Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/451

MURPHY. 447 inclination or necessity, his resource; and, in the begin ning of 1758, he produced the farce of “The Upholsterer,” which was very successful; and before the end of the same year, he finished “The Orphan of China,” which is founded on a dramatic piece, translated from the Chinese language, in Du Halde’s “History of China.” The muse, as he says, “still keeping possession of him,” he pro duced, in 1760, the “Desert Island,” a dramatic poem 5 and his “Way to Keep Him,” a comedy of three acts, afterwards enlarged to five acts, the most popular of a l l his dramatic compositions. This was followed b y the comedy o f “All i n the Wrong,” “The Citizen,” and “The Old Way,” a l l o f which were successful, and still retain their rank among acting-pieces. Having finished his preparatory law-studies, h e was called t o the bar i n Trinity term 1762. About this time, h e engaged again i n political controversy, b y writing “The Auditor,” a peri odical paper, intended t o counteract the influence o f Wilkes's “North Briton;” but i n this h e was peculiarly unfortunate, neither pleasing the public, nor deriving much support from those o n whose behalf h e wrote. Wilkes and Churchill, who were associated i n politics, contrived t o throw a degree o f ridicule o n Murphy's labours, which was fatal. Murphy appearing t o his anta gonists t o meddle with subjects which h e did not under stand, they laid a trap t o make him discover his want o f geographical knowledge, b y sending him a letter signed “Viator,” boasting o f the vast acquisition b y Lord Bute's treaty o f peace o f Florida t o this country, and representing that country a s peculiarly rich i n fuel for domestic uses, &c. This our author accordingly inserted, with a remark, that “he gave i t exactly a s h e received i t , i n order t o throw a l l the lights i n his power upon the solid value o f the advantages procured b y the late negociation.” Wilkes immediately reprinted this letter i n his “ North Briton;” and “The Auditor” found i t impossible t o bear u p against the satires levelled a t him from a l l quarters. I n the summer o f 1763, Mr. Murphy went his first, the