Farneworth, Ellis

, distinguished by translating some capital authors, was born (as is presumed) at Bonteshall in Derbyshire, where his father, of the same names, was rector. He was bred first at Chesterfield school under Mr. William Burrow, a celebrated master, and afterwards removed to Eton. He was admitted of Jesus college, Cambridge; and matriculated Dec. 17, 1730. In 1734 he took his degree of B. A, and in 1738 that of M. A. In 1762 he was presented by Dr. James Yorke, dean of Lincoln, to the rectory of Carsington in Derbyshire; but did not enjoy it long, as he died March 25, 1763, His publications were, 1. “The life of Pope Sixtus V. translated from the Italian of Gregorio Leti, with a preface, prolegomena, notes, and appendix, 1754,” folio. 2. “Davila’s History of France,” 1757, 2 vols. 4to. 3. “A translation of the works of Machiavel, illustrated with annotations, dissertations, and several new plans on the art of war,” 1761, 2 vols. 4to: reprinted in 1775, 4 vols. 8vo. 4. “A short history of the Israelites, from the French of the -abbe” de Fleury,“1756, 8vo, has been attributed to him, but it was his only by the kindness of Mr. Thomas Bedford (son of Hilkiah), who gave him the translation, in hopes that he might raise some money by it, as he was then poor. None | indeed of his works appear to have been profitable* although his translation of Maehiavel, which he literally” hawked round the town/' nowsells at a very high price. On one occasion Dr. Addenbroke, dean of Lichfield, recommended him to translate Spelman’s Life of Alfred from the Latin into English, and Farneworth was about to have begun, when Dr. Pegge luckily informed him that the Life of Alfred was originally written in English, and thence translated into Latin. Mr. Farneworth is supposed to have been the author of a ludicrous and pleasant account of Powell, the fire-eater, in Gent. Mag. 1755, signed Philopyrphagus Asliburniensis. He was at that time curate to the rev. John Fitzherbert, vicar of Ashbourne. ¹