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NINETEENTH CENTURY.

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with the following inscription: "The Gift of William Dary, (aged seventy-eight,) thirty-six yeais curate of Lustleigh, to that parish, for the use of the sacrament for ever : 1822."

1826, June 23. Died, William Birdsall, bookseller, Northampton, aged seventy-six years, deeply lamented by nis family and friends. He bad twice served the office of mayor, and for the last five years he had been elected one of the magistrates.

1826, July 25. Died, Robert Bell, editor and pioprietur of Belt's Weekly Ditpatch, London Sunday newspaper, from its commencement in 1801. In 1804, Mr. Bell published A descrip- tion (yf the condition and manners of the peasantry of Ireland, 8vo. He died at North Brixton, aged sixtv years.

1826, ^ept. 23. At the royal Coburg theatre, London, a play was performed for the benefit of the unemployed journeymen printers of the metropolis, under the immediate patronage of bis royal highness the duke of Sussex. A poeti- cal address, written by Joseph Blakesley,* a compositor, was spoken on the occasion.

1826, Oct. 26. Died, Christopher Maonev, an eminent wholesale stationer fon College hill, and alderman of Vintry ward, London. He was a liveryman of the worshipful company of sta- tioners in 1807 ; alderman on Feb. 20, 1810, and in the same year one of the court of assist- ants oJT the stationers' company, uf which be served master in 1816 ; sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1813; and in 1821 be filled the high and important office of lord mayor, with strict attention to the interests of the city, and humanity to those who came under his power. In trade he was respected for his honourable dealings, and the house of Magncy and Son was long considered the head of that line of business. Alderman Maguey died at Wandsworth, in the fifty-ninth year of his age.

1826, Nov. I. Died, Francis Jollie, printer and proprietor of the Carlisle Journal, aged thirty-five years.

1826, Nov. 17. Died, Charles Sambroke Ordovno, printer at Nottingham, and formerly printer and publisher of the Derby Herald, (see page 773, ante.) Mr. Ordoyno came to his death bv the following singular accident. It appeared that about ten o'clock at night he went out of his house with a paper cap on his head, two jugs in his hand, and also some money, for the purpose of fetching some ale, and when he bad got within nine yards of the door, Edward Wilford, a butcher, who came out of the public- bouse in haste, ran against him in the dark, their foreheads met, and the deceased was knocked down. A surgeon was called, but the deceased was insensible, and he died about hadf- past nine the following evening. On examina- tion it was found that a blood vessel within the brain was ruptured, and a recent wound was found on each instep.

JoMph Blakedey, compositor. London, 1827.
 * lUfming Trifieti or, AmustmeHtt of Ltitwre, By

1826, N<n. 26. Died, Joan Nichols, F. S. A. printer, and editor of the Geatltmaris Magazine,*

who was disting^uished alike for superior talents, indefatigable industry,and undeviating integrity, and of whom the profession of the art of typo- graphy may feel justly proud, as an example so worthy to be emulated. John Nichols was born at Islington, February 2, 1744-5, and received his education at an academy kept by Mr. John Shield, a man of considerable learning. In 1754 he was placed apprentice to Mr. William Bowyer, who appears to have quickly discovered in his pupil that amiable and honourable dispo- sition which distingushed him all his life. From the moment he became Mr. Bowyer's apprentice, he was intent on the acquisition of solid know- ledge. Mr. Bowyer appears to have been not only the instructive master, but the kind and in- dulgent friend to his apprentice, and was often anxious to amuse him by encouraging a taste for poetry; and from 1761 to 1766 he became a constant votary of the muses, his productions making no inconsiderable figure in the periodical journals. During his mmority he produced some prose essays on the manners of the age, such as they appeared to one who bad been no inattentive observer. These were merely his amusements, and indicative of an ambition which at his early age was surely pardonable. His more serious hours were devoted to the business of the press. His leading object was to please his master in the superintendence of the learned works printed by him, and in this he succeeded so well, that the relative situations of master and servant soon merged into a friendship, the com- pound of affection on one side, and of reverence on the other. So amply had he fulfilled his master's expectations, as to prudence and judg- ment, that before his apprenticeship expired, he sent him on a business of very great importance, to the univerrity of Cambndge; and another proof of the value he placed on Mr. Nichols's services, when the period of them had expired, by reluming to his father half of bis apprentice fee ;f and considering his assistance was of great importance in bis printing establishment, he took him into partnership in the year 1766. This union, one of the most cordial that ever was formed, lasted until the death of Mr. Bowyer, in 1777. In 1778 Mr. Nichols obtained a share in the Gentleman's Magazine, of which he be- came the editor, and it had not been long under his care before it obtained a consequence which it had never before reached. In 1781 he was elected an honorary member of the society of antiquaries at Edinburgh ; and, in 1785, of that

• The Oenttemttn's Magazine bu been styled tlie " Old Put of periodicals," Bnd ittlll " livetb in monthly inunor- tality." There is one drcumstance which oucht not to be overlooked : it was commenced by a Jonmeyman printer, and in the conise of ninety-six years was conducted only by three editors, who had all been Joomeymen printers', and we tmst the present editor will not think it any dis- paragement to place him in the list.

t " When I was bound to him my father received from Mr. Bowyer a promissory note to relnm half the appren- tice-fee at the expiration of the seven years, on condition Uiat I behaved snitaUe to his expectation. This sum he very honourably paid me In Febraarr. I76«." J. A'.

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