[Peerage of Ireland, 1768, vol. i.; Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, 1789, i. 247; Burke's Peerage, 1893; Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, ed. Archdall, vol. i.; Story's Impartial History of the Wars of Ireland, i. 98, ii. 229–30; Harris's Life of William III, p. 345, and Appendix, p. lxii; D'Alton's Illustration of the Army of King James, pp. 33, 358, 734 (containing, under the heading ‘Col. the Earl of Westmeath,’ particulars of all the chief members of the Nugent family); Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography.]
NUGENT, THOMAS, LL.D. (1700?–1772), miscellaneous writer, was born in Ireland about 1700, but spent the greater part of his life in London. He was a competent scholar and an able and industrious man of letters. In 1765 he received from the university of Aberdeen the honorary degree of LL.D., and in 1767 was made a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He died at his rooms in Gray's Inn on 27 April 1772. He has been confounded with Johnson's friend and Burke's father-in-law, Dr. Christopher Nugent (d. 1775) [q. v.]
Nugent's original works are:
- ‘The History of Vandalia: containing the Ancient and Present State of the Country of Mecklenburg, its Revolutions under the Venedi and the Saxons, with the Succession and Memorable Actions of its Sovereigns,’ London, 1766–73, 3 vols. 4to.
- ‘A New Pocket Dictionary of the French and English Languages,’ London, 1767, 4to (frequently reprinted and redacted).
- ‘Travels through Germany, with a Particular Account of the Courts of Mecklenburg: in a Series of Letters to a Friend,’ London, 1768, 2 vols. 8vo (German translation, Berlin, 1781, 2vols. 8vo).
- ‘The Grand Tour, or a Journey through the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and France,’ London, 1778, 3 vols. 12mo.
Nugent edited in 1745 ‘Κέβητος Θηβαίου Πίναξ. Cebetis Thebani Tabula,’ London, 8vo. He also executed many translations, chiefly from the French, the most important being:
- ‘The New System, or Proposals for a General Peace upon a solid and lasting Foundation; with a Prefatory Discourse by the Translator on the horrid Consequence of the present Wicked and Unnatural Rebellion,’ London, 1746, 8vo;
- Jean Baptiste Dubos's ‘Critical Reflections on Poetry, Painting, and Music,’ London, 1748, 3 vols. 8vo;
- Burlamaqui's ‘Principles of Natural Law,’ London, 1748, 8vo;
- Burlamaqui's ‘Principles of Politic Law,’ London, 1752, 8vo; reprinted with the preceding, London, 1763, 2 vols. 8vo;
- Montesquieu's ‘Spirit of Laws,’ London, 1752, 2 vols. 8vo; later editions, 1756, 12mo, 1756, 8vo, 1768, 8vo, 1773, 12mo;
- Voltaire's ‘Essay on Universal History: the Manners and Spirit of Nations from the Reign of Charlemaign to the Age of Lewis XIV,’ Dublin, 1759, 4 vols. 8vo;
- Rousseau's ‘Emilius, or an Essay on Education,’ London, 1763, 2 vols. 8vo;
- Grosley's ‘New Observations on Italy,’ London, 1769, 2 vols. 8vo;
- ‘Tour to London, or New Observations on England and its Inhabitants,’ London, 1772, 2 vols. 8vo;
- Benvenuto Cellini's ‘Autobiography,’ London, 1771, 2 vols. 8vo; last edition, 1812, 12mo;
- Totze's ‘Present State of Europe,’ London, 1770, 3 vols. 8vo;
- Isla's ‘History of the Famous Preacher-Friar, Gerund de Campazas, otherwise Gerund Zotes,’ London, 1772, 2 vols. 8vo, and 12mo.
His translations of the Port Royal Greek and Latin grammars were for a time very popular.
[Gent. Mag. 1772, p. 247; Bibl. Topogr. Brit. vol. x.; List of Soc. of Antiq.; Chalmers's Biogr. Dict.; Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. iii. 656, and Illustr. Lit. v. 777, 780; Allibone's Dict. Brit. and Amer. Authors; Lowndes's Bibl. Man.]
NUGENT, WILLIAM (d. 1625), Irish rebel, brother of {{DNB lkpl|Nugent, Christopher (1544-1602)|Christopher, fourteenth baron Delvin [q. v.], was the younger son of Richard Nugent, thirteenth baron Delvin, from whom he inherited the manor and castle of the Rosse in co. Meath. He first acquired notoriety in December 1573 by his forcible abduction and marriage of Janet Marward, heiress and titular baroness of Skryne, and ward of his uncle, Nicholas Nugent [q. v.] He was for a short time in May 1575 placed under restraint on suspicion of being implicated in the refusal of his brother, Lord Delvin, to sign the proclamation of rebellion against the Earl of Desmond. On 10 April 1577 he and his wife had livery granted them of the lands of the late Baron of Skryne, valued at 130l. 5s. a year. He was suspected of sympathising with the rebellion of Viscount Baltinglas, but eluded capture by taking refuge with Turlough Luineach O'Neill [q. v.], who refused to surrender him. He was excluded by name from the general pardon offered the adherents of Lord Baltinglas, and by the unwise severity of Lord Grey he was driven to take up arms on his own account. With the assistance of the O'Conors and Kavanaghs, he created considerable disturbance on the borders of the Pale; but the rising, though violent, was shortlived. Nugent himself was soon reduced to the most abject misery. He was exposed without covering to the inclemency of the winter season. His friends were afraid to communicate with him, and though
