on, one of the judges, who had a pleasant
house called Mountown, near Dublin, to which King frequently retired;
delighting to neglect his interest, forget his cares, and desert his
duty.

Here he wrote "Mully of Mountown," a poem; by which, though
fanciful readers in the pride of sagacity have given it a poetical
interpretation, was meant originally no more than it expressed, as it
was dictated only by the author's delight in the quiet of Mountown.

In 1708, when Lord Wharton was sent to govern Ireland, King returned to
London, with his poverty, his idleness, and his wit; and published
some essays, called "Useful Transactions." His "Voyage to the Island of
Cajamai" is particularly commended. He then wrote the "Art of Love," a
poem remarkable, notwithstanding its title, for purity of sentiment; and
in 1709 imitated Horace in an "Art of Cookery," which he published with
some letters to Dr. Lister.

In 1710 he appeared as a lover of the Church, on the side of
Sacheverell; and was supposed to have concurred at least in the
projection of the Examiner. His eyes were open to all the operations of
Whiggism; and he bestowed some strictures upon Dr. Kennet's adulatory
sermon at the funeral of the Duke of Devonshire.

"The History of the Heathen Gods," a book composed for schools, was
written by him in 1711. The work is useful, but might have been produced
without the powers of King. The same year he published "Rufinus," an
historical essay; and a poem intended to dispose 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
request, made Gazetteer. Swift, Freind, Prior, and other men of the same
party, brought him the key of the Gazetteer's office. He was now again
placed in a profitable employment, and again threw the benefit away.
An Act of Insolvency made his business at that time particularly
troublesome; and he would not wait till hurry should be at an end,
but impatiently resigned it, and returned to his wonted indigence and
amusements.

One of his amusements at Lambeth, where he resided, was to mortify
Dr. Tenison, the archbishop, by a public festivity on the surrender of
Dunkirk to Hill; an event with which Tenison's political bigotry did
not suffer him to be delighted. King was resolved to counteract his
sullenness, and at the expense of a few barrels of a