Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/942

 NINETEENTH CENTURY.

036

conducted at Glasgow was given up, Mr. Black- wood relumed to Messrs. Bell and Bradfute, with whom he continued about a year longer. He then [1800] entered into partnership with Mr. Robert Ross, a bookseller of some standing, who also acted as an auctioneer of books. Not long after, finding the line of business pursued by Mr. Ross uncongenial to his taste, he retired from the partnership, and proceeded to London, placed himself, for improvement in the antiqua- rian department of his trade, under Mr. Cuthill. Returning once more to Edinburgh in the rear 1804, he established himself in business, where bis accomplishments soon attracted the notice of persons whose good opinion was distinction. For many years he confined his attention almost exclusively to the classical and antiquarian branches of the trade, and was regarded as one of the best informed booksellers of that class in the kingdom ; but on removing from the Old to the New Town of Edinburgh, in 1816, he dis- posed of his stock, and thenceforth applied himself, with characteristic ardour, to general literature, and the business of a popular pub- lisher. In April, 1817, he put forth the first number of his journal — the most important feature of his professional career. He had long before contemplated the possibility of once more laising magazine literature to a rank not alto- gether unworthy of the p«at names which had been enlisted in its service in a preceding age : it was no sudden or fortuitous suggestion which prompted him to take up the enterprise, in Triiicn he was afterwards so pre-eminently suc- cessful as to command many honourable imi- tators. From an early period of its progress, his magazine engrossed a very large share of his time ; and though he Karcely ever wrote for its pages himself, the general management and arrangement of it, with the very extensive lite- rary correspondence which this involved, and the constant superintendence of the press, would have been more than enough to occupy entirely anv man but one of first-rate energies.

No man ever conducted business of all sorts in a more direct and manly manner. His opinion was on all occasions distinctly expressed — his questions were ever explicit — his answers conclusive. His sincerity might sometimes be considered as rough, but no human being ever accused him either of flattering or of shuffling ; and those men of letters who were in frequent communication with him, soon conceived a respect and confidence for him, which, save in a very few instances, ripened into cordial regard and friendship. The masculine steadiness, and imperturbable resolution of his character, were impressed on all his proceedings ; and it will be allowed by those who watched him through his career, as the publisher of a literary and political miscellany, that these qualities were more than once very severely tested. He dealt by parties exactly as he did by individuals. Whether bis principles were rig^t or wrong, they were Am, and he never compromised or complimented away one tittle of them. No changes, either of

men or of meamires, ever dimmed his eye, or checked his courage. To youthful merit he was a ready and a generous friend, and in all respects a man of large and liberal heart and temper. During some of the best years of his life, he found time, in the midst oi bis own pressing business, to take rather a prominent part in the affairs of the city of Edmburgh, of which he was twice a magistrate. Notwithstanding the great claims which were made upon his time, Mr. Blackwood continued till his aeath to trans- act a large share of business as a general pub- lisher. Not long before that event, he completed the Edinburgh En(yclopedia, in 18 vols, 4to. and, among his other more important publica- tions, may be reckoned Kerr's* Collectumt of Voyaga and TraveU, in 18 vols. 8vo. The chiM distinct works of Messrs. Wilson, Lockhart, Hogg, Moir, Gait, and eminent persons con- nected with his magazine, and some of the writings of sir Walter Scott, were published by Mr. Blackwood. He also continued till the close of his career to carry on an extensive trade in retail bookselling. In the private relations, as in the public conduct of his life, William Black- wood may safely be recommended as a model to those who come after him. He died at his house, in Ainslie-place, Edinburgh, on Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the nfly-eigfath year of his ag^, leaving a widow, and a large family, some of them very voung; his two eldest sons succeeded to the business, in which, from boyhood they were asso- ciated with their father.

1834, Oct. 10. The newspaper postage act came into operation this day. All foreign news- papers commg from countries where British journals circulate free of postage, allowed free admission to all parts of the British islands and colonies.

1834, Oct. 25. Thomas Chables Wilson Mayhew, proprietor and projector of several cheap popular works, havmg been connected with the Figaro, Lo Studio, the Diamond Shak- nwarf, the Ptnmlar Dictionary of Unirer$al Information, &c. &c. At the time of his decease he was occupied in four periodical pub- lications, a Hilton of England, a Cyeloptedia^ a Tratulation of French Plays, and the National Library. The application which such a variety of literary labonis required,togetherwitb certain complicated pecuniary transactions connected with the last, led to his death. The verdict of the coroner's jury was, that he " destroyed him- self with prussic acid and fumes of charcoal, being in an unsound state of mind." His death took place in Bernard's Inn, London.

1834, Nov. 26. Died, L. B. See let, book- seller, of Fleet-street, London. He died at Thames Ditton, aged sixty-eight years.

anthoi of the Uft of WUHmn SvuIKe, pradtr, 1811. A general collection at voTagee and trards, 18 vols. Sro.. and many other work*. In 1794 he commenced a paper manafitetorr, by which he loet a eonsUeiaUe piuu e itf. Hi* father waa an eminent citizen and tradesman at Edin- burgh, where Robert Kerr waa born in 17U, and died October 17, 1813.
 * Robert Kerr, F. R. 8. and F. 8. A., of EiUnbar(li,

VjOOQ IC