guage, and compiled and published several Oriental Works:1. "Flowers of Persian Literature," 1801, 4to. 2. "Dictionary of Mohammedan Law, Bengal Revenue Terms, Shanscrit, Hindoo, and other Words used in the East Indies," 1802, 12mo. 3. "Persian and English Vocabulary," 1802, 8vo. 4. "Richardson's Specimen of Persian Poetry; or, Odes of Hafiz; with an English Translation and Paraphrase," 1804, 4to. 5. "Balfour's Forms of Herkeru, corrected from a variety of Manuscripts; translated into English; with an Index of Arabic words, explained, and arranged under their proper Roots," 1804, 8vo. 6. "The Book of Knowledge; or, A Grammar of the Persian Language," 1805, 4to. Also, a Persian Copy Book, containing a great variety of Copies, in imitation of the Nustaleek Hand.

After he relinquished the printing business he edited a variety of works for the booksellers; but as a creditable support for himself and his family was his aim, and not literary reputation, most of his works appeared under fictitious names:-"An Essay on Punctuation," 1815, 12mo. "Annals of Health and Long Life," 1818. Principles of Punctuation; or, The Art of Pointing familiarized," 1818. "Principles of Elocution," 1819. And many others, as Dictionaries, Biography, Geography, &c. &c. They were, however, generally successful to the publishers, as their objects were useful; and nothing ever appeared in them contrary to good morals, or the established religion and government.

Three years before his death he was seized with a paralytic stroke, which continued to increase, and, joined to a cancerous affection in his face, rendered him incapable of holding a pen, or indeed of feeding himself. In this accumulated distress, with two daughters wholly dependent on him for support, a gleam of comfort was afforded him in the last moments of his existence by a liberal benefaction from that excellent institution "The Literary Fund;" which also enabled his daughters to consign his remains to a decent grave in the churchyard of St. James's, Clerkenwell.

1820, Dec. 31. In his 84th year, Henry Clarke, esq. stationer in Gracechurch-street, a gentleman of the highest integrity and most extensive benevolence. He was father of the Stationers' Company, of which he served Master in 1794. See a high character of him in Gent. Mag. for Jan. 1821, p. 85.

1820 or 1821. Mr. Thomas Ryder, a liveryman of the Company of Stationers.

1820 or 1821. Mr. John J. Smith, paper-maker, Hamper mills, Herts, a liveryman of the Company of Stationers.

1820 or 1821. Mr. Richard Good, Bishopsgate Without, a liveryman of the Company of Stationers.

1821, Feb. 28. Aged 64, John Rackham, 43 years printer and bookseller at Bury, Suffolk.

March 10. Aged 65, William Meyler, Eq proprietor of "The Bath Herald," and one of the Magistrates and Senior Common Councillors of Bath. Mr. Meyler was a clever writer of small pieces of poetry, and in 1806 published" Poetical Amusements."

-In 1823, Aug. 6, died his son Mr. Meyler, proprietor of "The Bath Herald, aged 41.

1821, April 2. Aged 60, Mr. Samuel Highley, medical bookseller, Fleet-street; and formerly partner with Mr. John Murray. He was a liveryman of the Company of Stationers.

April 6. Suddenly, at Stamford, aged about 60, Charles Brightley, printer and publisher at Bungay, Suffolk. He published" An Account of the Method of casting Stereotype, as practised by the author," 8vo. 1809.

April... Aged 65, William Towers, Esq. more than 40 years editor of "The Sherborne Mercury." He was brother to Dr. Joseph Towers, who died May 20, 1799; see p. 468.

June 13. Aged 75, John Mackinlay, bookbinder, Southamptonstreet, Strand. He was father of Mr. J. Mackinlay the bookseller, the partner of Mr. Payne, in the Strand, who died June 15, 1811. See vol. III. 310; and p. 476 of this volume.

Aug. 24. In his 77th year, Mr. Robert Jones, of Sunbury Common.

Oct. 11. At Clapham, aged 75, Mrs. Elizabeth Newbery, widow of Mr. Francis Newbery. See vol. VIII. 181.

1821 or 1822. Mr. Francis Armistead, of Clement's-lane, a liveryman of the Company of Stationers.

1822, Jan. 21. Aged 68, Mr. Benjamin Wright, printer, of Little Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. He served his apprenticeship with Mr. Norbury, of Brentford; but passed the prime of his life as compositor in the printing office of his friend Mr. Nichols. His chief employment was on the "History of Leicestershire," which work was twenty-five years in the press. In 1802 he formed a connexion with Mr. Thomas Burton, and afterwards went into partnership with him, and was his successor. Having obtained a moderate competence, in 1819 he retired from business to Kilburn; but the death of his wife and his own declining health prevented the looked-for enjoyment of his retirement. For scrupulous integrity, amiable singleness of heart, and unremitting industry, Mr. Wright had few equals.

