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There was at this time a project formed by Tonfon for a translation of the Pharfalia, by feveral hands; and Hughes englished the tenth book. But this defign, as must often happen where the concurrence of many is necessary, fell to the ground; and the whole work was afterwards performed by Rowe.

His acquaintance with the great writers of his time appears to have been very general; but of his intimacy with Addison there is a remarkable proof. It is told, on good authority, that Cato was finished and played by his perfuafion. It had long wanted the laft act, which he was defired by Addison to supply. If the request was fincere, it proceeded from an opinion, whatever it was, that did not laft long; for when Hughes came in a week to fhew him his first attempt, he found half an act written by Addison himself.

He afterwards published the works of Spenfer, with his Life, a Gloffary, and a Difcourfe 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 obfolete 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, feems 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 cafe, by making him fecretary to the Commiffions of the Peace; in which he afterwards, by a particular requeft, defired 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 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 unneceffary 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 abhor

rence

rence of Eudocia would have been reafonable, 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 defertion to the enemy; and Hughes, unwilling that his relations fhould lofe the benefit of his work, complied with the alteration.

He was now weak with a lingering confumption, and not able to attend the rehearfal; 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 reprefented, and the author died. He lived to hear that it was well received; but paid no regard 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,

Duncombe, a man whose blameless elegance deferved the fame refpect.

The character of his genius I fhall transcribe from the correspondence 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 are in "of "profe and verfe. I never heard of the "man in my life, yet I find your name as a fubfcriber. He is too grave a poet for me; and I think among the mediocrifts, "in profe as well as verse."

To this Pope returns: "To answer your "question as to Mr. Hughes; what he want"ed in genius, he made up as an honest man; but he was of the clafs him."

you think

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

SHEF

SHEFFIELD,

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

HN SHEFFIELD, defcended from

JOH

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

His literary acquifitions are more wonderful, as those 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 Dutch, he went at seventeen on board the ship in which prince Rupert and the duke of Albe

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