neceffary, and owing its reputation wholly to its turn or diction, little notice can be gained but from those who can enjoy the graces of the original. To the dialogues of Fontanelle he added two compofed by himself; and, though not only an honest but a pious man, dedicated his works to the earl of Wharton. He judged skilfully enough of his own interest ; for Wharton, when he went lord lieutenant to Ireland, offered to take Hughes with him, and establish him; but Hughes, having hopes or promises from another man in power, of fome provision more fuitable to his inclination, declined Wharton's offer, and obtained nothing from the other.

He tranflated the Mifer of Moliere; but never offered it to the Stage; and occafionally amufed himself with making verfions of favourite scenes in other plays.

Being now received as a wit among the wits, he paid his contributions to literary undertakings, and affifted both the Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian. In 1712 he tranflated Vertot's History of the Revolution of Portugal; produced an Ode to the Creator of the World, from the Fragments of Orpheus; and brought upon the Stage an opera called Calypfo and Telemachus, intended to fhew that the English language might be very happily adapted to mufick. This was impudently oppofed by those who were employed in the Italian opera; and, what cannot be told without indignation, the intruders had fuch intereft with the duke of Shrewsbury, then lord chamberlain, who had married an Italian, as to obtain an obstruction

of

of the profits, though not an inhibition of the performance.

There was at this time a project formed by Tonfon for a tranflation 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 neceffary, 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 last act, which he was defired by Addison to fupply. 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 the act written by Addison himself.

He afterwards publifhed the works of Spenfer, with his Life, a Gloffary, and a Discourfe 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 obsolete words. He did not much revive the curiofity of the publick; for near thirty years elapsed 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 been a man of boundless benevolence.

Hughes

Hughes had hitherto suffered 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, 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 enjoy

ment.

His last 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 such 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 just, and the horrours 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 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 Cooper. On February 17, 1719-20, the play was repre

fented,

fented, 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 devated 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 whose blameless elegance deferved the fame respect.

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 are in profe and verfe. I never heard of the man in my life, yet I find your name as a subscriber. "He is too great a poet for me; and I think among the mediocrifts, in profe as well as verfe."

"To answer your

To this Pope returns: " question as to Mr. Hughes; what he wanted in genius, he made up "nest man; but he was of the

"think him."

as an ho

clafs you

THE END.