May 20. In his 66th year, William Hayes, bookbinder, Oxford; in his business he was zealous, active, and indefatigable, and much respected in private life.

1822, Oct. 16. In York-street, Westminster, in his 79th year, Sir Matthew Bloxam, Knt. formerly an eminent wholesale stationer in Lombard-street. In 1787 he was elected one of the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex; and whilst in that office he had the credit of being the founder of the Sheriffs' Fund; which has since been eminently useful to many unfortunate debtors. In Gent. Mag. LVIII. p. 641, is a memorial of Sheriff Bloxam to the Judges, complaining of abuses by the clerks in his office for Middlesex, and by the officers entrusted with the execution of the king's writs; which, standing unaided by his colleague (James Fenn, Esq.) and the Under Sheriffs, he found himself incompetent to reform. In 1790 he was returned to Parliament

for the borough of Maidstone, which he continued to represent till 1806. In 1800 he received the honour of knighthood, on presenting an address on his Majesty's escape from being shot by Hatfield. In 1803, Sir Matthew was elected Alderman of the Ward of Bridge Within. After having long relinquished his original profession, and having been successively (but not successfully) a Banker and Bill-broker, he was in 1818 appointed Storekeeper to the Public Stationery Office; and in 1821 (after having for many years been passed over in the annual choice of Chief Magistrate) he resigned the civic gown. In an examination before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, Sir Matthew stated, that, when in business, he had had great losses, having been pillaged and robbed to the amount of 300,000l. and that when a bill-broker he had discounted two millions a year.

1822, Oct. 18. At Islington, aged 77, Francis Rivington, esq. bookseller, St. Paul's Church-yard. His probity, his piety, and hilarity of disposition endeared him to all who knew him. He was a Governor of the Royal Hospital, a Director of the Union Fire Office and of the Amicable Life Office, and a zealous supporter of many charitable institutions. In 1805 he served the office of Master of the Company of Stationers. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Faith's, adjoining the Cathedral.

eminent

Nov... Aged 82, Mr. Henry Fenwick, city printer; appointed 1772. He was a liveryman of the Stationers' Company above 60 years. See Lit. Anec. VIII. 459; and this volume, p. 459. 1822, Nov. 15. Mr. John Debrett, formerly an bookseller in Piccadilly, and successor to Mr. John Almon; his shop was the rendezvous of the Whig party, as his neighbour John Stockdale's shop was of the Tories. He edited and published various editions of the Peerage and Baronetage of England; and at an early period the following works issued from his shop: "New Foundling Hospital for Wit," 1784, 6 vols. 12mo. Asylum for Fugitive Pieces, in prose and verse," 4 vols. 12mo. "Parliamentary Papers," 3 vols. 8vo. He was good-natured and friendly, but was unfortunate in business, and latterly lived on an allowance made by his own wife, and by literary occupation.

1822 or 1823. Mr. Thomas Edwards, law-stationer, Temple, one of the Court of Assistants of the Stationers' Company.

1823, Feb. 28. In his 78th year, Thomas Vallance, Esq. a wholesale stationer in Cheapside; Master of the Company of Stationers in 1807. He had been 43 years a representative in Common Council for Cripplegate Without, and for a considerable time Deputy of that ward.

1823, July 15. Aged 76, Mr. William Bent, bookseller, Paternoster-row. Mr. Bent was a quiet worthy man, and was useful to the public at large, and to his professional brethren in particular, by the compilation of some classed Catalogues of all the new Books, with their sizes, prices, and publishers, published in London. He also published a Monthly List of New Works, issuing from the press, whicb was continued after his death by his

son Mr. Robert Bent. Mr. Bent for many years kept a Meteorological Diary of the Weather, as observed in the metropolis; which he published, beginning with the year 1784, and finishing in 1818; together with observations on the Diseases in the City and its vicinity.

1823, Sept. 19. At Ditcham Grove, Hunts, aged 89, Charles Coles, Esq. formerly a stationer in Fleet-street. He was the senior member but one of the Stationers' Company, having been elected a liveryman in 1759.

1823, Oct. 27. In Bedford-street, aged 63, Mr. Wm. Lowndes, bookseller, formerly of Fleet-street, and eldest son of Thomas Lowndes. (See Lit. Anec. III. 646.) See an account of him in Gent. Mag. 1823, ii. 473. He was father of Mr. W. T. Lowndes, the eminent bibliographer, who died July 31, 1843.

