y within the "rules" of
the King's Bench prison. He is chiefly remembered as the author of _The
Three Tours of Dr. Syntax_, a comic poem (?). His cleverest piece of work
was a series of imaginary letters, supposed to have been written by the
second, or "wicked" Lord Lyttelton. Of a similar kind were his letters
between Swift and Stella. He also wrote the letterpress for various
illustrated books, and was a general hack.

CONGREVE, WILLIAM (1670-1729).--Dramatist, was _b._ in Yorkshire. In
boyhood he was taken to Ireland, and _ed._ at Kilkenny and at Trinity
Coll., Dublin. In 1688 he returned to England and entered the Middle
Temple, but does not appear to have practised, and took to writing for
the stage. His first comedy, _The Old Bachelor_, was produced with great
applause in 1693, and was followed by _The Double Dealer_ (1693), _Love
for Love_ (1695), and _The Way of the World_ (1700), and by a tragedy,
_The Mourning Bride_ (1697). His comedies are all remarkable for wit and
sparkling dialogue, but their profanity and licentiousness have driven
them from the stage. These latter qualities brought them under the lash
of Jeremy Collier (_q.v._) in his _Short View of the English Stage_.
Congreve rushed into controversy with his critic who, however, proved too
strong for him. C. was a favourite at Court, and had various lucrative
offices conferred upon him. In his latter years he was blind; otherwise
his life was prosperous, and he achieved his chief ambition of being
admired as a fine gentleman and gallant. _Life_, Gosse (1888). _Works_,
ed. by Henley (1895), also Mermaid Series (1888).

CONINGTON, JOHN (1825-1869).--Translator, _s._ of a clergyman at Boston,
Lincolnshire, where he was _b._, _ed._, at Rugby and Magdalen and Univ.
Coll., Oxf., and began the study of law, but soon relinquished it, and
devoting himself to scholarship, became Prof. of Latin at Oxf.
(1854-1869). His chief work is his translation of Virgil's _AEneid_ in the
octosyllabic metre of Scott (1861-68). He also translated the _Satires_
and _Epistles_ of Horace in Pope's couplets, and completed Worsley's
_Iliad_ in Spenserian stanza. He also brought out valuable ed. of Virgil
and Perseus. C. was one of the greatest translators whom England has
produced.

CONSTABLE, HENRY (1562-1613).--Poet, _s._ of Sir Robert C., _ed._ at
Camb., but becoming a Roman Catholic, went to Paris, and acted as an
agent for the Catholic powers. He _d._ at Liege. In 159