708
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
ers' company, a situation as luciative as it was honourable. In 1755 he removed &om North End, near Hammersmith, to Parson's Green, where he fitted up a house. In Salisburr- court, London, he toolc down a range of old houses, eight in number, and built an extensiTe and commodious range of warehouses and print- ing-offices. At Midsummer, 1660, he puicoased a moiety of the patent of law printer, and carried on that department of business in partnership with Miss Catherine Lintot.* To his servants be was a kind and generous master, eager to en- courage them to persevere in the same course of patient labour by which he had himself attained fortune ; and it is said to hare been his common practice to hide half a crown among the types in the cases, that it might reward the diligence of the compositor who should first be in the office in the morning. If we look yet closer into his private life, (and who does not wish to know the slightest particulars of a man of his genius?) we find so much to praise, and so little deserving censure, that we almost think we are reading the description of one of the amiable characters he has drawn in his own works. Besides practising a generous hospitality, it must be recorded to his honour, that long biefore he became an author, he distinguished himself by his kindness in re- lieving the wants of the sons of genius, which is but too often allied to poverty ; ara«agst others, Johnsonf felt his succouring hand in the hoar of his greatest need. A love of the human spe- cies ; a desire to create happiness and to witness it ; a life undisturbed by passion, and spent in doing good ; pleasure, which centred in elegant conversation — in bountiful liberality, in the ex- change of all the kindly intercourse of life, — marked the worth and unsophisticated simplicity of Richardson's character. It is no slight enco- mium, when speaking of the moral character of a man, that a too great lore of praise should be enumerated as its only foible. Of the vanity of Richardson he who peruses his life| can have no doubt ; but let it be remembered, that he was an object of almost perpetual flattery, and that he had a host of virtues to counterbalance the de- fect For some years previous to his death, he had been much afflicted with nervous attacks, the consequence of family deprivations, of in- tense application, and great mental susceptibility.
< After Mr. Ricbardson'B death, bis widow and Hin lintiot were for some time joiot patentees.
t The followiog letter from Johnson to Richardson, Is cliaracteristic and of a nature peculiarly aOectlni; :
"Gough-square, March 19, \7St. "Sir,— I am obliged to entreat roar assistance; lam now under an arrest for fire poands eighteen sliillings. Mr. Strahan, from whom 1 should have receired the necessary help in this case, is not at home, and I am afraid of not finding Mr. Millar. If yon will be so good as to send me this snm, I will very gratefully repay you, and add it to all former obligatioBS. — I am, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, SAMUEL JOHNSON."
"Sent six guineas. Witness, William RicaAansoN." The witness was Mr. Richardson's nephew and succes. ■or in business.
t See Mrs. Baibaold's " Biographical Account" of Mr. Richardson, prefixed to six volumes of his Correspondence^ in 1 804. Also Micbols's Literary Aneciota, vols, U. iv. v.
He often regretted, that he had only femilau whom to transfer his business. However, be U taken in to assist him a nephew, who relieved bin from the more burdensome cares of it, and «1k eventually succeeded him. He now had leisuc, had he had health, to enjoy his reputatioii, Im prosperous circumstances, his chilwen, and M& mends ; but, alas ! leisure purchased by sertn application often comes too late to be eojortd; and in a worldly, as weU as in a religioos seuc,
When we find The key of life, it opens to the glare.
His nervous disorders increased upon him ; nil his valuable life was at length teminatcd, )n i stroke of apoplexy, at the age of seventT-iwu. He was buried, by his own direction, Bearb first wife, in the nave, near the pulpit of Si Bride's church. The following epitaph ns written by his amiable smd learned fiietid Mr. Carter, but is not inscribed on his tomb:
EPITAPH ON MR. RICHARDSON, PROmiL
If ever wann benev(dence was dear. If ever wisdom gaised esteem sincere. Or genuine tency deep atteatioa won Approach with awe the dust — of iUcAarrfioa.
What though his Hnse, thro' distant regions kion, Might scorn the trtbate of this hamble stoDC; Yet pleasing to his gentle shade, must psove The meanest pledge <rf friendslilp and of lore ; Too oft will these, ftom venal tbrongs exiled; And oft will innocence, of aspect mild. And white-robed Charity, with streaming eyes Frequent the cloister where their patron lies.
This, reader, learn ; and lean from one, wIiok vgt Bids her wild verse in artleaa accents flow : For, could she frame her numbers to commend Hie husband, father, citizen, and friend ; How could her muse display, in equal strain. The critic's Judgments, and the writer's vein. Ah, no ! expect not from the chiaell'd stone The praises graven on oar hearts alone. TArre shall his fame a lasting shrine acquire i And ever shall his moving page inspire Pure truth, fixt honour, virtue's pleasing lore; While taste and science crown this favonr'd star.
Mr. Richardson was twice married. Bj la first wife, Martha Wilde, daughur of AUinjjo Wilde, printer, (who died in 1733) in Clerk* well, he had five sons and one dauKht" > ,*^ all died young. His second wife (who sumreJ him twelve years) was Elizabeth, sister of Mi. James Leake, bookseller, of Bath. Bj heibt had a son and five daughters. The son M young ; but four of the daughters surrived tiin viz. Mary, married in 1767 to Philip DitflSi esq., an eminent suigeon of Batb;^ MutK married in 1762 to Edward Bridgen, raq. FR- and A.SS ; Anne, who died unmarrieo ; m Sarah, married to Mr. Crowther, surgeon, « Boswell-court.
1761, .4«^. 27. Died, Samuel Baiuw," eminent bookseller in little Britain, and »» was many years deputy of the ward of Aldas- gate within.
- 8hedied January S5, 1731. ^_
t She died November 3, I77S, aged 77 T««". "■ ™
burled with her husband In St. Bride's chnidi.
- Mrs. Ditcher saivived her husband ; sail dial i> »*»
in August, 17S3,
LjOOQ IC