1824, Feb. 2. In Air-street, Piccadilly, in his 75th year, Mr. John Simco, bookseller, a worthy, honest man, long known and respected for his love of Antiquities, and his curious Catalogues of Topography and Biography (from 1788 to 1823.) He was patronised by F. Barnard, Esq. his Majesty's Librarian, Sir R. C. Hoare, Bart., the late Mr. John Townley, Mr. Nassau, and many other eminent collectors; for all of whom honest Simco collected many a curious article. Mr. Simco carried his love of collecting antiquities beyond the grave; by bequeathing to Dr. Williams's Library in Redcross-street an Inlaid Copy of Wilson's History of the Dissenting Churches, in eight volumes folio, illustrated with an immense number of portraits of Ministers and other persons connected therewith; and to the Society of Antiquaries a Portfolio of Views of Churches and Palaces in Holland, Germany, &c. He offered to the British Museum his illustrated copies of Bridges's Northamptonshire, 4 vols. and three Portfolios of Drawings in Northamptonshire; his Lysons's Environs of London, 11 vols. and 4 vols of drawings; his History of St. Alban's; and History of Derbyshire, 3 vols. folio, illustrated with prints and drawings, on condition of paying his executors half the cost; but his offer was not accepted. His books were sold by Mr. Evans, and his prints and books of prints by Mr. Sotheby.

March 8. At Burnley, aged 86, Matthew Faulkner, formerly proprietor of "The Manchester Herald," and bookseller there. See account of him in Timperley's History of Printing, pp. 775, 888.

1824, May 12. At Islington Green, aged 67, Robert Davidson, Esq. He had been 45 years a liveryman of the Stationers' Company; was elected Master in 1823, and died during his year of office.

1824, Sept. 8. In the Bridge-yard, Southwark, aged 87, Mr. John William Galabin, formerly a printer in Ingram-court, Fenchnrch-street, at first in partnership with Mr. William Baker, a very learned printer, who died in 1785. (See Lit. Anec. III. 715.) He was unfortunate in business, and was for some years overseer in the printing-office of Mr. Nichols. In 1800 he was elected one of the Bridgemasters of the City of London. He was

editor for many years of "The Court Calendar" and of "Paterson's Book of Roads." He survived his eight sons, who died of consumption; and his wife died only a few weeks before him, on the 28th of July, aged 80. See a fuller account of him by Mr. Nichols in Gent. Mag. 1824, ii. 283.

1824, Oct. 20. In Charterhouse-square, aged 63, Mr. Thomas Wilkie, bookseller, lately of Paternoster-row, formerly of Salisbury and Mayor of that city, and younger brother of Mr. George Wilkie, who died Jan. 26, 1826.

1824, Oct. 26. At Edinburgh, aged 75, Mr. Nathan Mills, printer, a native of Boston in the United States, who accompanied the British Troops as editor and printer of "The Massachusetts Gazette."

1825, May 2. Aged 75, William Hall, proprietor of "The Oxford Journal." And two days after, aged 62, Joseph Mayow, bookkeeper of that paper.

1825, Oct. 26. Aged 66, John M'Arthur, printer, for 38 years the principal conductor of the King's Printing Office, under the patentees Messrs. Eyre and Strahan. He possessed great urbanity of manners, the most friendly diposition, and a warm benevolence of heart, which made him the friend of the distressed wherever he found them.

1826, Jan. 29. In his 67th year, Mr. George Wilkie, bookseller, Paternoster-row, and partner with Mr. John Robinson. (See Lit. Anecd. III. 449.) He was Master of the Stationers' Company in 1823-4.

1826, Feb. 12. At Peckham, aged nearly 82, Mr. Deodatus. Bye, printer, of St. John-square. (See Lit. Anec. vol. III. p. 422.) Though possessing no inconsiderable talents, he was one of the most unassuming of human beings, but at the same time one of the most kind-hearted. Content with a very moderate income, he had long retired from the fatigues of business to the tranquil retreat where he calmly breathed his last. Though more than eight of his latter years were embittered by repeated attacks of paralysis, which deprived him of the use of his right side, and confined him wholly to his bedchamber, he bore his sufferings with that manly fortitude and that patient resignation to the Divine Will, which his constant study of the Holy Scriptures had enabled him to sustain. His principal employment was the printing of the Religious Tracts of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. He was editor of the last edition of "Cruden's Concordance," in which he carefully examined every Text by the original in the Bible. He also printed the "Diversions of Purley" for Mr. Horne Tooke, with whom he was deservedly a great favourite, and who permitted him to substitute blanks for many names which the timid printer thought it prudent to suppress. Mr. Bye compiled the copious Index to the octavo edition of Swift's Works, published in 1803. That he was also sometimes a versifier may be seen by a few lines signed "D. B." in Gent Mag. LXXXVIII. i. 445. See before, in this volume, p. 484.

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