Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 09.djvu/345

 His master died before his ‘articles’ ceased, and, not being able to bear the perversities of his mistress, he quitted her house and settled at Bow, where he married a young widow with a little money. He then became journeyman to Alderman (afterwards lord mayor) Barber, and for years was a writer in ‘Mist's Weekly Journal.’ When about thirty he obtained a position in the post office, by his wife's interest, but continued his occupation as a printer. He corrected the ‘Gradus ad Parnassum’ for the Stationers' Company, and wrote an ‘Account of the Criminals,’ as well as several pamphlets on current topics. He was shortly afterwards appointed clerk of the franks.

With the knowledge gained from his official position Cave about this time (1725) furnished country news to a London journal, in what were called ‘news-letters,’ for a guinea a week. He then began to convey London news to country papers, at Gloucester, Stamford, and Canterbury. Cave's position brought him into intercourse with members of both houses, and he would retire to a coffee-house and work up a news-letter. In 1727 he and Robert Raikes of the ‘Gloucester Journal’ were taken into custody for breach of privilege. Cave suffered ten days' imprisonment, but on expressing contrition and paying heavy fines he was released with a reprimand. His strictness as clerk of the franks had made enemies, and he was cited before the House of Commons for another breach of privilege in stopping a frank given by a member to the old Duchess of Marlborough. He was charged with opening letters to obtain ‘news,’ and dismissed from his post, although the statements made were never proved.

Cave had saved enough to purchase a small printing office at St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, in 1731. Here, in the gateway of the old priory of the knights of St. John, he started business as a printer under the name of ‘R. Newton,’ and began the ‘Gentleman's Magazine.’ His intention was to form a collection or ‘magazine’ (the first use of the name in this sense), ‘to contain the essays and intelligence which appeared in the two hundred half sheets which the London press then threw off monthly,’ and in ‘probably as many more half sheets printed elsewhere in the three kingdoms.’ The periodical was to comprise varieties of all kinds. He had talked of his plan for years, but every bookseller refused to join him, although he had numerous followers. The first number of the ‘Gentleman's Magazine, or Traders' Monthly Intelligencer … by Sylvanus Urban, Gent.,’ appeared in January 1730–1. Some of the early numbers were said to be ‘printed by Edward Cave, jun.,’ an imaginary nephew; others ‘printed for R. Newton,’ and sometimes he falsely described himself as ‘Sylvanus Urban of Aldermanbury, Gent.’ His magazine was a vast improvement upon the gossiping and abusive papers of the time. Johnson says its sale was over ten thousand in 1739, and every effort was made to keep up its circulation, Cave ‘scarcely ever looking out of his window but with a view to its improvement.’ A few years afterwards it had risen to fifteen thousand. Though without literary ability, Cave was an able editor. In 1732 he began the publication of a regular series of the parliamentary debates of both houses, giving only the initials and finals of personal names. He had friends posted in each house to watch the proceedings, and fix important speeches in the memory. Reports were afterwards put together from these materials by William Guthrie [q. v.] Members at times privately forwarded copies of their own speeches. The reports grew to be very lengthy, and at every year's end a supplement had to be published. The ‘London Magazine’ and ‘Scots Magazine’ followed the ‘Gentleman's Magazine.’ The ‘London Magazine,’ which lasted from 1732 to 1781, was his most successful rival. In April 1738 occurred the debate on the publication of proceedings in parliament, in consequence of Cave having given the king's answer to an address of parliament before it had even been reported from the chair, and the commons passed a resolution of ‘high indignation.’ The ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ and ‘London Magazine’ hit upon very similar evasions. The debates were attributed to a ‘parliament of the empire of Lilliput’ in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine,’ or ‘the proceedings of a Roman literary club’ in the ‘London Magazine.’ Quaint pseudonyms were adopted. The proceedings were also thrown out of chronological order. In November 1740 Johnson succeeded Guthrie and reported for about three years. Johnson's account of his first visit to St. John's Gate in 1738, when ‘he beheld it with reverence,’ is well known. For years, until Cave died with his hand ‘gently pressing’ Johnson's, their friendship survived. In 1747 Cave, along with Astle of the ‘London Magazine,’ was again in trouble for printing accounts of the trial of Lord Lovat. On paying fees and begging pardon on their knees the offenders were discharged with a reprimand. The reports, however, had to be given up, and they were not resumed until 1752; Cave's press was not stopped again. When the officers threatened to stamp the last half sheet of magazines as if it were a newspaper, and the rival editors were about to give way, he stood out and the idea was relinquished. From 1742 to