1856, Aug. 22. At Brixton, aged 82, Richard Bate, Esq. Master of the Stationers' Company in 1844; one of the sons of James Bate, Esq. Master of the Company in 1799, and grandson of Rev. James Bate, Rector of St. Paul's, Deptford, who died in 1775. Of this divine, and of his brother, the Rev. Julius Bate, who died in 1771, and of their father, the Rev. Richard Bate, and other members of this learned family, see Lit. Anecd. Index VII. p. 234.

1857, Jan. 21. In his 80th year, William Nicol, Esq. late of the Shakspeare Press, Pall Mall. He was the son of the late George Nicol, Esq. Bookseller to King George III., the intimate friend of John Duke of Roxburghe, who consulted him in all important affairs, and who died July 25, 1828, at the age of 88. The King took great pleasure in the arrangements of the Royal Library, and thereby became acquainted with Mr. George Nicol, for whom he soon acquired the highest esteem, frequently condescending to employ him in confidential missions as a private friend. On the occasion of the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV. entering the Royal Navy as a midshipman, the King commissioned Mr. Nicol to purchase his outfit, saying, "If I intrust any of my people about the Court, they will purchase finery totally unsuited to the grade my son has to fill, in the first instance, according to the rules of the service; you will be kind enough, therefore, to go to Wapping, and procure an outfit such as you would provide for your own son, supposing he was about to enter as midshipman onboard a Man of War." It is perhaps needless to say, that Mr. Nicol performed this duty to the entire satisfaction of His Majesty (see a memoir of Mr. G. Nicol in p. 501 of this volume). The mother of Mr. William Nicol was Miss Ruth Hole, of a respectable family of the Society of Friends. She died shortly after his birth. His father married, secondly, Miss Mary Boydell, niece to Alderman John Boydell. She was a great collector of prints, and died December 21, 1820; see Gent. Mag. 1820, ii. p. 574, and 1824, i. p. 236.

Mr. W. Nicol was educated by Dr. Burney at Hammersmith. He was apprenticed to James Dodsley, Esq. one of the Court of Assistants of the Stationers' Company, on the 1st of May 1792; and subsequently entered into partnership with his father as booksellers in Pall Mall; this firm published several works of considerable importance. The Shakspeare Press was established about 1791, by Mr. G. Nicol, who placed Mr. Bulmer at the head of the establishment, as perhaps the best practical fine printer of his day; and the firm, carried on under the name of W. Bulmer and Co. was for many years eminently successful, as is shown by the list of its splendid works, enumerated by Dr. Dibdin in the second volume of the "Bibliographical Decameron." Mr. Bulmer died Sept. 9, 1830 (see memoir of him in p. 503 of this volume).

In 1817 Mr. William Nicol became the active partner in the management of the Shakspeare Press, and on the retirement of

Mr. Bulmer in 1819, he succeeded to it as sole proprietor. The works that proceeded from Mr. Nicol's press were no-wise inferior in execution to those of Mr. Bulmer: among them may be mentioned, Dr. Dibdin's Bibliographical Tour in France and Normandy; the Hexaglot folio edition of the Georgics of Virgil, edited by W. Sotheby, Esq.; the Genealogical History of the Royal House of France, by Barré Lord Ashburton; the important Works printed for the Roxburghe Club; Major's edition of Walpole's Lives of the Painters; Walton's Angler, and Lives, &c. &c. Still it was evident that the Shakspeare Press did not enjoy so large a share of patronage as in the earlier time of its prosperity; in fact, fine printing had become almost universal, and the inferior style of the art the exception.

In 1855 Mr. Nicol gave up business, his printing materials being sold off in the latter part of that year; the most valuable remaining connexion, including the Roxburghe Club, transferring their patronage to the firm of John Bowyer Nichols and Sons, in Parliament Street.

In early life Mr. W. Nicol joined the celebrated corps of the City Light Horse Volunteers, and soon attained the rank of SerjeantMajor; he was reputed to have been a bold rider, and one of the most expert swordsmen in the regiment. He served in it many years, and was an active member of the Committee of Management up to the time of its being disbanded, when he assisted in carrying-out the arrangements consequent upon its dissolution.

