Page:A history of booksellers, the old and the new.djvu/140

108 lo8 THE LONGMAN PAMIL K the business connections arid stock of the Parkers were added to the enormous trade of the leviathan firm. Giving a gldrice at the changes that have taken place in the members of the firm, we have merely space to note that at Cosmo Orme's death in 1859 Mr. Brown retired, and at his decease on the 24th of March, 1869, left an immense fortune, more than 100,000 going in various legacies, of which the Book- sellers' Provident Retreat and Institution each re- ceived 10,000, the Royal Literary Fund 3000, and the Stationers' Company in all 10,000, the balance after the various legacies, and there were no less than sixty-eight legatees, going to the grandchildren of Thomas Norton Longman. The personalty of Mr. B. E. Green, who died about the same date, was sworn under 200,000. Two of the former assistants, Mr. Dyer and Mr. Reader, have, on the good old system, been admitted to the firm, which now stands " Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer." Mr. Roberts, as before stated, died in 1865. Both the Messrs. Longman are well known for their literary talents Mr. Thomas Longman as editor of a magnificent edition of the New Testament; and Mr. William as an historical author. The first of his works was, we believe, privately printed, A Tour in the Alps, by W. L. Mr. William Longman has always been an enthusiastic Alpine traveller. He has, how- ever, more recently published a History of the Life and Times of Edward III., in two volumes, and at our present writing a new work has just appeared in which he says playfully, " I trust authors will forgive me, and not revenge themselves by turning publishers ;" and he adds heartily and generously, "There is, nevertheless, some advantage in a publisher dabbling