SHEBBEARE, John, a political writer, was born at Bideford, in Devonshire, in the year 1709. He received the rudiments of his education at the free grammar-school of Exeter. It has often been observed that the future life of a man may be gathered from his puerile character; and accordingly Shebbeare, while a boy at school, gave the strongest indications of his future eminence in misanthropy and learning, by the extraordinary tenaciousness of his memory and the readiness of his wit, as well as the malignity of his disposition. He was universally regarded as a young man of surprising genius, while at the same time he was despised for his malicious temper.

About the age of sixteen, Shebbeare was bound apprentice to an eminent surgeon in his native town, under whom he acquired a considerable share of medical knowledge. His talent for lampoon appeared at this early period, and he could not forbear from exercising it on his master; but the chief marks for the arrows of his wit were the gentlemen of the corporation, some of whom laughed at such trifles, while such as were irritable often commenced prosecutions against him, but without success. He was frequently summoned to appear at the sessions, for daring to speak and write disrespectfully of the magistrates; but the laugh was always on the side of Shebbeare.

When his time was out, he set up for himself, then discovering a taste for chemistry; soon after which he married an amiable young woman with no fortune, but of respectable connections. Failing in business at Bideford, he went to Bristol in 1736, entered into partnership with a chemist, and never afterwards visited his native town.

He was at Paris in 1752, where he obtained, it is said, the degree of doctor in medicine; a fact, however, which many are disposed to question.

His most celebrated performances were a series of letters to the People of England, written in a vigorous and energetic style, well calculated to make an impression on common readers. They galled the ministry, who at first were too eager to punish the author. On the 12th of January 1758, Lord Holdernesse signed a general warrant for apprehending the author, printer, and publishers of a wicked, audacious, and treasonable libel, entitled “A Sixth Letter to the People of England, on the progress of National Ruin; in which is shown that the present grandeur of France and calamities of this nation are owing to the influence of Hanover on the councils of England and having found them, to seize and apprehend them, together with their books and papers.

Government having received information that a seventh letter was in the press, all the copies were seized and suppressed by virtue of another warrant, dated the 23d of January. In Easter term an information was filed against him by the attorney-general, and on the 17th of June the information was tried, when Shebbeare was found guilty; and on the 28th of November he received sentence, by which he was fined L.5, ordered to stand in the pillory on the 5th of December at Charing Cross, to be confined three years, and to give security for his good behaviour for seven years, himself in L.500, and two others in L.250 each. During his confinement, he declared he never received as presents more than twenty guineas from all the world.

He was detained in prison during the whole time of the sentence, and with some degree of rigour. At the termination of his sentence, a new reign commenced; and shortly afterwards, during Mr Grenville’s administration, a pension of L.200 a year was granted him by the crown, through the influence of Sir John Philips, and he ever after became devoted to the service of government. He was of course abused in almost every periodical work, which he seems in general to have had the good sense to neglect. Dr Smollett introduced him, in no very respectful light, under the name of Ferret, in Sir Launcelot Greaves; and Mr Hogarth made him one of the group in the third election print.

His publications of a satirical, political, and medical nature amount to thirty-four, besides a novel, called Filial Piety, in which hypocrisy and blustering courage are very properly chastised. He died on the 1st of August 1788.