Mr. William Nicol was much esteemed by a numerous circle of friends. He possessed an immense fund of anecdote, great facility of narration, and was a highly intellectual and agreeable companion. He will be long remembered, and his loss much regretted, by those who were employed in his office, to whom he was ever an indulgent, kind, and generous protector.

1857, April 25. In Edwards-street, Hampstead Road, in his 80th year, Mr. Robert Harding Evans, formerly the well-known book-auctioneer in Pall Mall.

He was the son of Mr. Thomas Evans, an eminent bookseller in the Strand, the editor of a very popular collection of Old Ballads, and of many useful editions of the poets and classics of the last century. He died in 1784, when his son was about seven years old. See a memoir of Mr. T .Evans in Literary Anecdotes, vol. III. p. 456, and Index, VII. p. 128.

Mr. R. H. Evans was educated at Westminster School. He served his apprenticeship to Mr. Thomas Payne, at the Mews Gate; and succeeded to the business of Mr. James Edwards, in Pall Mall. He there continued as a general bookseller until 1812, when his friend and neighbour, Mr. George Nicol, induced him to act as auctioneer in the sale of the famous library of the Duke of Roxburghe; and "it must be allowed," remarks Dr. Dibdin, "that such a situation, for a novice, was not less important and difficult than it was of long and severe trial. The result did not

disappoint the anticipations of his employers and of the public. For two-and-forty successive days (Sundays excepted) were the voice and hammer of Mr. Evans heard with equal efficacy. The throng and press both of idle spectators and determined buyers was unprecedented."

From his success in this memorable sale, Mr. Evans was induced to undertake frequent auctions, in addition to his trade as a general bookseller, which after a time became less an object of his attention. During the early years of his wielding the hammer, he was employed in the dispersion of the Stanley, Alchorne, and Townley libraries, those of Mr. J. Edwards, the Duke of Grafton, Field-Marshal Junot, and the Borromeo collection; and subse. quently, among others we may not recal to memory, he sold the celebrated White Knights collection, and those of Bindley, Dent, Hibbert, North, and the most valuable portions of the vast accumulations of Mr. Heber. It may be safely affirmed, that in the series of Mr. Evans's sale catalogues will be found by far the largest portion of the best libraries sold between the years 1812 and 1847; and we have the satisfaction to add, that his own marked set was about two years ago deposited in the British Museum, as some time before had been the much longer series of the house of Baker, Leigh, Sotheby, and Co.

Mr. Evans was qualified for his profession by an excellent memory and by a vast fund of information. It was always a pleasure to hear him discourse on the intrinsic merits or the antecedent history of whatever articles of mark he had to pass sub hastâ. He omitted no comments or arguments that might tend to encourage the competition of bidders, and they were sometimes so frequent and so prolonged as to extend the day's sale to an hour inconveniently late.

In private intercourse his communications were no less ready and no less remarkable; for, such was his acquaintance with what may be termed our political literature, that many men of high standing in public life, and in particular the late Sir Robert Peel, have frequently profited by his information.

With all these qualifications, however, and practical success, Mr. Evans, from inattention to the vital point of finance, was at length unsuccessful; nor, when he was re-established in Bondstreet, where his two sons were his partners, did he recover a permanent standing.

Mr. Evans engaged in several literary tasks, besides the excellent bibliographical notes of his Catalogues. He edited a new edition of Hakluyt's Voyages, in 4to. adding a fifth volume, which contained reprints of some of the rarest tracts. He produced a new edition of his father's Collection of Ballads; and, in conjunction with Mr. Thomas Wright, he furnished the explanations to Gilray's Caricatures, republished by Mr. Henry G. Bohn.

An excellent portrait of Mr. Evans was given in Dr. Dibdin's Decameron, vol. III. p. 51, drawn by W. Behnes (now the eminent sculptor), and engraved by Freeman.

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO VOL. III.

continued from p. 463.

P. 66. The inscription in the book presented to Harward College, appears to have been as follows:

Collegio Harvardensi,

Novi Orbis Decori et Ornamento,
Veteris Admirationi,

Academiciis Britannicis virtute
et moribus minus æmulo

quam exemplo,
Munusculum hoc donat
GULIELMUS BOWYER.

P. 397, 1. 13. In March 1763, Dr. Johnson sent a truly kind letter of advice to his young friend Mr. George Strahan, then aged 19, and prosecuting his studies under the Rev. Mr. Bright at Abingdon. The original letter was given in 1824 to Miss Hole, of Highbury.

