the Text of Mr. Malone's edition, with select explanatory Notes,’ in seven volumes; and in that year ‘Peter Pindar’ (Wolcot) satirised him in ‘A Benevolent Epistle to Sylvanus Urban, alias Master John Nichols, Printer,’ and in ‘A Rowland for an Oliver, or a Poetical Answer to the Benevolent Epistle of Mister Peter Pindar’ (Works of Peter Pindar, 1794, ii. 358, 367–89, 399–409). Wolcot suggested that Nichols was himself quite ignorant of antiquarian matters, and depended on Gough, Walpole, Hayley, Miss Seward, Miss Hannah More, and other contributors to the ‘Gentleman's Magazine.’ His books were by hirelings, the blunders only being Nichols's, yet he was for ever speaking and dreaming of himself ‘and his own dear works.’
The first two parts of ‘The History and Antiquities of the Town and County of Leicester’ were published in 1795. This work, Nichols's most important effort, and considered by himself his ‘most durable monument,’ was completed in 1815, and forms eight folio volumes. Gough again rendered valuable assistance; Nichols and he made annual excursions together, and regularly visited Dr. Pegge at Whittington (Lit. Anecd. vi. 270, 301). Several of Nichols's earlier topographical writings had been essays towards the county history. The ‘Illustrations of the Manners and Expences of Ancient Times in England,’ a scarce volume, appeared in 1797 (ib. ix. 196). His next important undertaking, ‘The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D., arranged by Thomas Sheridan, with Notes, Historical and Critical. A new edition, in nineteen volumes, corrected and revised by John Nichols, F.S.A.,’ was published in 1801, and was reprinted in 1803 and 1808. It had been in preparation as early as 1779 (Hist. MSS. Comm. 12th Rep. pt. x. p. 347). Nichols seems to have thought that rather free use was made of his work in Scott's edition of 1814 (Lit. Illustr. v. 396–7).
Nichols retired from business to a great extent in 1803, living with five of his daughters at his native village of Islington. In 1804 he ‘attained the summit of his ambition,’ when he was elected master of the Stationers' Company. He gave a bust of Bowyer and several paintings to the company, including portraits of Steele and Prior, which had belonged to the Earl of Oxford (Lit. Anecd. iii. 584, 603), and in 1817 he transferred to the company 500l. four per cent. annuities, to be added to money left by Bowyer for deserving compositors. On 8 Jan. 1807, through a fall in his printing office, he fractured his thigh (Gent. Mag. 1807, i. 79), and on 8 Feb. 1808 a calamitous fire occurred at the office, by which everything, except the dwelling-house, was destroyed (ib. 1808, i. 99). Nichols lost nearly 10,000l. by the fire beyond the insurance, and the entire stock of most of his books was destroyed.
Nichols did not, however, allow himself to be crushed by his misfortunes. He had already lost 5,000l. by the ‘History of Leicestershire,’ but he felt that he was in honour bound to complete the work (Lit. Illustr. vi. 588–90). In 1809 he edited, in two volumes, ‘Letters on various subjects to and from William Nicholson, D.D., successively Bishop of Carlisle and of Derry, and Archbishop of Cashel;’ published an enlarged edition of the ‘Epistolary Correspondence of Sir Richard Steele’ (afterwards giving the manuscript letters to the British Museum); edited Pegge's ‘Anonymiana, or Ten Centuries of Observations on various Authors and Subjects, compiled by a late very learned and reverend Divine;’ and wrote ‘Biographical Memoirs of Richard Gough, Esq.,’ which appeared in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ for March and April, and afterwards in pamphlet form. These were followed in 1811 by a new edition of Fuller's ‘History of the Worthies of England,’ in two quarto volumes, and in 1812–15 by the ‘Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century,’ an invaluable bibliographical and biographical storehouse of information, in nine volumes, being an expansion of the earlier ‘Memoirs of Bowyer.’ Six volumes of a supplementary work, ‘Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century,’ appeared between 1817 and 1831, two being published posthumously, and John Bowyer Nichols added two more volumes in 1848 and 1858. This work contains much of Nichols's correspondence, but is not so useful as the ‘Literary Anecdotes.’ In 1821 Nichols wrote a long preface to the general index to the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ (1787–1818), in which he gave a history of the magazine. Though his sight was failing, much other work followed, including ‘The Progresses, Processions, and Magnificent Festivities of King James the First,’ in four quarto volumes, published posthumously in 1828.
Nichols died suddenly on Sunday, 26 Nov. 1826, after a day spent calmly with his family at his house in Highbury Place; he was buried in the neighbouring churchyard. He had enjoyed wonderful health and spirits throughout his long life. For many years he was registrar of the Royal Literary Fund. He was also a governor of the City of London Workhouse, a corporation governor of Christ's Hospital, and of Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals, and treasurer of St. Bride's Charity
