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1831, Sept. 16. T. and B. Wakeman and J. HiLi were indicted at Guildhall, London, for stealin)^ 1800 lbs. of printed paper, valued at from dE2,000 to de3,000, the property of Joseph Butterworth, law stationer. Chancery-lane.
1831, Sept. 23. Henrv Hetherinoton, a bookseller, of London, baring been fined £40 for selling unstamped publications, which he refused to pay, was taken into custody, and com- mitted to the house of correction for 12 months. 1831, Oct. 30. Died, John Jones, librarian of the athencBum of Liverpool, and formerly an eminent bookbinder in that town, aged sixty. He was a man of strong and active mind, which he devoted with unweariedardour to the duties of his situation.
1831, Dec. 25. Died, John Mitfo'rd, perhaps the most eccentric character of his day. He was originally in the navy, and fought under Hood and Nelson; he was born at Mitford castle, Northumberland, and the authoress of JRienzi, and Our Village, and the author of the History of Greece, were his cousins; he was also nearly related to lord Redesdale. His name will long be remembered in connexion with lady Percival, in the Blackheath affair, for his share in which he was tried and acquitted. For several years helived by chance, and slept three nights in the week in the open air, when his finances did not admit of his paying threepence for a den in St Giles's. Though formerly a nautical fop, for the last fourteen years he was ragged and loathsome; he never thought but of the necessities of the moment. Having bad a handsome pair of Wel- lington boots given him, he sold them for one shilling. The fellow who bought them went and pawned them for fifteen shillings, and came back in triumph with the money. " Ah," said Jack, "but you went out in the cold for it!" He was author of Johnny Newcome in the Navy, the publisher of which gave him a shilling a-day until he finished it. Incredible as it may appear, he lived the whole of his time in Bays- water fields, making a bed at night of grass and nettles; two-pennyworth of bread and cheese, and an onion, were his daily food; the rest of the shilling he expended in gin. He thus passed forty-three days, washing his shirt and stockings himself in a pond, when he required clean linen. He formerly edited the Scourge and Bon Ton Magazine. — He was latterly employed by pub- lishers of a certain description. A hundred efforts have been made to reclaim him, but without avail. Mr. Elliott, a printer and pub- lisher, took him into his house, and endeavoured to render him decent For a few days he was sober; and a relative having sent him some clothes, he made a respectable appearance; but he soon degenerated into his former habits; and whilst editing the Bon Ton Gazette, Mr. Elliott was obliged to keep him in a place half kitchen, half-cellar, with a loose grate tolerably well filled, a candle, and a bottle of ^n, where he passed his days, and, with the covering of an old can>et, his nights, never issuing from his lair but when the bottle was empty. Sometimes he got furious
with drink, and his shoes were taken from him to prevent his migrating; he would then run out without them, and has taJcen his coat off in winter and sold it for half a pint of gin. At the time of his death he was editing a penny publication called the Quizzical Gazette. He wrote the popular song the King it a true British Sailor, and sold it to seven different publishers. Not- withstanding his habits, he was employed by several religious publishers. This miserable num was buried by Mr. Green, of Will's coffee-house, Lincoln's inn Fields, who had formerly been his shipmate. He left a wife and family, but they were provided for by lord Redesdale. John Mitford was a respectable classic, and of varied attainments; yet for fourteen years " he had not where to lay his head;" and he has been heard to say, " if his soul was placed on one table, and a bottle of gin on another, he would sell the former to taste the latter."
1831, Dec. 28. Died, Thomas Davison, the well known printer of White Friars, London, aged sixty-five vears. He was born in the city of Durham, of humble parents, and apprenticed early to the profession, in which he was after- wards so successful and eminent. Shortly after he was out of his time he went to London, where he worked as a joumejrman, and about 1790 commenced business with indefatigable perseverance; and the singular beauty ana cor- rectness of his works, soon brought around him a connexion of the most respectable publishers of the day. By improvements which he made in printing ink, (a secret which he had for a long time the exclusive possession) and other merits, he acquired great celebrity; and few indeed of his competitors, could approach the characters of what issued from his press. Among the eviden- ces of this,we may notice Whitaker's* History of Richmondshire, the new edition of Dugdales Monasticon, the various editions of Bvron's works, Rogers's Italy, and several of the Anniuds. To the enjoyments of private life, Mr. Davison was powerfully recommended by his social qualities. To his fellows he was kind and generous; no man in his station ever performed more lib^id actions; and not only brother prin- ters, but many booksellers and authors were indebted to his prompt liberality for effectual assistance, at times when a fnend was most needed. In company, the mu^cal sweetness of a voice rarely equalled for compass and expres- sion, imparted a charm to his companionship, and mane him everywhere welcome. He left a widow and family of five sons and three daugh-
- Thomas Dnnbam WUtaker, LL.D., F. S. A., vicmr of
Blackbtum, in LancashJre. was born at Ralnham, in the coanty of Norfolk, where his liather was carate. He was descended from the learned professor and polemic Dr. Whitakerof Cambridge, in the rei^ of Elizabeth, and he inherited the estate belonging to that family, at Holme, in Lancashire, the birth-place of Dr. Nowell, dean of St. Paul's. As a literary man, Dr. Whitaker was distinguished not less for industry and acnteness in research, accnncy of reasoning, and extent of knowledge, than warmth of imagination and vigoor of style. He died at Blackbum, December is, issi, aged sixty-three years, deeply and sioc^ely regretted by his parishionen.
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