Wit could perform in oppofition to Learning, on a question which Learning only could decide.

In 1699 was published by him A Journey to London, after the method of Dr. Martin Lifter, who had published A Journey to Paris. And in 1700 he fatirifed the

royal Society,

at leaft Sir Hans Sloane their prefident, in two dialogues, intituled The Tranfactioneer.

any

Though he was a regular advocate in the courts of civil and canon law, he did not love his profeffion, nor indeed kind of business which interrupted his voluptuary dreams, or forced him to roufe from that indulgence in which only he could find delight. His reputation as a civilian was yet maintained by his judgements in the courts of Delegates, and raised very high by the addrefs and knowledge which he difcovered in 1700,

when

when he defended the earl of Anglefea against his lady, afterwards dutchefs of Buckinghamshire, who fued for a divorce, and obtained it.

The expence of his pleafures, and neglect of bufinefs, had now leffened his revenues;: and he was willing to accept of a fettlement in Ireland, where, about 1702, he was made judge of the admiralty, commiffioner of the prizes, keeper of the records in Birmingham's tower, and vicar-general to Dr. Marth, the primate.

But it is vain to put wealth within the reach of him who will not stretch out his hand to take it. King foon found a friend, as idle and thoughtlefs as himself, in Upton, one of the judges, who had a pleasant house called Mount-town, near Dublin, to which King frequently retired; delighting to neglect his intereft, forget his cares, and defert his duty.

Here he wrote Mully of Mountown, a poem; by which, though fanciful readers in the pride of fagacity have given it a poetical interpretation,

terpretation, was meant originally no more than it expreffed, as it was dictated only by the author's delight in the quiet of Moun

In 1708, when lord Wharton was fent to govern Ireland, King returned to London, with his poverty, his idlenefs, and his wit; and published fome effays called Useful Tranfactions. His Voyage to the land of Ca jamai is particularly commended. He then wrote the Art of Love, a poem remarkable, notwithstanding its title, for purity of fentis ment; and in 1709 imitated Horace in an Art of Cookery, which he published, with fome letters to Dr. Lifter.

In 1710, he appeared as a lover of the Church, on the fide of Sacheverell; and was fuppofed to have concurred at least in the projection of The Examiner. His eyes were open to all the operations of Whiggifm; and he bestowed fome ftrictures upon Dr. Kennet's adulatory fermon at the funeral of the duke of Devonshire.

The Hiflory of the Heathen Gods, a book compofed for fchools, was written by him in

1711. The work is useful; but might have been produced without the powers of King. The fame year, he published Rufinus, an hiftorical effay, and a poem, intended to difpofe. the nation to think as he thought of the duke of Marlborough and his adherents.

In 1711, competence, if not plenty, was again put into his power. He was, without the trouble of attendance, or the mortification of a requeft, made gazetteer. Swift, Freind, Prior, and other men of the fame party, brought him the key of the gazetteer's office. He was now again placed in a profitable employment, and again, threw the bepefit away. An Act of Insolvency made his business at that time particularly troublefome; and he would not wait till hurry fhould be. at an end, but impatiently refigned it, and returned to his wonted indigence and amuse

ments.

One of his amufements at Lambeth, where he refided, was to mortify Dr. Tenison, the archbishop, by a publick feftivity, on the furrender of Dunkirk to Hill; an event with which Tenison's political bigotry did not fuffer

fuffer him to be delighted. King was re folved to counteract his fullennefs, and at the expence of a few barrels of ale filled the neighbourhood with honeft merriment.

In the Autumn of 1712, his health de clined; he grew weaker by degrees, and died on Christmas-day. Though his life had not been without irregularity, his principles were pure and orthodox, and his death was pious.

After this relation, it will be naturally fuppofed that his poems were rather the amufements of idleness than effort. of ftudy; that he endeavoured rather to divert than aftonifh; that his thought feldom afpired to fublimity; and that, if his verfe was eafy and his images familiar, he attained what he defired. His purpofe is to be merry; but perhaps, to enjoy his mirth, it may be fometimes neceffary to think well of his opinions.