FARMER, Hugh, an English clergyman and a man of literature, belonging to the protestant nonconformists, was descended from people of respectability in North Wales, and drew his first breath at Shrewsbury, in the year 1714. Dr Charles Owen was for some time his tutor, and prior to that period he was educated at a school in Llanegryn. His parents from the first having designed him for the ministry, he was sent to prolecut his studies under the justly celebrated Dr Doddridge at Northampton, in 1730. Here, by the rectitude of his conduct and wonderful proficiency, he gained the esteem of that great man, who always spoke of him in the most respectful terms. Having completed his academical studies, Mr Farmer became the chaplain of William Coward, Esq. of Walthamstow, in the county of Essex, and was at the same time chosen minister to a dissenting congregation in that village. Notwithstanding the gratitude with which Mr Coward ought to be remembered by many for his charitable institutions, he had certain peculiarities of temper which rendered him a very disagreeable domestic. His doors were shut at an uncommonly early hour of the night, and neither visitor nor constant resident could afterwards obtain admission. Mr Farmer having one evening been detained a little beyond that hour, found the doors shut against him, and was under the necessity of applying to a William Snell, Esq. solicitor, a man of eminence, and possessed of many excellent qualifications, in whose family he remained for 30 years, living in the greatest friendship and intimacy. In this gentleman's house he gradually prepared those valuable treatises and dissertations which were afterwards given to the public, and acquired him so much celebrity as a man of letters. He also continued to discharge the duties of his ministerial function to the people of Walthamstow.
When a day of thanksgiving was appointed for the fortunate suppression of the rebellion in 1745, Mr Farmer preached a sermon on that occasion which was published the following year. His next work was of considerably greater importance, and was entitled, "An Inquiry into the Nature and Design of our Lord's temptation in the wilderness." 8vo. In this work it was the design of Mr Farmer to prove that the whole was transacted in vision, the different stages of which were intended to point out to him the difficulties and duties of his subsequent ministry. The originality of thought and profound erudition which this work displayed, soon gave it a very extensive circulation, and called forth the exertions of those who were of an opposite opinion. It received one reply under the title of "Christ's temptations
real facts," which possessed considerable merit, Farmer, but much inferior to Mr Farmer's for energy of expression, depth of thinking, and force of argument. But the most masterly, perhaps, of all Mr Farmer's literary productions, was his "Dissertation on Miracles, designed to show that they are arguments of a divine interposition, and absolute proofs of the mission and doctrine of a prophet." Some have believed, and perhaps not without reason, that this work has no proper rival, notwithstanding the many able treatises upon that subject which have made their appearance in different ages. It was first published in the year 1771. But as great talents are frequently envied, and as this infernal principle is the prolific source of calumny and detraction, so this supereminent work of Mr Farmer was declared to have been chiefly borrowed from Mr le Moine on the same subject;—a slander which Mr Farmer refuted in a very able and satisfactory manner. In the year 1775, he published his celebrated "Essay on the Demoniacs of the New Testament," which may be considered as a masterly completion of the design he had in view by his dissertation on miracles. The hypothesis he adopted had been formerly defended with great ability by Mede, Sykes, Lardner, and others; but it was reserved for the critical acumen of Mr Farmer to free it completely from those difficulties which still hung around it. His essay on demoniacs was successively attacked by Dr Worthington and Mr Fell, both of them men of considerable erudition, but much inferior to their able antagonist.
Mr Farmer having continued for several years the sole pastor of the congregation at Walthamstow, an able colleague was appointed him in 1761, in consequence of which he became the afternoon preacher to the congregation of Salter's-hall, in the city of London, and soon after the Tuesday lecturer at the same place. He resigned his ministerial employments as he advanced in years, which the people committed to his charge very much regretted. In the year 1785 his eyes gave him very much trouble, of the sight of which he was nearly deprived, but by means of a surgical operation, he was for some time enabled to resume his studies. But mortality is the inevitable lot of all men, and the growing infirmities of Mr Farmer brought him to the grave in 1787, in the 73d year of his age.
By his last will he had ordered all his manuscripts to be burnt after his death, a circumstance which men of letters have just reason to lament. It is no doubt the duty of executors to pay attention to the will of the deceased; yet for the benefit of the Christian world they would have been justified in taking a certain latitude in the explanation of his meaning; as it does by no means appear probable that he meant to consign to the flames his manuscript entitled, "A Dissertation on the story of Balaam," which appeared written in a fair hand, as if manifestly intended for the press. When we say that Mr Farmer was a consummate scholar, we trust that his numerous and able works will fully justify the assertion; and his talents as a preacher were equally conspicuous. His voice was remarkable for its clearness and harmony, and his whole manner was peculiarly impressive. His piety was not morose, his conversation was lively, and his whole deportment was a beautiful transcript of his moral injunctions.