COWLEY was embarrassed in conversation, and had no quickness in argument or reply: a mind pensive and elegant could not be struck at to catch fire: while with KILLEGREW the sparkling bubbles of his fancy rose and dropped.[A] When the delightful conversationist wrote, the deception ceased.

Denham, who knew them both, hit off the difference between them: Had Cowley ne'er spoke, Killegrew ne'er writ, Combined in one they had made a matchless wit.
[Footnote A: Killegrew's eight plays, upon which his character as an author rests, have not been republished with one exception--_the Parson's Wedding_--which is given in Dodsley's collection; and which is sufficient to satisfy curiosity.

He was a favourite with Charles the Second, and had great influence with him.

Some of his witty court jests are preserved, but are too much imbued with the spirit of the age to be quoted here.

He was sometimes useful by devoting his satiric sallies to urge the king to his duties .-- ED.] Not, however, that a man of genius does not throw out many things in conversation which have only been found admirable when the public possessed them.