dall's death happened,
by whose will Mr. Budgell had 2000 l. left him; and the world being
surprised at such a gift, immediately imputed it to his making the will
himself. This produced a paper-war between him and Mr. Tindall, the
continuator of Rapin, by which Mr. Budgell's character considerably
suffered; and this occasioned his Bee's being turned into a meer
vindication of himself.

It is thought he had some hand in publishing Dr. Tindall's Christianity
as old as the Creation; and he often talked of another additional volume
on the same subject, but never published it. However he used to enquire
very frequently after Dr. Conybear's health (who had been employed by
her late majesty to answer the first, and had been rewarded with the
deanery of Christ-Church for his pains) saying he hoped Mr. Dean would
live a little while longer, that he might have the pleasure of making
him a bishop, for he intended very soon to publish the other volume of
Tindall which would do the business. Mr. Budgell promised likewise a
volume of several curious pieces of Tindall's, that had been committed
to his charge, with the life of the doctor; but never fulfilled his
promise[4].

During the publication of the Bee a smart pamphlet came out, called A
Short History of Prime Ministers, which was generally believed to be
written by our author; and in the same year he published A Letter to the
Merchants and Tradesmen of London and Bristol, upon their late glorious
behaviour against the Excise Law.

After the extinction of the Bee, our author became so involved with
law-suits, and so incapable of living in the manner he wished and
affected to do, that he was reduced to a very unhappy situation. He got
himself call'd to the bar, and attended for some time in the courts of
law; but finding it was too late to begin that profession, and too
difficult for a man not regularly trained to it, to get into business,
he soon quitted it. And at last, after being cast in several of his own
suits, and being distressed to the utmost, he determined to make away
with himself. He had always thought very loosely of revelation, and
latterly became an avowed deist; which, added to his pride, greatly
disposed him to this resolution.

Accordingly within a few days after the loss of his great cause, and his
estates being decreed for the satisfaction of his creditors, in the year
1736 he took boat at Somerset-Stairs (after filling his pockets with
stones upon the bea