conceals from mortal sight. 
  Thy learned muse, I with like pleasure hear
  The wonders of the lesser world declare,
  Point out the various marks of skill divine,
  Which thro’ its complicated structure mine,
  In tuneful verse, the vital current trace,
  Thro’ all the windings of its mazy race,
  And tell hew the rich purple tide bestows,
  Vigour, and kindly warmth where e’er it flows;
  By what contrivance of mechanic art
  The muscles, motions to the limbs impart;
  How at th’ imperial mind’s impulsive nod,
  Th’ obedient spirits thro’ the nervous road
  Find thro’ their fib’rous cells the ready way,
  And the high dictates of the will obey;
  From how exact and delicate a frame,
  The channeled bones their nimble action claim;
  With how much depth, and subtility of thought
  The curious organ of the eye is wrought;
  How from the brain their root the nerves derive,
  And sense to ev’ry distant member give.

    Th’ extensive knowledge you of men enjoy,
  You to a double use of man employ;
  Nor to the body, is your skill confin’d,
  Of error’s worse disease you heal the mind. 
  No longer shall the hardy atheist praise
  Lucretius’ piercing wit, and philosophic lays;
  But by your lines convinc’d, and charm’d at once,
  His impious tenets shall at length renounce,
  At length to truth and eloquence shall yield,
  Confess himself subdu’d, and wisely quit the field.

[Footnote A:  See his Life prefixed to his works, by William Duncomb Esq;]

* * * * *

JOHN HUGHES,

William Duncomb, esq; has obliged the world with an entire edition of this author’s poetical and prose works, to which he has prefixed some account of his life, written with candour and spirit.  Upon his authority we chiefly build the following narration; in which we shall endeavour to do as much justice as possible to the memory of this excellent poet.

Our author was the son of a worthy citizen of London, and born at Marlborough in the county of Wilts, on the 29th of January 1677; but received the rudiments of his learning at private schools in London.

In the earliest years of his youth, he applied himself with ardour to the pursuit of the sister arts, poetry, drawing and music, in each of which by turns, he made a considerable progress; but for the most part pursued these and other polite studies, only as agreeable amusements, under frequent confinement from indisposition, and a valetudinary state of health.  He had some time an employment in the office of ordinance; and was secretary to two or three commissioners under the great-seal, for purchasing lands for the better securing the docks and harbours at Portsmouth, Chatham, and Harwich.

In the year 1717 the lord chancellor Cowper, (to whom Mr. Hughes was then but lately known) was pleased, without any previous sollicitation, to make him his secretary for the commissions of the peace, and to distinguish him with singular marks of his favour and affection:  And upon his lordship’s laying down the great-seal, he was at his particular recommendation, and with the ready concurrence of his successor, continued in the same employment under the earl of Macclesfield.