Page:A history of booksellers, the old and the new.djvu/406

366 should ever be raised to act as Her Majesty's First Commissioner at the Central Criminal Court of England!"

Half of his scanty pittance of ten pounds was sent home to aid his parents, and as his wages increased, so did this dutiful allowance. In this situation Kelly remained for twenty years and two months, and at no time did he receive more than eighty pounds per annum, and it is believed that when his stipend reached that petty maximum, he defrayed the whole of his father's farm rent. That he was not entirely satisfied with his prospects, is evident from the fact that about ten years after he joined Hogg he accepted a clerkship in Sir Francis Baring's office, but so necessary had he become to the establishment he was about to leave, that his late master prevailed upon him to accept board and residence in exchange for what assistance he might please to render over hours. After six weeks of this double work, poor Kelly's health began to suffer, and it was plain that he must confine his labours to one single branch of trade.

"Thomas," said his master, sagaciously enough, though probably with a view to his own interests, "you never can be a merchant, but you may be a bookseller." This advice chimed in with his inclination, if not with his immediate prospects, and Kelly devoted himself to bookselling.

At length Hogg, falling into bad health, and desiring to be relieved from business, proposed to Kelly that he should unite in partnership with his son; but the conscientious assistant felt constrained to decline the tempting offer, by reason of the young man's character, and resolved rather to attempt business on his own account. In 1809, therefore, he started in a