paid the usual fine to be excused. To strong natural abilities, a lively imagination, sound judgment, and a most extensive memory, aided by a classical education, he had added more reading than might be supposed compatible with an extensive business (conducted with uncommon application and the strictest inte grity), which rendered him a most entertaining and pleasing companion; learned without pedantry, and instructive without affectation. His death was sincerely lamented by all who had the happiness of his acquaintance, but more particularly felt in the circle of his private friends, to whom he was liberal without ostentation, and dispensed his favours from the purest of all motives, that of doing disinterested and essential good.

P. 718, 1. ult. Of Mr. Brice there are two portraits; one, a metzotinto, in quarto; the other, an oval, sitting, "æt. 83, 1783."

.."I happen to possess The antique Description and Account of the City of Exeter, in Three Parts-all written purely by John Vowell, alias Hoker, Gent. Chamberlain and Representative in Parliament of the same; Exon; now first printed together by Andrew Brice, in Northgate Street, 1765-The Printer and Publisher dedicates it, 18 February 1765, to Mr. Tuckfield and Mr. Rolle Walter, then its Representatives. It was originally printed in 1584. The Author was uncle to the famous Richard Hooker; of whom see Walton's Lives, by Zouch, p. 208." J. BROWN.

P. 719. Mr. Thomas Carnan, Bookseller in St. Paul's Churchyard, died in Hornsey-lane, near Highgate, July 29, 1788.

Ibid. "Henry Causton died, according to Gent. Mag. April 19, 1805. It might have been added, that he was one of the nephews of Mr. Henry Kent, Deputy of his Ward, Printer of the first Directory that was ever published (of which see Gent. Mag. 1788, p. 1128), who walked at the last Coronation as Master of the Skinners' Company; a privilege which the Masters of the first Twelve City Companies claim." J. BROWN.

Ibid. add, Mr. Chace, Printer, of Norwich, died March 1, 1781. Ibid. Mr. Robert Collins, Bookseller, Pater-noster Row (of the firm of Hawes, Clarke, and Collins), died May 3, 1786.

P. 720, add, Mr. Edward Dod, Bookseller, in Pater-noster Row, died in 1765.

P. 726. Mr. Harris Hart, Printer, died May 24, 1787. He was a very worthy and industrious man; commenced business in Poppin's-court, Fleet-street; and removed, a few years before his death, to the house in Crane-court which had been occupied by Dryden Leach.

Ibid. 1. 24. Clifton Hall was formerly the seat of the Lords Scrope of Masham.

Ibid. add, Mr. Heath, some years a Bookseller at Nottingham, died, very suddenly, Jan. 1, 1788. He had been at the Methodist Meeting the last night of the year, where he staid till past twelve. On his return home he found Mrs. H. in bed, and after informing her that the clock had struck twelve, and

wishing

wishing her many happy new years, he fell back upon the floor, and died almost without a groan.

P. 726. Mr. Francis Hodson, many years Printer of "The Cambridge Chronicle," died August 18, 1812, aged 73.

P. 728. Mr. Gilbert Martin, of the Apollo Press, Edinburgh, who died March 1, 1784, was a man of most singular disposition and very extraordinary qualities. His peculiarities pressed chiefly on his nearest relatives and friends; conscientious, but obstinate; very liable to err, though he seldom thought that he acted wrong; litera scriptu was his guide, and a rule of conduct, which, once determined on, neither interest, friendship, reason, nor justice, could divert him from his purpose. With such a disposition, it was dangerous to deal with him; and many sacrifices were to be made by those who persevered in his friendship. By dint of application, he had improved an excellent understanding, and acquired a taste and science in his profession which few predecessors had displayed; disdaining to be fettered by the common rules of art, he ranged into the wide fields of a luxuriant fancy, and combined in types such symmetry and elegance as might vie with the powers of a painter's pencil.

Ibid. Mr. John Meres, of the Old Bailey, succeeded to the business of Richard Nutt, and printed "The Historical Register." He died in 1761.

