BLOUNT, CHARLES, younger son of Sir Henry Blount, was born at Upper Holloway, April 27. 1654. His "Animæ Mundi, or an Historical Narration of the Opinions of the Ancients concerning Man's Soul after this Life, according to Unenlightened Nature," gave great offence; but his translation of Philostratus's Life of Apollonius Tyaneus was suppressed as an attack on revealed religion. A similar work of his, called Great is Diana of the Ephesians, under colour of exposing superstition, struck at revelation. In 1684 he printed a kind of introduction to polite literature, under the title of Janua Scientiarum. In his zeal for the Revolution, he wrote a pamphlet to prove King William and Queen Mary conquerors, which was condemned to be burnt by both houses of parliament. One of his best pieces is a Vindication of Learning, and of the Liberty of the Press, which had some influence in preventing a renewal of the act that restrained the freedom of the press. After the death of his wife, he proposed to marry her sister, and on this subject wrote a letter, with great learning and address; but the Archbishop of Canterbury and other divines decided against him, and the lady having refused him, the unhappy man shot himself, A.D. 1693. A collected edition of his works was published in 1695, by Gildon, with a life and vindication by the editor.