P. 579. It was always customary for the Aldermen of London to be of one of the Twelve Superior Companies; if not so already, they were translated to one of them. The following proceedings of the Court of the Stationers took place on the election of Mr. Barber as Alderman :

"At a Court held 6th June, 1732.

"Our Master acquainted the Court, that there was an order from the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, for six members of this Company to attend the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen this day, in order to translate Mr. Alderman Barber from this Company to the Company of Goldsmiths."

"Ordered, That the Master. and Wardens, Mr. Walther, Mr. Innys, and Mr. Brewer, do attend the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen this day at one o'clock in the afternoon, and consent that Mr. Alderman Barber be translated from this Company to the Company of Goldsmiths."

"4th July, 1732.

"The Master acquainted the Court, that the Master and Wardens, and the other gentlemen appointed by the order of the 6th of June last, did, on the same day, attend the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and consented, on behalf of this Company, that Mr. Alderman Barber should be translated to the Goldsmiths' Company; and the Alderman was translated accordingly, whereby he ceased to continue a member of this Company."

Of late years the Company of Stationers has had its full share of Aldermen, without the necessity of losing their worthy members on election to that office.

P. 641, 1. 15, r. Peter Mainwaring, of Manchester, M.P. He died Dec. 30, 1786, aged 90.

P. 655, 1. 20. Dr. Samuel Croxall died Feb. 13, 1739. See Nichols's Collection of Poems, vol. VII.; and Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary.

P. 665, notes, 1. 15. Mr. Benjamin Uphill died July 12, 1809, aged 42. See some Verses to his Memory by Mr. Lemoine in Gent. Mag. 1809, p. 729.

P. 672. Mr. Thomas Browne, bookseller, died April 27, 1801, aged 81. He was 30 years librarian to the Hull Subscription Library; and author of Poetical Pieces first printed in the Hull Advertiser, and afterwards in a separate volume.

P. 721. Thomas Gent was born at Dublin, and was apprenticed to Mr. Powell, a printer there. On his arrival in London, he was employed by Daniel Midwinter and Mr. Meares, in Blackfriars. April 20, 1714, he left London, and walked to York in six days, where he was employed by Mr. White, for one year, and then visited Dublin, and found work with Mr. Thomas Hume in Copper Alley; but returned to London in 1716, and worked with Mr. Wilkins in Little Britain, in company with Samuel Negus. He then again worked with Mr. Watts. In 1718 he again visited Dublin, and commenced master. In 1724 Gent removed to York, and married a relative of Mr. White. See "The Life of Mr. Thomas Gent, Printer, of York, written by Himself. London. Printed for Thomas Thorpe, 1832." This little work contains a good portrait of Gent; and much curious minute information. P. 727, 1. 18. For "Mr. Dodd," r. "Mr. Benjamin Dod." P. 739, 1. 26.

1828.

Mrs. Walkden died at Old Windsor, Dec. 3,

The

P. 743, 1. 7. The account of the Rev. William Holwell is mixed up with some dates and events belonging to his son. Rev. William Holwell was of Christ Church; M.A. 1748; B.D. 1766; Vicar of Thornbury; Prebendary of Exeter; and Chaplain to his Majesty, and a distinguished scholar. His son was of Exeter College, Oxford; M.A. 1784: B.D. 1790; Vicar of Menhinnot 1791; married May 18, 1797, to Lady Charlotte Hay, daughter of the late Earl of Errol. He died March 13, 1798.

P. 753, 1. 16 from bottom, for " Churk," r. " Churle."

VOLUME IV.

P. 28, 1. 7, note t. The Syriac line was thus translated by the Rev. Stephen Weston, "God of exalted glory, defend thee from the misery of death!

P. 33, 1. 1. See a good History of Literary Journals in "The Journal of Science," &c., by Mr. S. Parkes, published by Murray, Nos. XXV. and XXVI.

"The English

P. 34, note, l. 6 from bottom, and p. 38, 1. 5. Mercurie, 1588." This is one of the most extraordinary deceptions ever known. It seems to have been written by the second Earl of Hardwicke, then a young man, aged 21, with the knowledge of his brother Charles, and probably of Dr. Birch. What was the object it is not easy to settle. It seems never to have been