and set out again for England to enjoy the conversation of his friends, Lord Oxford, Swift, Pope, Arbuthnot, and Gay. With Pope he had a more than usual share of intimacy. Pope highly respected him, and they exchanged opinions on each other's productions with freedom and candour. He afforded Pope some assistance in his translation of Homer, and wrote the life prefixed to it; but Parnell was a very bad prose-writer, and Pope had more trouble in correcting this life than it would have taken him to write it. Being intimate with all the Scriblerus' tribe, he contributed the "Origin of the Sciences:" and also wrote the "Life of Zoilus," as a satire on Dennis and Theobald, with whom the club had long been at variance; and to the Spectator and Guardian he contributed a few papers of very considerable merit, in the form of "Visions."
It seems probable that he had an ambition to rise by political interest. When the Whigs were ejected, at the end of Queen Anne's reign, he was persuaded to change his party, not without much censure from those whom he forsook, and was received by the Earl of Oxford and the new ministry as a valuable reinforcement. When Oxford was told that Dr. Parnell waited among the croud in the outer room, he went, by the persuasion of Swift, with his treasurer's staff in his hand, to inquire for him, and to bid him welcome; and, as may be inferred from Pope's dedication, admitted him as a favourite companion to his convivial hours; but it does not appear that all this cordiality was followed by any preferment. Parnell also, conceiving himself qualified to become a popular preacher, displayed his elocution with great success in the pulpits of London; but the Queen's death putting an end to his expectations, abated his diligence, and from that time he fell into a habit of intemperance, which greatly injured his health. The death of his wife is said to have first driven him to this miserable resource.
Having been warmly recommended by Swift to Archbishop King, this prelate gave him a prebend in 1713, and
