KING, William, English author: b. London, 1663; d. 1712. Graduating from Ox ford in 1665 he spent five years in preparing for literary life. He soon proved himself a caustic critic who unerringly found the weak spots in human nature. Yet there was enough of humor in his work to lighten his caustic vein and to make it popular. His first dramatic effort, which was directed in favor of the Tory High Church Party, was entitled 'Dialogue Showing the Way to Modern Preferment.' He was, from this time on, in favor with the court and the recipient of successive political prefer ments, among them thejudge of the Admi ralty Court in Ireland, vicar-general of Armagh and keeper of the records of Dublin Castle. These offices all left him plenty of time for his literary labors which he did not employ to the best of advantage. Nor did he wisely use the time he did dedicate to litera ture. Thus his undoubtedly great talents were
often misdirected or not directed at all. His indolence went even to the neglect of the preservation and publication of his Manuscripts, some of which were lost and others crf which were not published during the lifetime of the author. Among his published works are 'Journey to London in the Year 1698,' 'An imadversions,' 'Dialogues of the Dead,' 'The Art of Cookery,' 'The Art of Love,' 'Useful Transactions in Philosophy and Other Sorts of Learning,' 'Historical Account of the Heathen Gods and Heroes,' all sparkling with humor and originality. It was not until more than half a century after his death that his works were published as a whole, that is, such as were still preserved. This edition was due to John Nichols, who issued it in three volumes in 1776.