John Hawkesworth

Writer, born possibly in London, UK. In 1744 he succeeded Dr Johnson on the Gentleman's Magazine, compiling parliamentary debates. In 1752 he started, with Johnson and others, The Adventurer, a periodical to which he made the major contribution. He published a volume of children's tales (1761), wrote dramatic works including Edgar and Emmeline (1761), edited Swift, and prepared a poorly received account of Captain Cook's Voyages (1773).

This article is about the writer. For the film and television producer, see John Hawkesworth (producer).

John Hawkesworth (c.

He is said to have been clerk to an attorney, and was certainly self-educated. In company with Johnson and others he started a periodical called The Adventurer, which ran to 140 numbers, of which 70 were from the pen of Hawkesworth himself.

On account of what was regarded as its powerful defence of morality and religion, Hawkesworth was rewarded by the archbishop of Canterbury with the degree of LL.D, In 1754-1755 he published an edition (12 vols) of Swift's works, with a life prefixed which Johnson praised in his Lives of the Poets. His Almoran and Hamet (2 vols, 1761 was first of all drafted as a play, and a tragedy founded on it by SJ Pratt, The Fair Circassian (1781), met with some success.

He was commissioned by the Admiralty to edit Captain James Cook's papers relative to his first voyage. For this work, An Account of the Voyages undertaken ... for making discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere and performed by Commodore Byrone [[[John Byron]]], Captain Hallis, Captain Carteret and Captain Cook (from 1702 to 1771) drawn up from the Journals ... (3 vols, 1773) Hawkesworth is said to have received from the publishers the sum of £6000.

Hawkesworth was a close imitator of Johnson both in style and thought, and was at one time on very friendly terms with him.