Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/348

 NOTES Btf THE WAY.

��"1908, Feb. 8.

The great

publishing

houses.

Simpkins.

��The Longmans.

��John Murray.

��Smith, Elder & Co.

��George Smith.

��The Jubilee number contains an article on ' Some of the Great Houses,' Simpkin, Marshall & Co. heading the list. The business was founded by Mr. Benjamin Crosby, who was the first of the London booksellers to travel for orders. In 1814, owing to ill- health, he was forced to retire, and disposed of the business to his two assistants, Simpkin and Marshall. His nephew, Mark Lock- wood, remained with the new firm, becoming a partner in 1835. Six years previous to this Mr. J. Miles had joined when Simpkin retired. Marshall also retired in 1854. In 1889 a change took place in the firm, two other great wholesale distributing houses being brought in Hamilton, Adams & Co. and W. Kent & Co.

In 1724 Thomas Longman founded the well-known house that bears his name. The firm of Rivington, which was founded in 1711, was incorporated with Longmans in 1890, so that the latter is now the oldest house in the trade ; and its address, 39, Paternoster Row, is the same as when it started. The present Thomas Longman is the fifth Thomas Longman. It was his father who personally edited the ' Illustrated New Testament ' ; and it w r as during his partnership that Macaulay received from the firm the historic cheque of 20,000?., on account of the profits of his famous ' History.' In 1863 the firm acquired the copyrights of J. W. Parker, Son & Bourn, of 445, Strand, including Fraser's Magazine. In 1890 the business was incorporated as an unlimited company, of which the partners at that time are now the directors.

The publishing house of John Murray is the next to be recorded. At Albemarle Street the fourth John Murray with his brother Hallam now reigns, and there is a fifth John Murray in the firm.

The fourth house noticed is that of Smith, Elder & Co. This firm, formerly of 65, Cornhill, were originally Indian and colonial agents with a small publishing department. George Murray Smith, son of the senior partner, entered the firm in 1842 at the age of eighteen, and was at once placed in charge of the publishing business. His first book was R. H. Home's ' New Spirit of the Age.' In 1846 his father died and Mr. Elder retired, so young George Smith had entire control, aided by his able literary reader W. Smith Williams. The works of Thackeray, the Brontes, and Mrs. Gaskell were published by him ; and on the 1st of January, 1860, The Cornhill was launched under Thackeray's editorship. Other authors include George Eliot, the Brownings, Matthew Arnold, and Anthony Trollope, not to mention those more recent. But, beyond all these, the nation owes to George Murray Smith a debt of gratitude for his patriotism in publishing at his own expense the ' Dictionary of National Biography,' completed in June, 1900. He died on the 6th of April, 1901. The present principals are Mr. Reginald John Smith, K.C., and Mr. Alexander Murray Smith.

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