John, a celebrated English writer, was born about the year 1719; though, according to his epitaph, as we find it in the Gentleman's Magazine for August 1781, he must have been born in 1715. He was brought up to a mechanical profession, that of a watchmaker it is supposed. He was of the Presbyterian persuasion, and a member of the celebrated Tom Bradbury's meeting, from which he was expelled for some irregularities. He afterwards devoted himself to literature, and became an author of considerable eminence. In the early part of life his circumstances were rather confined. He resided some time at Bromley in Kent, where his wife kept a boarding-school. He afterwards became known to a lady who had great property and interest in the East India Company, and through her means he was chosen a director of that body. As an author, his Adventurer is his principal work; the merits of which, if we mistake not, procured him the degree of doctor of laws from Herring, archbishop of Canterbury. When the design of preparing a narrative of the discoveries in the South Seas was set on foot, he was recommended as a proper person to be employed on the occasion; but, in truth, he was not a proper person, nor did the performance answer expectation. Works of taste and elegance, where imagination and the passions were to be affected, were his province; not works of dry, cold, accurate narrative. However, he executed his task, and is said to have received for it the sum of L6000. He died in 1773, some say of high living, others of chagrin at the ill reception of his Narrative; for he was a man of the keenest sensibility, and obnoxious to all the evils incident to such a temperament.