stle to Solon, to
invite him to Crete, under the tyranny of Pisistratus.'

'Epimenides often pretended that he rose from death to life.'

The above notes are sufficient to shew that he read the ancients with
attention, and knew how to select the most curious passages, and most
deserving the reader's observation.

About the year 1711 the Dr. published a piece called the British
Palladium, or a welcome of lord, Bolingbroke from France. Soon after
this, Dr. Swift, Dr. Friend, Mr. Prior, with some others of lord
Bolingbroke's adherents, paid a visit to Dr. King, and brought along
with them, the key of the Gazetteer's office, together with another key
for the use of the paper office. The day following this friendly visit,
the Dr. entered upon his new post; and two or three days after waited on
his benefactor lord Bolingbroke, then secretary of state.

The author of the Doctor's life, published by Curl, has related an
instance of inhumanity in alderman Barber, towards Dr. King. This
magistrate was then printer of the Gazette, and was so cruel as to
oblige the Dr. to sit up till three or four o'clock in the morning,
upon those days the Gazette was published, to correct the errors of the
press; which was not the business of the author, but a corrector, who is
kept for that purpose in every printing-office of any consequence. This
slavery the Dr. was not able to bear, and therefore quitted the office.
The alderman's severity was the more unwarrantable, as the Dr. had been
very kind in obliging him, by writing Examiners, and some other papers,
gratis, which were of advantage to him as a printer. Those writings at
that juncture made him known to the ministry, who afterwards employed
him in a state paper called the Gazettee.

About Midsummer 1712 the Dr. quitted his employ, and retired to a
gentleman's house on Lambeth side the water; where he had diverted
himself a summer or two before: Here he enjoyed his lov'd tranquility,
with a friend, a bottle, and his books; he frequently visited lord
Clarendon, at Somerset-house, as long as he was able. It was the autumn
season, and the Dr. began insensibly to droop: He shut himself up
entirely from his nearest friends, and would not so much as see lord
Clarendon; who hearing of his weak condition, ordered his sister to go
to Lambeth, and fetch him from thence to a lodging he had provided for
him, in the Strand, over against Somerset-house where next day
about noon he expired, with all