P. 730. An Account of the valuable Library of printed Books at Nanswhyden-house in St. Columb, the seat of the Hoblyn Family, a View of which makes Plate VIII. of Borlase's Natural History, was first printed in 1769, under the title of "Bibliotheca Hoblyniana; sive, Catalogus Librorum, juxta Exemplar quod Manu suâ maximâ ex parte descriptum reliquit Robertus Hoblyn, Armiger, de Nanswhyden, in Comitatu Cornubiæ;" and contains in the title-page a small bust, inscribed "Robert Hoblyn, of Nanswhyden, ob. 1756, æt. 46."— Of this Catalogue, which fills 650 pages, Mr. Dibdin says, "I know not who was the author of the arrangement of this Collection; but I am pretty confident that the judicious observer will find it greatly superior to every thing of its kind, with hardly even the exception of the Bibliotheca Croftsiana. It is accurately and handsomely executed, and wants only an Index to make it truly valuable. The Collection, moreover, is a very sensible one." Bibliomania, p. 497.— This valuable Library became the property of John Quicke, esq of Exeter; under whose direction a new edition of the Catalogue was printed in 1769, and the books dispersed by public auction. Edward Hoblyn, esq. of Tresadron, Cornwall, died May 31, 1773. P. 731, 1. 29, for " Dr. Whitaker, the Historian of Manchester," r. "Mr." R. C.

P. 732. Mr. Francis Newbery, Bookseller at the West end of St. Paul's, who was for several years Publisher of "The Gentleman's Magazine," died Jan. 8, 1780. His Widow still survives; but has retired from the business, which was for a considerable time carried on by Mr. Badcock (p. 714), and is now, VOL. VIII.

with

with a high degree of ability and integrity, conducted by Mr. John Harris.-This Mr. Francis Newbery was the nephew of Mr. John Newbery, and cousin to Francis Newbery, esq. the present respectable Vendor and Patentee of Dr. James's Powders at the East end of St. Paul's Church-yard.

P. 733. Mr. Samuel Palmer died March 9, 1732.

Ibid. Mr. J. W. Pasham, Printer in Blackfriars (originally of Bury, where he published a News-paper under the title of "The Bury Flying Weekly Journal)," died Sept. 16. 1783. He was remarkable for having printed (in a house taken for the purpose on Finchley Common) a very beautiful pocket edition of the Bible, in imitation of Field's, with Notes by the Rev. Mr. Romaine, which might be cut off! an artifice, to evade the patent enjoyed by the King's Printer.

P.735. The Rev. Thomas Crofts, of Wadham College, Oxford; M. A. 1746; F. R. S. 1776; F. S. A. 1776; Chancellor of Peterborough, and Rector of Donyat, co. Somerset, died Nov. 8, 1781, at Milton, the seat of Earl Fitzwilliam, in Northamptonshire, He was distinguished for his general attainments, as well in antient erudition as in the refinements of modern information, gleaned in a long course, not of reading only, but of the most intelligent travels. He was also distinguished for a most rare and critical knowledge of books. His many friends have borne ample testimony to the former, in their regret for the loss of his conversation; of the latter he left a convincing proof in one of the most chosen of Private Libraries.—On this subject Mr. Dibdin observes, that "Beauclerk's Catalogue is a fair specimen of the analytico-bibliographical powers of Paterson: yet it must be confessed that this renowned Champion of Cataloguemakers shines with greater, and nearly perfect, splendour in the Collection of the Rev. Thomas Crofts- a Collection which, taking it for all in all,' I know not whether it be exceeded by any which this Country has recorded in the shape of a Private Catalogue. The owner was a modest, careful, and acutely-sagacious Bibliomaniack; learned, retired, yet communicative.""When the Reader is informed that Paterson tells us, in the Preface of this Volume, that in almost every language and science, and even under the shortest heads, some one or more rare articles occur; but in the copious classes, such as follow, literary curiosity is gratified, is highly feasted;' and that the Author of this remark used, in his latter days, to hit his knee with his open hand, and exclaim, By G-, Crofts Catalogue is my chef d'autre, out and out!—when he reflects, I say, for a minute, upon these two bibliographical stimuli, he will hasten (if he have it not already) to seize upon that Volume.'

"Bibliotheca Croftsiana: A Catalogue of the curious and distinguished Library of the late Reverend and Learned Thomas Crofts, A. M. &c. Sold by Auction by Mr. Paterson in April 1785.' Švo. This is a Catalogue of one of the most curious and extensive Libraries that have been exposed to sale in this kingdom; and,

what

what will render it more particularly valuable to men of letters is, the accuracy with which it is compiled, the full and satisfactory description of every article, and the excellent arrangement of the whole under distinct and regular classes." Rev. J. Robertson, in Critical Review, vol. LV. p. 160.-"This Collection, containing 8630 articles, is admirably well arranged, and evinces, from the rarity of some of the volumes in the more curious departments of Literature, the sound bibliographical knowledge and correct taste of Mr. Crofts, who was, in truth, both a Scholar and Bibliomaniack of no ordinary reputation." Bibliomania, p. 526. — Of Mr. Crofts, see before, in vol. I. pp. 468, 469; vol. II. p. 535.-There is a small neat Engraving of him, very like, a private plate, from which not many copies were printed.

