Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/795

 786

HISTORY OF PRINTING.

only, but private persons from the throne to the mechanic — one who could give a portrait of an English house of commons when swayed, in some degree pensioned by Harry Pellam.

1796. Died, Samuel Leacroft, bookseller at Charing Cross, where he succeeded to the shop and business of that singular genius, Charles Marsh.* Mr. Leacroft was an elite of Lockyer Davis, noticed at page 772, ante.

1796, April 26. Died, James Hotton, who in the early part of his life had been a bookseller, and for many years secretary to the society of Moravians. He was a well known character, and very generally esteemed. He died at Os- tend cottage, in Surry, in the eightieth year of his age, and was buried in the Moravian cemetry at Chelsea. Though Mr. Hutton was a Mora- vian preacher, his charities were confined to no tect ; and the latter end of his life was spent literally in going about doing good. He often recommended misfortune when beyond his own ability to relieve ; nor was he refused adpiittance to the highest ranks, though his ardent benevo- lence inclined him greatly to neglect his own dress, that he might better feed the hungry, and cover the naked.

1795, May 20. Joseph Towers, a political and miscellaneous writer, was born at South- wark, March 31, 1737, where his father was a dealer in second-hand books, the easy access to

anEpiatle from a Booktellerto aOenUeman, hU Customer; detiring him to ditcharge hit bill. Printed for [the Anthoi] Charles Marsh, near North nmberlancl-boa8e.Cbarins-cro8t, 1766, 4to. With abundance of absurdities, some shrewd thoughts are introduced upon "longr-wlnded credit,' and the dlsadTantage of It to a tradesman who deals for ready money only. His plea for his title Is the purchase of a Utaimry, for the accomplishment of which j^iO was neces- sary, and he concludes Ingeniously enough :
 * He was the Ruthor of the poem, intltaled. The Library,

"The sum of all then is, I bej, And you shall have both hat and leg. Your Worship would discharge your blU, That I my contract may fuUll."

He following manuscript note (probably written by Rlcliard Owen, esq., of Cambridge,) is copied from the back of the title-page of the above poem, 1737. "The author [Charles Marsh) was originally a chnrch-clerk In Westminster, or, perliaps, 1 should have said a chapel- clerk ; and it should have been said a good one ; 1 will answer for it as good a chapel-clerk as a poet. He lived several yean In Old Round-court, in the Strand, bat did no great matter in bis business, being of a very unhappy temper, and wltball very proud and insolent, with a very plentiful share of conceit, as appears from this extraordi- nary piece. To show the man, 1 must here mention that I once bought a black letter truct of him for the price marked in his catalogue. Is. A person not long after came into his shop, and asked for it; and upon being told It was sold, said he would have given three or four shil- lings for it : upon which his apprentice, Evans, told me. Marsh said. *Ah. It is given away!* and seemed angry with me for having got ft. He removed (upon account of the court's being less frequented, on the new paving of the street's) to Charing Cross, not far froiii the comer of Northumberland-house i turning down to Westminster; where he had not so much business as in his old situation. Here he sold Ward's medicines, and became one of the assistants in the court of Westminster. After his removal, he left off trade, and commenced a justice of the peace, like many other decayed and broken down tradesmen at that time. In this novel way he became the tool to sir John Fielding. He had a son, who was a man of letters, educated at Westminster school, and from thence went to Cambridge, where he was many years a fellow. He was afterward a clerk In tlie waroffice,"and died Jan. ai, isii, in his 78th year.

which gave his son a taste for reading, and ena- bled him at an early period of life to accumulate a fund of useful knowledge. He appears to have had no regular education, for when scarcely twelve years of age, he was placed, as an errand boy, with Mr. Samuel Goadby, stationer. Royal Exchange. With him he remained some years, until in 1764, he was bound apprentice to Mr. Robert Goadby, printer, of Sherborne, in Dorset- shire. Here, in his leisure hours, he applied himself to the study of Greek and Latin, and perused the best books in every branch of learn- ing, and very successfully supplied the want of a regular education. In 1763, he commenced author, by publishing a Reviae of the genuine Doctrines of Christianity, &c. in which he stated his reasons for renouncing the doctrines of Cal. vin, in which he had been educated. In 1764, he left Sherborne and went to London, and hav- ing taken out his freedom, supported himself by working as a journeyman printer ; he published a pamphlet on libels, which Wilkes and his party had then rendered an interesting subject. In 1766 he was employed in editing a periodical called the British Biography, 8vo. wnich was continued by him as far as the seventh volume. About this time he acquired some property by marriage, and began tiie bookselling business in Fore-street, where he continued for about nine years, but with no great success. During this time he published various pamphlets on the political pamphlets of the day, and always in opposition to the measures and supporters of the administration. In 1774 he resigned his business, and was ordained a preacher among the dis- senters, and soon after chosen pastor of a con- gregation at Higbgate. In 1778 he exchanged this situation for the office of forenoon preacner at Newington Green, where Dr. Price preached in the afternoon. When Dr. Andrew Kippis was employed by the London booksellers on a new edition of the Biographia Britannica,Mi. Joseph Towers was his assistant. In 1778, he received the degree of LL. D. from the university of Edinburgh, and continued occasionally to com- municate his sentiments on public affairs in various pamphlets. Dr. Towers was a man whose life points the numerous advantages which may be derived from industry and application ; ana shows how much may be done, by a steady attention, accompanied with moral habits and prudent economy. His acquisitions were cer- tainly very considerable ; and his knowledge of literary history, and of ecclesiastical controversy veiT extensive. His manners also were pleasing, and recommended him to the best society, where he was received a welcome guest.

1796. S. Freeman and Son introduced the art of printing in Cincinnati, the capital of the Miami country, in the Ohio, North America ; and by the year 1810 there were eight or ten presses established in different parts of the state. In 1826 Cincinnati itself contained no fewer than nine printing establishments, and also a type foundry, and manufactories for every thing connected with printing.