HAYES (Charles, Esq.)

, a very singular person, whose great erudition was so concealed by his modesty, that his name is known to very few, though his publications are many. He was born in 1678, and died in 1760, at 82 years of age. He became distinguished in 1704 by a Treatise of Fluxions, in folio, being we believe the fir<*> treatise on that science ever published in the English language; and the only work to which he ever set his name. In 1710 came out a small 4to pamphlet, in 19 pages, intitled, A New and easy Method to find out the Longitude from observing the Altitudes of the Celestial bodies. Also, in 1723, he published, The Moon, a Philosophical Dialogue; tending to shew, that the moon is not an opaque body, but has native light of her own.

To a skill in the Greek and Latin, as well as the modern languages, he added the knowledge of the Hebrew: and he published several pieces relating to the translation and chronology of the scriptures. During a long course of years he had the chief management of the late African company, being annually elected subgovernor. But on the dissolution of that company in 1752, he retired to Down in Kent, where he gave himself up to study; from whence however he returned in 1758, to chambers in Gray's inn, London, where he died in 1760, as mentioned above.

He left a posthumous work, that was published in 8vo, under the title of Chronographia Asiatica et Ægyptiaca &c.