NINETEENTH CENTURY.
891
paid as he bought, and like his Leith cotempo- raiy, William Coke, brought home his own poichasea, for which be was called amongst the trade, " ready-money John," in allusion to which he is represented in Kay's* Edinburgh Portraits, with a purse seemingly full of money, in his hand. Mr. Guthrie was a native of the parish of Botripbinie, Aberdeenshire, and was born about the year 1748. Having lost bis parents when very young, he was left to the protection of an uncle, who before he had attained his twelfth year, abandoned him to his own resources. In this forlorn situation he scraped together as many pence as procured a small stock of needles, pins, Stc. with which be commenced travelling as a pedlar. His boyish years were passed in this manner, his pack gradually extending as his capital increased. After griving up the laborious oocupation of a traxelling merchant, he settled in Edinburgh, and commenced a book-stall, at the lanen Hall, Canongate, which became the resort of many of the book collectors of that time. Unlike our modern open-air merchant; who pace the length of their stalls from morning till night, making idle time doubly tedious, he was constantly engaged in some useful employ- ment — knitting stockings, worldng onion nets, or in some way or other having his hands busy, to keep, as he used to say "the devil out of his heart" He next opened a shop at the Nether Bow. Here he continued until he removed to the shop in Nicolson-stieet, at present occupied by his successor, Mr. Tait, with whom he entered into partnership, and who still carries on business under the firm of Guthrie and Tait Mr. Guthrie was a very inotfensive, worthy person. Few men were more universally benevolent. Never forgetting the hardships and struggles of early life, his hand was open to the truly neces- ntous; and, as far as his circumstances would permit, he promoted, both by advice and assist- ance, the mdeavonrs of the industrious poor to earn an honest livelihood. He was also a con-
- John Kay, cuteatoiltt, engnTor, aad mlnUtore
painter, wu born April, 174s, >t DaUuith, in Scotland, where his father was a mason, and at a yoj early agi; gmTe strong proofe of an uncommon genius (br drawing, by sketching men, horses, cattle, lionses, &c. with clialk, charcqa^, or pieces of burnt wood, for want of pencils and crttyons. Be was bound apprentice to one George Reriot, a barber. In Dalkeith, and when oat of his apprenticeship he went to Edinburgh, where he wrought seven years as a journeyman. In 1771* he purchased his fireedom fTom the society of surgeon barlxn, for which he paid iSiO, and eanmendng business on his own account, obtained the patronage of many respectable families in Edinburgh and its netghbootfaood. When he was twenty years of ■ge he manud Miss Lilly Steven, who bore him ten chil- dren, all of whom died young, except his eldest son. Mrs. Kay died in Msrch, 1781, and in 1787 he married Miss Maigarat Scott, In 178J, he left olT business a* a barber, and from that period till about 1817, continned to exercise Ids talents in engraving. For a period of nearly half a century, few persons of any notonaty who flgnred in the Scottish capital, have erciqied his notice, and he has oc- casionally Indulged lilmseU In caricaturing such local incidents as might amuse the public ; and we concur with Mr. Chambers in thinking it may saifdy be aArmed that BO city in the empire can boast of so curious a chronicle. He had a small print-shop in Parliament-square, in which he sold his productions, and used to be a great attraction to the idlen of the time. He died at his house. No. ai7. High-street, Edinburgh, Feb. II, IBM, In his 8«th year.
Slant, and frequently a liberal, contributor to the religious and philanthropic institutions of the city. Mr. Guthrie was an episcopalian when that form of worship was at a low ebb, but lived long enough to witness its g^dual revival and increase. His primitive mode of transact- ing business was the effect of early habit, and could not easily be laid aside by change of oir- cumstaiices. Mr. Guthrie died at Edinburgh. He was married, but had no children.
1824, May 13. Died, RoBEar Davidson, printer, aged sixty-seven years. He had been forty-five years a liveryman of the stationeis' company, of which, during the last year, he had been the worthy master.
1834. Egypt, a descriptive poem, with notes. By a traveller. Alexandria: printed for the author, by Alexander Draghi, at the European press, 1824. 8vo. pp. 55. This poem was printed with a view to divert the author's atten- tion, whilst suffering under severe affliction, as well as to give encouragement to a very worthy man, the printer. It is the first English work carried through in Alexandria; and as the com- positor was entirely ignorant of the language in which it was written, the difficulties that existed in correcting the proof sheets may be easily imagined. By Henry Salt, esq. Fifty copi^ were printed. Mr. SiUt was the companion of lord Valentia, during his travels in India; sub- sequently consul-general in Egypt, where he died, leaving behind him a well earned reputa- tion in oriental literature.
1824, June 9. Died, William OxBEaar, printer, but better known as a comedian . He was
A person such as comedy would choose. When she would show an Image of the times, And sport with human follies— not with crimes.
He made his first appearance on the stage of existence, December 18, 1784, in Moornelds. His father was an auctioneer, and often knocked down our hero amongst his other lots ; he gave his son a good education, and at the age of four- teen, placed him with an artist of eminence, but vonng Oxberry's mind was not bent on colours ; he was then transferred to a bookseller's shop, but he declined becoming hound there ; and he was ttltmately anprenticed to Mr. Seale, a printer, in Tottenham-court-road. As Matthews says, " he made but a torry apprentice ; indeed, he was very torry that he was an apprentice ;" but, fortunately for our hero's wishes, his master was as theatrical as himself. The printing-office became a theatre — in one comer sat master Ox- berry studying Douglat ; in another, his master, rehearsing Glenalvon : they mutually neglected their proofs, till their printing became a proof of their neglect. At a stable near Queen Ann- street, and next to Berwick-street, did young Oxberry enact divers characters, for which he had to pay instead of being paid. There is a point we are informed, beyond which " forbear- ance ceases to be a virtue," so thought Mr. Oz- berrv, in the year 1803. He had forborne follow- ing his favourite pursuit for three years, and, as
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