Agamemnon. The Epilogue, said to be writ ten by a friend, was compofed in hafte by Mallet, in the place of one promised, which was never given. This tragedy was dedicated to the Prince his master. It was acted at Drury-Lane in 1739, and was well received, but was never revived.

In 1740, he produced, as has been already mentioned, the masque of Alfred, in conjunction with Thomfon.

For fome time afterwards he lay at rest. After a long interval, his next work was Amyntor and Theodora (1747), a long story in blank verse; in which it cannot be denied that there is copiousness and elegance of language, vigour of fentiment, and imagery well adapted to take poffeffion of the fancy. But it is blank verse. The first sale was not great, and it is now loft in forgetfulness.

Mallet, by address or accident, perhaps by his dependance on the Prince, found his way to Bolingbroke; a man whose pride and petulance made his kindness difficult to gain, or keep, and whom Mallet was content to court

by by an act, which, I hope, was unwillingly performed. When it was found that Pope had clandestinely printed an unauthorised number of the pamphlet called the Patriot King, Bolingbroke, in a fit of useless fury, refolved to blast his memory, and employed Mallet (1747) as the executioner of his vengeance. Mallet had not virtue, or had not spirit, to refuse the office; and was rewarded, not long after, with the legacy of lord Bolingbroke's works.

Many of the political pieces had been written during the oppofition to Walpole, and given to Franklin, as he supposed, in perpetuity. These, among the rest, were claimed by the will. The question was referred to arbitrators; but when they decided against Mallet, he refused to yield to the award; and by the help of Millar the bookseller published all that he could find, but with success very much below his expectation.

In 1753, his masque of Britannia was acted at Drury-Lane, and his tragedy of Elvira in 1763; in which year he was appointed keeper keeper of the book of Entries for ships in the port of London.

In the beginning of the last war, when the nation was exafperated by ill fuccess, he was employed to turn the publick vengeance upon Byng, and wrote a letter of accufation under the character of a Plain Man. The paper was with great industry circulated and dispersed; and he, for his seasonable intervention, had a confiderable pension bestowed upon him, which he retained to his death.

Towards the end of his life he went with his wife to France; but after a while, finding his health declining, he returned alone to England, and died in April 1765.

He was twice married, and by his first wife had feveral children. One daughter, who married an Italian of rank named Cilefia, wrote a tragedy called Almida, which was acted at Drury-Lane. His second wife was the daughter of a nobleman's steward, who had a confiderable fortune, which she took care to retain in her own hands.

/

His stature was diminutive, but he was regularly formed; his appearance, till he grew corpulent, was agreeable, and he fuffered it to want no recommendation that dress could give it. His conversation was elegant and eafy. The rest of his character may, without injury to his memory, fink into filence.

As a writer, he cannot be placed in any high class. There is no species of composition in which he was eminent. His Dramas had their day, a short day, and are forgotten : his blank verse seems to my ear the echo of Thomson. His Life of Bacon is known as it is appended to Bacon's volumes, but is no longer mentioned. His works are such as a writer, bustling in the world, shewing himself in publick, and emerging occafionally from time to time into notice, might keep alive by his personal influence; but which, conveying little information, and giving no great pleasure, must soon give way, as the fucceffion of things produces new topicks of conversation, and other modes of amusement.

AKEN