ASGILL, fls'gil, JouN (1659-1733). An ec centric English writer. Ile was born at Hanley Castle, Worcestershire, and studied for the liar. At intervals the whole of his checkered life he praeticed his profession in some form or other: but he was continually getting into finan cial and other difficulties. Fortunately for him, Parliament had just passed an act (1700) for the resumption of forfeited estates in Ireland, and commissioners were appointed to settle claims. Seeing his opportunity, he went to Ire land, and found the whole country wrangling in lawsuits. llis talents, and the favor of the com missioners, secured to him a lucrative practice; and he even acquired sufficient influence to obtain a seat in the Irish Parliament. Some time, how ever, before taking his seat, Asgill hail published a most extraordinary pamphlet, entitled: An Argument Proring that, Aceordi»g to the Cov enant of Eternal Life, Nerraled in the Scriptures, .1/(in May Ile Translated Hence into the Eternal Life Without Passing Through Death, Although the Humane Nature of Christ Himself Could not thus Ge Translated till He had Passed Through Death (1700). The Irish Parliament
voted the treatise a libel, and expelled the author. Asgill returned to England and entered the English Parliament in 1705 as member for Bramber, in Sussex. lint the fame of his un lucky pamphlet at last proved a Nemesis; for the English House, resolving to he not less vir tuous than the Irish one, took up the treatise, condemned it to be burned by the common hang-' man, as profane and blasphemous, and expelled Asgill (1707). After this his eircumstanees rap idly grew worse, until he finally found something like peace in the fling's Bench and the Fleet, be twcen which two places his excursions were con fined for the remainder of his life. The famous pamphlet by which Asgill is remembered, was much praised by Coleridge for its irony. The ease for man was, indeed, capitally argued in the terms of the English law. Asgill professed to believe that he was to be translated without dying. Consult the Gregg edition of the argu ment (New York, 1875), and Coleridge, Table Talk, April 30, 1832, reprint (London, IS83).