Ellis Farneworth facts for kids

Ellis Farneworth was an English translator who lived in the 1700s. He was known for turning important books from other languages, like Italian and French, into English. He helped many people read famous historical and political works.

About Ellis Farneworth

Ellis Farneworth was born around the early 1700s. He likely grew up in a place called Bonsall, Derbyshire in England. His father, also named Ellis Farneworth, was a church leader there.

His Education

Ellis went to school at Chesterfield School and then to the famous Eton College. After that, he studied at Jesus College, Cambridge university. He earned his first degree in 1734 and a master's degree in 1738.

His Work as a Priest

In 1755, Ellis Farneworth worked as a curate, which is like an assistant priest, in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Later, in 1758, he became the vicar of Rostherne in Cheshire. A vicar is a priest in charge of a church parish. He got this job thanks to a friend named William Fitzherbert. In 1762, he became the rector of Carsington, Derbyshire, which is another type of church leader role. He passed away there in 1763.

Ellis Farneworth's Translations

Ellis Farneworth spent a lot of his life translating books. This means he took books written in one language and rewrote them in another, so more people could read them. He mostly translated historical books.

Key Books He Translated

• The Life of Pope Sixtus the Fifth: This book was originally written in Italian by Gregorio Leti. It told the story of a powerful Pope and also described what England, France, Spain, and Italy were like at that time. Ellis translated it in 1754.
• The History of the Civil Wars of France: This was another book translated from Italian. It was about the wars in France and was published in 1758.
• The Works of Nicholas Machiavel: This was a very important project. Machiavelli was a famous Italian writer and thinker. His books were about politics and how leaders should govern. Ellis translated his complete works, adding notes and information. This was published in 1762.

Other Works and Challenges

Ellis also helped with a book called A Short History of the Israelites. He didn't translate it himself, but a friend gave him the translation to help him earn some money. Even though he worked hard, his translations didn't always make him much money. He even had to carry his translation of Machiavelli's works around town to try and sell it!

Once, someone suggested he translate a book about Alfred the Great from Latin into English. Luckily, a friend told him that the book was actually written in English first and then translated into Latin. So, Ellis didn't have to do the work twice!

Ellis Farneworth also wrote a funny story about a fire-eater named Robert Powell. He wrote it for a magazine called Gentleman's Magazine in 1755, using the pen name Philopyrphagus Ashburniensis.