P. 736. I shall here preserve three Letters of Mr. Paterson, written at very distant periods, on subjects wholly dissimilar: SIR, 23 August, 1779. "I spoke to Mr. Mores this morning, and told him I thought .. a very fair price for the remainder of his Father's Tract on Founders, &c. considering the purchaser had a just title to the profits of his profession; and, if sold at ... to gentlemen, it was the full worth of it, even to consider it as a curiosity. He consented; and desired only that I would reserve him a few, some eight or ten copies. I judge then you may have about 50. To tell you the truth, I had some thoughts of purchasing the whole myself, and might have had them for a word speakingfor, upon a cursory view, I thought I discovered some oversights, which might be removed, and the tract reprinted with advantage. But, finding that you are of the same opinion, who are so much better qualified, I have given over all thoughts of it, and will readily give you any little assistance in my power. I shall be able to set you right respecting Ged, where Mr. Mores is manifestly wrong. I could give you also a note on Baskerville, to demonstrate that he knew very little of the excellences of Typography, beyond the common productions which are to be found every day in Pater-noster Row; and therefore, in a comparative view, might readily conclude he had outstript them all. But is it not astonishing that one so well informed as Mr. Mores should fall into such a blunder as to call Dr. Wilkins, Editor of the "Coptic Testament," "Concilia Britannica," &c. our Countryman? Dr. Wilkins, it is well known, was a German Swiss. Your very humble servant, SAM. PATERSON." Tuesday, 18 November, 1794.

"DEAR SIR,

"The extreme agitation I have been in for a considerable time, in abstracting and indexing my Lord's private papers, about which he is very anxious and impatient at this particular juncture*, I confess, diverted my attention from your enquiry till I concluded it was too late for which I humbly beg your pardon. Indeed, without further assistance, you appear * Could this be in any way relative to the Correspondence of Junius ?

2

to have exhausted the subject out of your own stock, and to have taken infinite pains to revive and transmit to posterity the memory of a man* deserving a place in the page of History, were it only for the useful lesson the anecdotes of his life inculcate; to wit, that an affected and outré singularity, such as his, rarely succeeds; and, when proceeding from a Clerical Character, is sure to meet with the contempt it deserves. This you have executed with your usual diligence and accuracy, so as to leave nothing of importance unsaid for any who may come after you. You have done justice to his learning, his intense application, &c.—yet none of his Works ever sold in my timethe name of Henley was sufficient to make them be thrown aside not even his Grammars, which of late years have been in some request, on account of their scarcity, when complete. Having made himself the Buffoon of the Populace for so many years, no one considered him capable of acting a solid or serious part so fell the Author and his Books. You have touched upon the coarseness of his manners, of which I am a living witness for he once offered me a pamphlet, intituled 'The Jackanape's Journal,' leveled at Foote and others his opponents, part of which he read to me in his study-the humour was low, and altogether Henleian: - but, when I desired to have it home with me, to give it a fair perusal, he spurned at the request; and so ended my negociation with the Orator. His manners were, indeed, rough and unpolished as the very Butchers among whom he chose to set up his first and last (onventicles. His MSS.† which I am told he valued at 10,000l. fell very, very short of 100l. I am sure my commission upon the sale, independent of the immense trouble I took with them, did not pay for the Catalogues. Upon any future occasion, I trust, you will find me more punctual, and ever most sincerely yours, SAM. PATERSON." Lansdown House, 9 April, 1798.

"DEAR SIR,

"It is with great pleasure that I hear you earnestly espouse the side of my friend Mr. Thomas Taylor, one of the Candidates for the vacant Assistant-Secretaryship in the Premium Society, Adelphi. Give me leave to assure you, that your interest cannot be exerted in the behalf of a worthier subject. I speak upon my personal knowledge and intimate acquaintance with him; and only regret that a man who has learning and abilities sufficient to govern a City, or even a Province, should have no higher prospect in view than the doubtful succession to a Deputyship of inconsiderable emolument.

"My learned and ingenious Friend Robertson (Mortimer-street), and I often speak of you with pleasure. I am, with great truth, an admirer of your unwearied literary exertions, and no less your most faithful and obliged humble servant, SAM. PATERSON."

Alluding to the Memoirs of Orator Henley, in the History of Leicestershire, vol. II. p. 259; a subject on which Mr. D'Israeli has since very ably and feelingly expatiated in the "Calamities of Authors."

I purchased, and still possess, some of his MS "Discourses."

P. 737.