is generally easy, natural, and perspicuous. He is so far from aiming at either elegance or dignity, that he pretends to consider " an incorrectness of style, and writing in an air of common speech," perfectly consistent with the character of a Tatler.* This erroneous opinion, or more probably the hurry of a dissipated life, has often betrayed him into a careless and awkward mode of composition, and sometimes made him guilty of grammatical inaccuracies. But although his papers deserve not to be studied for beauty of style, yet they are far superior to most of the books which were produced in his age. Dean Swift has a paper in the Tatler, (230) in which he complains of the great depravity of taste, and continual corruption of style among his contemporaries, and he engages to furnish a catalogue of English books, published within the compass of seven years past, which at the first hand would cost a hundred pounds, but in which could not be found ten lines together of common grammar or common sense! This censure upon the age may perhaps be exaggerated; but it is certain, that correctness and harmony of style were not then appreciated as at present, and though Steele cannot rival the elegance of Addison, or the strength of Swift, he has many passages in his work beautifully composed, and he generally surpasses the ordinary writers of his day. On the whole, it is but just to honour his memory, as a man possessing sound understanding, a lively imagination, and correct taste, which he exerted in advancing the literature of his country, and in promoting the cause of virtue and religion. He always writes with good sense, and with a good humour, which is certain to engage the reader in his favour: he writes to give confidence to virtue, and to encourage men to cherish those affections which naturally produce contentment and happiness. The misfortune is, that his papers generally carry the appearance of crudeness and precipitation: the subject which he begins well, he seldom continues and terminates with equal care; and his writings generally want that graceful perfection, with which Addison has embellished his essays. If Steele had possessed the stability

* See N° 5.

and moderation of his friend, perhaps his name would have descended to posterity with an equal blaze of literary glory. Addison's superiority was more moral than intellectual, and he is a better writer, chiefly because he was a more virtuous man, and a more regular scholar.

The life of this accomplished author will be prefixed to the Spectator, where it most properly belongs. Between him and Steele, the Tatler was almost entirely composed; and the productions of other contributors appears exceedingly few. Mr. JOHN HUGHES was author of several pieces in the Tatler, and for these and the greater assistance which he lent to the Spectator, he has obtained considerable notice among the British Essayists. He has also been fortunate enough to be inscribed among the English Poets and his life therefore has been written by Dr. Johnson, whose account, with a few alterations, we shall transcribe.

"He was the son of a citizen of London and of Anne Burgess, of an ancient family in Wiltshire, and was born at Marlborough, July 29, 1677. He was educated at a private school, which (according to one of the annotators) was a dissenting academy, kept by Mr. Thomas Rowe, and in which Dr. Isaac Watts was school-fellow with him. It is recorded in praise of his early talents, that he drew the plan of a tragedy at nineteen, and paraphrased the ode of Horace beginning "Integer vitæ scelerisque purus;" but the merit of such tasks depends entirely upon the execution, as hundreds of youths have been forward enough to undertake them. To poetry he added the science of music, in which he seems to have attained considerable skill, together with the practice of design, or rudiments of drawing.

"His studies did not wholly withdraw him from business, nor did business hinder him from study. He had a place in the office of Ordnance, and was secretary to several commissions for purchasing lands, necessary to secure the royal docks at Chatham and Portsmouth; yet found time to acquaint himself with modern languages.

"In 1697, he published a poem on the Peace of Ryswick; and in 1699 another piece, called The Court of Neptune, on the return of King William, which he addressed to

Mr. Montague, the general patron of the followers of the, Muses. The same year he produced a song on the duke of Gloucester's birth-day.

'He did not confine himself to poetry, but cultivated other kinds of writing with great success: and about this time shewed his knowledge of human nature, by an "Essay on the pleasure of being deceived."

"In 1702, he published, on the death of king William, a Pindarick ode, called The House of Nassau; and wrote another paraphrase on the “Otium Divos" of Horace.

"In 1703, his ode on Music was performed at Stationers' Hall; and he wrote afterwards six cantatas, which were set to music by the greatest master of that time, and seem intended to oppose or exclude the Italian opera, an exotic and irrational entertainment, which has been always combated, and always has prevailed.

"His reputation was now so far advanced, that the public began to pay reverence to his name; and he was solicited to prefix a preface to the translation of Boccalini, a writer who sesatirical vein cost him his life in Italy, but who never, I believe, found many readers in this country, even though introduced by such powerful recommendation.

"He translated Fontenelle's "Dialogues of the Dead ;" and his version was perhaps read at that time, but is now neglected; for by a book not necessary, and owing its reputation wholly to its turn of diction, little notice can be gained but from those who can enjoy the graces of the original. To the Dialogues of Fontenelle he added two composed by himself; and dedicated his work 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 some provision more suitable to his inclination, declined Wharton's offer, and obtained nothing from the other.

"He translated The Miser of Moliere, which he never offered to the stage; and occasionally amused himself with making versions of favourite scenes in other plays.

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'Being now received as a wit among the wits, he paid his contributions to literary undertakings, and assisted both

the Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian. In 1712, he translated 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 Calypso and Telemachus, intended to shew that the English language might be very happily adapted to music. This was impudently opposed by those who were employed in the Italian opera; and, what cannot be told without indignation, the intruders had such interest with the duke of Shrewsbury, then lord chamberlain, who had married an Italian, as to obtain an obstruction of the profits, though not an inhibition of the performance.

"There was at this time a project formed by Tonson for a translation of the Pharsalia by several hands; and Hughes englished the tenth book. But this design, 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 persuasion. It had long wanted the last act, which he was desired by Addison to supply. If the request was sincere, it proceeded from an opinion, whatever it was, that did not last long; for when Hughes came in a week to shew him his first attempt, he found half an act written by Addison himself.

"He afterwards published the works of Spenser with his Life, a Glossary, 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 obsolete words. He did not much revive the curiosity of the public; for near thirty years elapsed before his edition was reprinted. The same year produced his Apollo and Daphne, of which the success was very earnestly promoted by Steele, who, when the rage of party did not misguide him, seems to have been a man of boundless benevolence.

"Hughes had hitherto suffered the mortifications of a narrow fortune; but, in 1717, the lord chancellor Cowper set

him at ease, by making him secretary to the commissions of the peace; in which he afterwards, by a particular request, desired his successor lord Parker to continue him. He had now affluence; but such is human life, that he had it when his declining health could neither allow him long possession, nor quick enjoyment.

"His last work was his tragedy, The Siege of Damascus, 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 such continuance of approbation, is not acted or printed according to the author's original draught, or his settled intention. He had made Phocyas apostatize from his religion; after which the ab horrence of Eudocia would have been reasonable, his misery would have been just, and the horrors of his repent> ance exemplary. The players, however, required, that the guilt of Phocyas should terminate in desertion to the enemy; and Hughes, unwilling that his relations should lose the benefit of his work, complied with the alteration.

"He was now weak with a lingering consumption, and not able to attend the rehearsal; yet was so 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. 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 Christian.

"A man of his character was undoubtedly regretted; and Steele devoted an essay, in the paper called The Theatre, to the memory of his virtues. His life is written in the Biographia with some degree of favourable partiality; and an account of him is prefixed to his works by his relation Mr. Duncombe, a man whose blameless elegance deserved the same respect."

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The character of his genius is unfavourably drawn in the correspondence of Swift and Pope. "Amonth ago," says Swift, were sent me over by a friend of mine, the works of John Hughes, Esquire. They are in prose and verse. I never heard of the man in my life, yet I find your name as a subscriber. He is too grave a poet for me; and I think among the Mediocrists, in prose as well as verse.