Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/174

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HIS worthy gentleman was born at Shelton, near Newcaſtle under the Line, in Staffordſhire. In this county, though there are ſeveral families of the name of Fenton, yet they are all branches from one ſtock, which is a very antient and opulent family: Our author’s mother being immediately deſcended from one Mare, an officer in William the Conqueror’s army.

Our poet was the youngeſt of twelve children, and was intended by his parents for the miniſtry: He was ſent to the univerſity of Cambridge, where he embraced the principles very oppoſite to the government, by which he became diſqualified for entering into holy orders. We find him ſoon after his quitting the univerſity, ſecretary to the earl of Orrery, but how long he remained in that ſtation we cannot aſcertain. After he quitted the ſervice of this noble peer, it was his cuſtom to perform a viſit annually to his eldeſt brother’s houſe in the country, who poſſeſſed an eſtate of 1000 l. per annum. He was careſſed in the country, by all his relations, to whom he endeared himſelf, by his affable and genteel behaviour. Mr. Fenton was a man of the moſt tender humanity, and diſcovered it upon every proper occaſion: A gentleman reſident in that county, who has tranſmitted to us ſome account of Mr. ,