and with David Garrick, whom I hoped to have gratified with this character of our common friend: but what are the hopes of man! I am difappointed by that stroke of death, which has eclipfed the gaiety of nations, and impoverithed the publick ftock of harmless pleasure.

In the Library at Oxford is the following ludicrous Analysis of Pocockius:

Ex AUTOGRAPHO.

[Sent by the Author to Mr. Urry.] OPUSCULUM hoc, Halberdarie ampliffime, in lucem proferre hactenus diftuli, judicii tui acumen fubveritus magis quam bipennis. Tandem aliquando Oden hanc ad te mitto fublimem, teneram, flebilem, fuavem, qualem demum divinus (fi Mufis vacaret) fcripfiffit Gaftrellus adeo fcilicet fublimem ut inter legendum dormire, adeo flebilem ut ridere velis. Cujus elegantiam ut melius infpicias, verfuum ordinem & materiam breviter referam. 1 mus verfus de duobus præliis decantatis. 2dus & 3" de Lotharingio, cuniculis fubterraneis, faxis, ponto, hoftibus, & Afia. 4trs & 5tus de catenis, fubdibus, uncis, draconibus, tigribus & crocodilis. 6, 7, 8us, gus, de Gomorrha, de Babylone, Babele, & quodam domi fuæ peregrino. 10", aliquid de quodam Pocockic. 11, 12, de Syriâ, Solymâ. 13, 14", de Hofeâ, & quercu, & de juvene quodam valde fene. 15", 16", de Einâ, & quomodo Ætna Pocockio fit valde fimilis. 17, 18, de tubâ, aftro, umbrâ, flammis, rotis, Pocockio non neglecto. Cætera de Chriftianis, Ottomanis, Babyloniis, Arabibus, & graviffimâ agrorum melancholiâ; de Ca

fare

fare Flacco, Neftore, & miferando juvenis cujufdam florentiffimi fato, anno ætatis fuæ centefimo præmaturè abrepti. Quæ omnia cum accuratè expenderis, neceffe eft ut oden hanc meam admiranda planè varietati conftare fatearis. Subito ad Batavos proficifcor, lauro ab illis donandus. Prius vero Pembrochienfes voco ad certamen Poeticum. Vale.

Illuftriffima tua deofculor crura.

DUKE.

E. SMITH.

OF

F Mr. RICHARD DUKE I can find few memorials. He was bred at Westminster+ and Cambridge; and Jacob relates, that he was fome time tutor to the Duke of Richmond.

He appears from his writings to have been not ill-qualified for poetical compofitions; and being confcious of his powers, when he left the university, he enlisted himself among the wits. He was the familiar friend of Otway; and was engaged, among other popular names, in the tranflations of

*Pro Flacco, animo paulo attentiore, fcripfiffem Marone.

He was admitted there in 1670. N.

He was elected to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1675; and

took his Mafter's degree in 1682. N.

Ovid and Juvenal. In his Review, though unfinifhed, are fome vigorous lines. His poems are not below mediocrity; nor have I found much in them to be praised *.

With the wit he feems to have fhared the diffoluteness of the times: for fome of his compofitions are fuch as he muft have reviewed with deteftation in his later days, when he published those Sermons which Felton has commended.

Perhaps, like fome other foolish young men, he rather talked than lived vicioufly, in an age when he that would be thought a Wit was afraid to say his prayers; and, whatever might have been bad in the firft part of his life, was furely condemned and reformed by his better judgement.

In 1683, being then mafter of arts, and fellow of Trinity College in Cambridge, he wrote a poem on the marriage of the Lady Anue with George Prince of Denmark.

He then took orders; and, being made prebendary of Gloucester, became a proctor in convocation for that church, and chaplain to Queen Anne.

In 1710, he was prefented by the bifhop of Winchester to the wealthy living of Witney in Oxfordshire, which he enjoyed but a few months. On February 10, 1710-11, having returned from an entertainment, he was found dead the next morning. His death is mentioned in Swift's Journal.

They make a part of a volume published by Tonfon in 8vo. 1717, containing the poems of the earl of Rofcommon, and the duke of Buckingham's effay on poetry; but were first published in Dryden's Mifcellany, as were most, if not all, of the poems in that collection. H.

KING.

KING.

WILLIAM KING was born in London in

1663; the fon of Ezekiel King, a gentleman. He was allied to the family of Clarendon.

From Westminster school, where he was a fcholar on the foundation under the care of. Dr. Bufby, he was at eighteen elected to Chrift-church, in 1681; where he is faid to have profecuted his ftudies with fo much intenfenefs and activity, that before he was eight years ftanding he had read over, and made remarks upon, twenty-two thoufand odd hundred books and manufcripts. The books were certainly not very long, the manufcripts not very difficult, nor the remarks very large; for the calculator will find that he dif patched seven a day for every day of his eight years; with a remnant that more than fatisfies moft other students. He took his degree in the most expensive manner, as a grand compounder; whence it is inferred that he inherited a confiderable fortune.

In 1688, the fame year in which he was made master of arts, he published a confutation of Varilla's account of Wicliffe; and, engaging in the ftudy of the Civil Law, became doctor in 1692, and was admitted advocate at Doctors Commons. VOL. II.

I

He

He had already made fome tranflations from the French, and written fome humorous and fatirical pieces; when in 1694, Molefworth published his Account of Denmark, in which he treats the Danes and their monarch with great contempt; and takes the opportunity of infinuating those wild principles, by which he fuppofes liberty to be eftablished, and by which his adverfaries fufpect that all fubordination and government is endangered.

This book offended Prince George; and the Danish minifter prefented a memorial against it. The principles of its author did not please Dr. King; and therefore he undertook to confute part, and laugh at the reft. The controversy is now forgotten; and books of this kind seldom live long, when intereft and refentment have ceased.

In 1697 he mingled in the controverfy between Boyle and Bentley; and was one of those who tried what Wit could perform in oppofition to Learning, on a queftion 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 least Sir Hans Sloane their prefident, in two dialogues, intituled The Tranfactioneer.

Though he was a regular advocate in the courts of civil and canon law, he did not love his profeffion, nor indeed any kind of bufinefs 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 address and

knowledge