Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Quin, Michael Joseph
QUIN, MICHAEL JOSEPH (1796–1843), traveller and political writer, born in 1796, was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn. He devoted himself to literary pursuits and was an extensive contributor to periodical publications, at the same time travelling much on the continent. Many of his able articles on foreign policy appeared in the ‘Morning Chronicle,’ and he was also for some time a contributor to the ‘Morning Herald.’ He edited the ‘Monthly Review’ for seven years (1825–32), and was the first editor of the ‘Dublin Review,’ which was started in 1836. He died at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 19 Feb. 1843.
His works are: 1. ‘A Visit to Spain, detailing the transactions which occurred during a residence in that country in the latter part of 1822 and the first four months of 1823,’ London, 1823, 8vo. 2. ‘The Trade of Banking in England. … Together with a summary of the law applicable to the Bank of England, to Private Banks of Issue, and Joint-Stock Banking Companies,’ London, 1833, 12mo. 3. ‘An Examination of the Grounds upon which the Ecclesiastical and Real Property Commissioners and a Committee of the House of Commons have proposed the abolition of the Local Courts of Testamentary Jurisdiction,’ 2nd edit. London, 1834, 8vo. 4. ‘A Steam Voyage down the Danube. With Sketches of Hungary, Wallachia, Servia, and Turkey,’ 2 vols. London, 1835, 12mo; 3rd edit. with additions, Paris, 1836, 12mo. 5. ‘Nourmahal: an Oriental romance,’ 3 vols. London, 1838, 12mo. 6. ‘Steam Voyages on the Seine, the Moselle, and the Rhine; with railroad visits to the principal cities of Belgium,’ 2 vols. London, 1843, 8vo. He published translations of ‘Memoirs of Ferdinand VII of Spain, London, 1824, 8vo, from the Spanish; of ‘A Statement of some of the principal events in the public life of Agustin de Iturbide, written by himself. With a preface by the translator,’ London, 1824, 8vo, of Laborde's ‘Petra,’ London, 1839, 8vo.
[Gent. Mag. 1843, i. 438; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), p. 2025.]