EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
703
1796. Tke Pener ; euayt moral, biographical, nnd literary, by John WaUcins, LL.D., and dedi- cated to S(Us8 Hannah More. Dr. Watkins was the editor of the Orthodox Churchman's Maga- zine till its tenninadon.
1796. Feb. The Eugenian, published in the Monthly Magazine.
1797. The Brighton Guide. This paper was the production of John Williams, a literary aspirant, who generally assumed the name of Anthony Pasouin.*
1796, Apnl 25. The Ghott, ended Nov. 16.
1796, The Trifier, published at Edinburgh.
1796, July. Monthly Magazine.
1796. The Lynx.
1796, TTie Enquirer ; RejUctiont on Educa- tion, Manner*, and Literature, by William God- win, well known in the literary and political world. For some time Mr. Godwin kept a bookseller's shop in Skinner-street, Snow-hill, London, where he ushered into the world many rery useful works tending to facilitate the in- struction of youth.
1796, Nov. Quiz, bv a society of gentlemen.
1797, Feb. 6. Diet/, I'homas Longman, many yean a considerable bookseller in Fatemoster- low, and nephew to Thomas Longman, noticed at page 695 ante, to whose business be succeeded. He was a man of the most exemplary character, both in his profession and in private life, and as ttoiveisally esteemed for his benevolence as for his integrity. He died at Hampstead, aged rixty-six, and was succeeded by his sou Thomas, who with a considerable portion of the well- earned wealth, inherited the good qualities of his &ther, and carried on the business of a
- He was born in the metropolis, and had his education
at Merchant Taylor's School, where he suflflered chastise- ment for an epigram upon Mr. Knox, the thizii master. At the age of seventeen, he was placed with a painter, bat quitted that profession to commence author and trans- lator. When he was no more than eighteen, he wrote a defence of Garrick against Dr. Kenrick, which procured him the friendship of the BilUsh Roedns. About two years afterwards, he went to Ireland, and daring his resi- dence in Dublin, he edited several periodical pntiications ; bat having attacked the government during the adminis- tration of the duke of Rutland, a prosecution was com- menced against him, and he was obliged to decamp, leav- ine.the printers to endnie the Judgment. In 1784, he was associated with Mr. Bate Dudley, in conducting the Morn- ing Heraidt but a violent quarrel breaking out between them, Williams wrote an intemperate satire on his anta^- nist, for which he was prosecuted. The action, however, terminated by the interference of some friends. In 1787, Williams accompanied bis friend PQon to Prance, and on hia retom commenced a paper called The Brighton Ouide. He next settled at Bath, from which place he was also under the necessity of withdrawing precipitately ; and in 1797, we find him in the court of king's bench, as plain- tiff in an action against Faulder the bookseller, for a libel contained in Mr. GiUbrd's poem, entitled The Baviad. where, in one of the notes, the author speaking of the ocribbier, observes, that "he was one so lost to every sense of decency and shame, that his acq u ainta n ce was infamy, and his touch poison.** In this cause the plain- tiff was nonsuited, solely from the proof that was ex- Mbited of liaving himself grossly libelled every respect- able character in the kingdom, from the sovereign down to the lowest of his subjects. He was afterwards engaged as a theatrical reporter on one of our newspapers j but hap- pening to write a critiqae on a celebrated actor, who, in fact, &d not perform at all on the night when he was described as having mnrdered lUs part, the calnmniator was dismissed.
bookseller, hitherto unknown in this countrr. Another son, George, (who was M.P. for Maid- stone,) was of equal consequence as a wholesale stationer.
1797, Feb. 6. John Smith sentenced in the court of king's bench to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour in Clerkenwell house of correction, for two years, and at the end of that time to enter into recognizances in the sum of JSIOOO for his good behaviour for five years, for publishing a work called the Dutiesof Citizemhip.
1797, Feb. 13. Died, William Brown, book- seller, in Essex-street, in the Strand, London. He served his apprenticeship with, and was afterwards many years journeyman to Mr. Sandby, on whose quitting business, about 1765, he opened the shop in which he died, after a week's illness, aged sixty-three years, and was buried at Enfield. He was succeeded in busi- ness by Mr. Robert Bickerstaffe. Mr. Brown married the only sister of Mr. Harrison, surgeon and apothecary of Enfield, and of the rev. Mr. Harrison, dissenting minister at Warrington, by her he had only one son, who died an infant ; and she died in 1795. He divided his fortune between her brothers and their children, after making provision for his own poor relations, who were very few.
1797, Feb. 19. Died, James Doosley, the brother, the partner, and successor in business of Robert Dodsley,* noticed at page 711 ante. James Dodsley was very early in life invited by his brother Robert (who was twenty-two years older than himself,) to assist him in business, and became an active and useful partner, in conjunction with whom he published many works of the firet celebrity; ana after his brother's retirement, in 1759, continued the business with the same perseverance, and acquir- ing wealth with honour to himself and credit to the public. In 1782 he suggested to the Rock- ingham administration the plan of the tax on receipts; which, thoueh troublesome to the trader, has been productive of considerable revenue to the state. A few years after (1788) he was nominated as a proper person to be sheriff of London and Middlesex; in excuse for which he cheerfully paid the customary fine. It is worth noticing, as a literary anecdote, that he sold no less than 18,000 copies of Mr. Burke's famous Rejlectioiu on the French Revolution; with considerable advantage both to himself and to the author, to whom he made a very handsome compliment for the profits. — His property (which was estimated to be about £70,000,) he gave principally to nephews and nieces, and their descendants. By a habit of secluding himself from the world, Mr. Dods- ley, (who certainly possessed a liberal heart and a strong understanding) had acquired many peculiarities. He at one time announced an mtention of quitting trade ; but in less than a fortnight, repenting the resolution, again adver-
- or Robert Dodsley there is a portrait by sir Joshua
Raynolds, engraved by S. F. Ravenet, prefixed to his work called Tri/tf, published in 1777.
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