1807]. 
4to. to which a Supplement was added in 
the following year, which led to the very 
able “ Critical Disquisitions” of the late 
venerable Bishop Horsley on the eigh- 
teenth chapter of Isaiah, addressed in a 
letter to Mr. King, in which his lordship 
bestows the following high but well merits 
ed eulogium onthat gentleman. “1 can- 
not (says the Rt. Rev. prelate) enter upon 
the subjects, without professing not to 
yourself, but to the world, how highly I 
value and esteem your writings, for the 
variety and depth of erudition, the saga- 
city and piety which appear in every part 
of them: but appear not more in them, 
than in the conversation and the ha- 
bits of your life, to those who have 
the happiness, as I have, ‘to enjoy 
your intimacy and friendship. I must 
publicly declare that I think you are ren- 
dering the best service to the church of 
God, by turning the attention of believers 
to the true sense of all the prophecies.” 
The very learned prelate some few years 
afterwards published his ingenious and 
scientific tract ** On Virgil’s two Seasons 
of Honey, and his Season of sowing 
Wheat, with anew and compendious Me- 
thod of investigating the Risings and 
Fallings of the fixed Stars,” which he 
likewise addressed to Mr. King in an af- 
fectionate dedication, ‘as eminently qua-~ 
lified to judge of the soundness of the ar- 
guments, the truth of the conclusions, 
and to appreciate the merits of the 
whole.” 
In 1799, Mr. King published the first 
volume of a most arduous and magnifi- 
cent undertaking, the work of many years 
laborious study, and investigation, en- 
titled “ Munimenta Antiqua, or Observa- 
tions on Antient Castles, including Re- 
marks on the whole Progress of Architec- 
ture, Ecclesiastical, as well ag Military, in 
Great Britain, and on the Corresponding 
Changes in Manners; Laws, and Customs 
tending to uilustrate Modern History and 
to elucidate many interesting Passages in 
various Classic Authors, fol.” The second 
volume appeared in 1802,and the thirdin 
1804. The fourth volume, which will 
complete this great and ably executed de- 
sign, was nearly ready for the press, when 
death closed the labours of its author, 
The Munimentu Antiqua is accompanied 
by beautirul and very accurate engray- 
ings, some of which are from the elegant 
drawings of his niece, the Hon. Mrs. Hen- 
ry Windsor, 
In 1803, Mr. King published a small 
tract, entitled, “ Honest Apprehensions, 
and siucere Confessions of Faith ‘of a 
Memows of Edward King, Esq. 
plain honest Layman;” and in 1808, he en« 
gaged in a literary discussion with Mr, 
Duteus on the antiquity of the arck, 
which led to several publications on both 
sides, 
Such have been the learned labours of 
Mr. King, as far as those labours have 
met the public eye; and it will not be 
disputed that they have greatly assisted 
to inform and enlighten mankind, on the 
Important subjects, to the elucidation of 
which they were so honestly and so zea- 
lously directed. His public services in the 
cause of learning, great and extensive as 
they were, were not, however, by an 
means his only labours. He has left be- 
hind him an uncommonly large collection 
of most curious and valuable MSS. on 
various subjects, which were written at 
different periods of his life, and some of 
which appear to have been intended for 
the press; and among these, a very ex= 
tensive work, which had been the fruits 
of many years patient and deep study, on 
the theory of the earth. It is to this 
work that he refers, in the thirteenth 
chapter of the supplement to his “ Mor- 
sels of Criticism,” on the combined ef- 
fects of gravitation, the attraction of co- 
hesion and the centrifugal force of our 
earthly globe: “ For near forty years 
with unceasing attention,” says he, “ en- 
quiries to elucidate this subject have been 
an object of my pursuit; and the first in- 
timations of the chain and mode of rea~ 
soning which I was led to pursue, and of 
the ideas which led me to it, were ven- 
tured by me into the world, and wera 
printed in the Philosophical Transactions, 
Vol. LVI. for the year 1767, long be- 
fore Mr. Whitehurst’s book was publish- 
ed. Since the printing of , that paper, 
1 have continually been pursuing the sub- 
ject analyticaliy, both by putting together 
facts resulting from every observation 
that Thad myself any opportunities to 
ake on natural appearances; and alsa 
by collecting and arranging facts from 
all the accounts I could meet with of the 
most intelligent voyagers and travellers, 
aud natural historians; and these,” adds 
he, ‘ [shoald eve this have communicated. 
to the world; endeavouring to place the 
conclusions resulting from the whole, in 
the fullest and fairest point of view ; but 
have been hindered by the great expense 
attending the engraving of the numerqus 
drawings that must accompany such a 
kind of publication. Whether (continues 
he) it will ever be in my power during 
the short remainder of life, if my days 
he prolonged, to accomplish my wish of 
‘ overs 
