FENTON.

HE brevity with which I am to

TH

write the account of ELISHA FENTON is not the effect of indiffefence or negligence. I have fought irtelligence among his relations in his native county, but have not obtained it..

He was born near Newcastle in Staffordshire, of an ancient family, whose eftate was very confiderable; but he was the youngest of twelve children, and being therefore neceffarily deftined to fome lucrative employment, was fent first

to school, and afterwards to Cambridge; but, with many other wife and virtuous men, who at that time of difcord and debate confulted confcience, whether well or ill informed, more than interest, he doubted the legality of the government, and, refufing to qualify himself for publick employment by the oaths required, left the univerfity without a degree; but I never heard that the enthufiafm of oppofition impelled him to feparation from the church.

By this perverseness of integrity he was driven out a commoner of Nature, excluded from the regular modes of profit and profperity, and reduced to pick up a livelihood uncertain and fortuitous; but it must be remembered

that

that he kept his name unfullied, and never fuffered himself to be reduced, like too many of the fame fect, to mean arts and dishonourable shifts. Whoever mentioned Fenton, mentioned him with honour.

The life that paffes in penury, must neceffarily pass in obfcurity. It is impoffible to trace Fenton from year to year, or to discover what means he used for his fupport. He was a while fecretary to Charles earl of Orrery in Flanders, and tutor to his young son, who afterwards mentioned him with great esteem and tendernefs. He was at one time affiftant in the fchool of Mr. Bonwicke in Surry; and at another kept a fchool for himfelf at Sevenoaks in Kent,

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Kent, which he brought into reputation; but was perfuaded to leave it (1710) by Mr. St. John, with promifes of a more honourable employment.

His opinions, as he was a Nonjuror, feem not to have been remarkably rigid. He wrote with great zeal and affection the praifes of queen Anne, and very willingly and liberally extolled the duke of Marlborough, when he was (1707) at the height of his glory.

He expreffed fill more attention to Marlborough and his family by an elegiac Paftoral on the marquis of Blandford, which could be prompted only by refpect or kindness; for neither the duke

nor dutchefs defired the praife, or liked the coft of patronage.

The

The elegance of his poetry intitled him to the company of the wits of his time, and the amiableness of his manners made him loved wherever he was known. Of his friendship to Southerne and Pope there are lafting monuments. He published in 1707 a collection of

poems.

By Pope he was once placed in a ftation that might have been of great advantage. Craggs, when he was advanced to be fecretary of state (about 1720), feeling his own want of literature, defired Pope to procure him an instructor, by whose help he might fupply the deficiencies of his education. Pope recommended Fenton, in whom Craggs found all that he was feeking. There