$76 
which were very considerable, might have , 
enabled him to make a very shining figure 
in life.. As clerk to a Jew house of. busi- 
ness, he learned all the arcana of money- 
transactions, and was initiated, into a 
knowledge of the law at another place. 
With these qualifications he commenced 
money-broker; and, by negociating annul- 
ties for young men of fortune to support 
their extravagancies, he contrived to live 
in a splendid style. He did not, however, 
confine his abilities to his profession, but 
was employed at the debating society, 
then (about the year 1782,) held at the 
rooms in Carlisle-street. In this place our 
informant remembers to have heard King, 
the late actor’ Macklin, and the present 
Judge G ; and King. was not the 
worst orator of the three. About the 
same period he commenced author, and 
wrote ‘“‘ Thoughts on the Difficulties and 
Distresses in which the Peace of 1785. has 
involved the People eh esha addressed 
to the Right Hon. Charles Jamts Fox, 
1783.” By his profits on the annuity-bu- 
siness, he contrived to live in a style of 
fashion ; and, by this show, was enabled to 
draw the unwary into many speculations. 
At one time he was concerned in a,bank- 
ing-house in Piccadilly, in company with a 
well-known Liish baronet. At another 
time, but with another set of partners, he 
opened a banking-house in Portland-place, 
and engaged in many other ingenious spe- 
culations; but, as all did not answer to his 
partners, they involved him in many law- 
suits, and sometimes catised him to be- 
come an inmate both of the rules of the 
Fleet and the King’s Bench. He made a 
visit to Paris, where he became acquainted 
with, and married, the Dowager Lady 
Lanesborough, sister of the late Earl of 
Belvidere. Herson he contrived to match 
with a lady of large fortune; and for some 
time he lived in a very splendid style, 
keeping an open table every day, to which 
such company were invited as were likely 
to prove profitable, either by wanting, or 
by lending, money on annuities. His 
transactions being carried on in a peculiar 
way, he was consiantly before some of the 
courts of law or equity as plaintiff, defend- 
ant, or witness, in which latter capacity he 
was often roughly treated by the gentle- 
men of the bar, which induced him, in 
1804, to publish a pamphlet, entitled, 
«¢ Oppression deemed no Injustice toward 
some Individuals.” We have likewise 
another work of his, viz. “¢ An Essay, in- 
tended to shew a Universal System of 
Arithmetic.” A few years ago, by the 
death of Lord Belvidere, Lady Lanesbo- 
rough came into the family estate, and Mr. 
King and she were enabled to live abroad 
in a good style. Fortunately for him, his 
lady, although at the great age of eighty- 
seven, survives him. 
Account of Robert Bloomfield. 
[Nov. 1, 
{We have been favoured with the fol. 
lowing remarks on the works of the late 
Robert. Bloomfield, and with pleasure 
give place to them. Our correspondent 
errs through over zeal, in supposing that 
our former notice was written in the spi- 
rit of detraction. ‘That spirit has never 
disgraced the Monthly Magazine, and 
never will. ‘His ‘ Farmer’s Boy,’ thongh 
his first, on the whole, may, I think, be 
deemed his best production ; in which he 
displayed, not only great poetical talent, 
but also great practical knowledge of 
agriculture. The aecount of the early 
life of the author, prefixed to this work 
by his ingenious friend Mr. Lofft, is 
highly interesting, and shows the native 
excellence of his moral character in a 
striking point of view. His next. pro- 
duction was the “ Rural Tales,’ which 
are many of them truly excellent; and 
of his “ Wild Flowers,” the same may 
be justly saids His poem of ‘ Good 
Tidings, or News from the Farm,” in- 
tended as a tribute of respect and gra- 
titude to Dr. Jenner, for the discovery 
of the Cow Pox,—which contains, also 
a just and eloquent acknowledgment. to 
Lady Wortley Montague, who first in- 
troduced Inoculation for the Small..Pox 
into -this country, from ‘Turkey,—has. I 
think been less noticed than it deserves— 
it possesses many glowing beauties—many 
poetic excellencies, feeling, generous, and 
pathetic sentiments. In 1807, Mr. Bloom- 
field accompanied a select party of friends 
down the romantic river Wye, in Wales; 
and of this pleasing excursion, lie after- 
wards published, under the title of “‘ Banks 
of Wye,” a poetical journal, divided into 
four books; the account of this voyage is 
interspersed with the history of surround- 
ing antiquities, and. the traditions of the 
country. In this volume, if not as a whole 
equal to his preceding productions, there 
are occasional touches of real poetry, and 
some truly interesting episodes ; the little 
piece on the departure of Mr. Morris, the 
beloved but unfortunate possessor of the 
beautiful gardens of Piercefield in Mon- 
mouthshire, is truly affecting. In 1822, 
Mr. Bloomfield once more appeared before 
the public; and notwithstanding, as he 
tells us in his preface, ‘“‘ May-day with the 
Muses, was written under great anxiety 
of mind, and in a wretched state of 
health,” it will be found to possess’ con- 
siderable merit. The idea which supplied 
our author with materials for this poem, is 
something novel and unique; if too much 
so to be probable, when we have perused 
the interesting tales to which it introduces 
us, I think we may very well excuse it, 
The first piece of ‘‘ The Drunken Father,’ 
is quite in the author’s own style; though 
there are two or three stanzas very im- 
perfect, which might probably be omitted 
advanta- 
® 
