Davies, Johin

, a translator of some note in the seventeenth century, was born at Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, May 25, 1625, and first educated in Jesus college, Oxford, which he entered in May 1641, and where he continued until Oxford became the seat of the civil war, when his relations removed him to St. John’s college, Cambridge. Here he conformed to the professions of the republican party, but was better employed in studying the French tongue, and afterwards, during a visit to France, made himself complete master of it. On his return he settled in London, and lived entirely by translating for the booksellers, writing prefaces, and superintending editions of books. He appears to have retired afterwards to Kidwelly, his native place, where he died July 22, 1693, leaving, says Wood, “the character of a genteel, harmless, and quiet man.” Wood has given a list of upwards of thirty volumes translated by him on various subjects, the choice probably of his employers, history, travels, novels, lives, criticism, medicine, &c. ¹