him his first attampt, he found half an act written by Addison himself.

He afterwards published the works of Spenfer, with his Life, a Gloffary, and a Discourse on Allegorical Poetry; a work for which he was well qualified as a judge of the beauties of writing, but perhaps wanted an antiquary's knowledge of the obfelete words. He did not much revive the curiofity of the publick; for near thirty years elapfed before his edition was reprinted. The fame year produced his Apollo and Daphne, of which the fuccefs was very earnestly promoted by Steele, who, when the rage of party did not mifguide him, seems to have been a man of boundless benevolence.

Hughes had hitherto fuffered the mortifications of a narrow fortune; but in 1717 the lord chancellor Cowper fet him at ease, by making him fecretary to the commiffions of the peace; in which he afterwards, by a particular request, desired his fucceffor lord Parker to continue him. He had now affluence; but fuch is human life, that he had it when his declining health

could

could neither allow him long poffeffion, nor quick enjoyment.

His laft work was his tragedy, The Siege of Damafcus, after which a Siege became a popular title. This play, which still continues on the stage, and of which it is unnecessary to add a private voice to fuch continuance of approbation, is not acted or printed according to the author's original draught, or his fettled intention. He had made Phocyas apoftatize from his religion; after which the abhorrence of Eudocia would have been reasonable, his mifery would have been juft, and the horrors of his repentance exemplary. The players, however, required that the guilt of Phocyas fhould terminate in desertion to the enemy; and Hughes, unwilling that his relations fhould lose the benefit of his work, complied with the alteration.

He was now weak with a lingering confumption, and not able to attend the rehearsal, yet was fo vigorous in his faculties, that only ten days before his death he wrote the dedication to his patron lord Cowper. On February 17, 1719-20, the play was represented, and the author died. VOL. II.

E é

He

He lived to hear that it was well received; but paid no regerd to the intelligence, being then wholly employed in the meditations of a departing Chriftian.

A man of his character was undoubtedly regretted; and Steele devoted an effay, in the paper called The Theatre, to the memory of his virtues. His life is written in the Biographia with fome degree of favourable partiality; and an account of him is prefixed to his works, by his relation the late Mr. Duncombe, a man whofe blameless elegance deferved the fame refpect.

The character of his genius I fhall tranfcribe from the correfpondence of Swift and Pope.

"A month ago," fays Swift, "was "fent me over, by a friend of mine, the "works of John Hughes, Efquire. They

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are in profe and verfe. I never heard of "the man in my life, yet I find your name

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as a fubfcriber. He is too grave a poet for me; and I think among the Mediocrifts in profe as well as verfe."

To this Pope returns: "To answer 'your question as to Mr. Hughes; what

he wanted in genius, he made up as an " honest man; but he was of the clafs you "think him."

In Spence's Collections Pope is made to speak of him with ftill lefs respect, as having no claim to poetical reputation but from his tragedy.

SHEFFIELD,

DUKE OF

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

OHN SHEFFIELD, defcended from

JOHN

a long series of illustrious ancestors, was born in 1649, the fon of Edmund earl of Muglrave, whom died 1658. The young lord was put into the hands of a tutor, with who he was fo little fatisfied, that he got rid of him in a short time, and at an age not exceeding twelve years, resolved to educate himself. Such a purpose, formed at such an age, and fuccessfully prosecuted, delights as it is strange, and instructs as it is real.

His literary acquifitions are more wonderful, as thofe years in which they are commonly made were spent by him in the tumult of a military life, or the gaiety of a court. When war was declared against the