some years after the settlement of Boston, came over with a quantity of books on speculation, and having sold them, perhaps the greater part by wholesale, returned to Europe.

Dunton writes that he was acquainted with Thorncomb in New England, and mentions that "his Company was Coveted by the best Gentlemen in Boston, nor is he less acceptable to the Fair Sex; for he has something in him so extremely charming as makes 'em very fond of his Company. However he's a vertuous Person, and deserves all the respect they shew'd him."

1686. JAMES COWSE. I have seen only one book printed for him namely "The Church of Rome, evidently proved Heretick."

1686. JOHN DUNTON, was born at Graffham, Huntingdonshire, in England; his father was fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and rector of Graff ham.

Dunton was brought up to the bookselling business in London; where he entered extensively into the trade; and in the course of time became a very considerable publishing bookseller. He had a general correspondence, with the booksellers of England, Scotland, Ireland and Boston. But fortune did not always smile on Dunton. He lost a large sum through becoming surety for his brother-in-law, and was a great sufferer by the troubles of England in 1685; insomuch that his circumstances became embarrassed.

On the death of Charles II, James II, his brother, ascended the throne of England; who being a great enemy to the duke of Monmouth, the natural son of Charles II, caused him to be expelled from Holland, by the prince of Orange; and was the occasion of his being persecuted in Brussels. Being a favorite with the people, Monmouth was stimulated by that consideration, and by a principle of revenge, to make an attempt to dethrone James, and place the crown of England on his own head. He landed in England, raised a small army, which was defeated, and

he was beheaded in consequence of this rebellion. His adherents fled; and Dunton, being one of these fugitives, escaped to Boston, where the sum of five hundred pounds sterling-a considerable object in the deranged state of his circumstances was due to him; and his design in going there was to collect his debts. The management of his affairs in London he intrusted to his wife, who, according to his own account, was a most excellent woman, and 'he had a great affection for her. He embarked on board a ship then lying at Gravesend, and took with him books suitable for the Boston market to a large amount. He put others to the value of five hundred pounds sterling on board another vessel, destined to the same port. The ships were overtaken by foul weather, before they cleared the British channel. That which bore the consignment was lost, but the other, in which Dunton had embarked, weathered the storm. After a tedious passage of more than four months duration he arrived in Boston. Dunton had taken the precaution of procuring letters of recommendation to the most eminent clergymen in Massachusetts, and to the principal gentlemen in Boston; in consequence of which he was kindly received and politely treated on his arrival. He procured a warehouse where he exposed his books for sale, and found a good market for them. At the expiration of seven or eight months he had a considerable number of books unsold; but he opened a store in Salem, where hẹ soon disposed of the same.

During Dunton's residence in Boston, he visited the governor, lieutenant governor, the principal magistrates, &c., and dined with them in the town hall, on the day of election. He paid his respects to all the clergy, in and about Boston, Dr. Increase Mather, the Rev. Cotton Mather, Messrs. Willard, Allen, Eliot, Higginson, of Salem, and many other ministers. Dr. Mather he calls the "metropolitan clergyman of the country." When he had sold

off his books, he took leave of his friends, and returned to England.

On his arrival there he was apprehensive of a prosecution, for which reason, after remaining some time incognito, he went to Holland, Germany and Ireland. A revolution having been effected in England, in 1688, Dunton returned to London, and recommenced business on the very day the Prince of Orange arrived in that city. Dunton again launched forth into extensive business; and published many works, among which were some that were periodical. The Athenian Gazette, which was afterwards denominated The Athenian Mercury, was continued several years, and the editors of it, among whom Dunton was the principal, were highly complimented in poetical and prosaic essays, by Gildon, Motteux, De Foe, Richardson, and the celebrated poet laureat, N. Tate, who was concerned in a version of the Psalms, which is well known in America. His other periodical works were The Post-Angell, and The Night Walker.

As a kind of drawback on Dunton's fame, I ought, perhaps, candidly to mention that he had the misfortune to be introduced into Pope's Dunciad, where the present of the goddess Dulness to Curl is represented as

“A shaggy tapestry, worthy to be spread

On Codrus' old, or DUNTON's modern bed."

The note of the Scriblerus Club, on this passage, runs thus, "John Dunton was a broken bookseller, and abusive scribler; he writ Neck or Nothing, a violent satire on some ministers of state; a libel on the duke of Devonshire, and. the bishop of Peterborough, &c.”

.

In justice to Dunton I must observe, that this severity was, perhaps, wholly unmerited, and produced solely by a difference of opinion; as the works which the club calls

'Book II, v. 144, &c.

libels might be strictly conformable to truth, and probably met the applause of those who thought like Dunton.

During his second run of business Dunton lost his wife; and married another, whose fortune, though considerable, was not payable till a younger brother came of age. After ten years of success in business, the tide again turned, and through losses in trade, and other misfortunes, Dunton again became embarrassed. On this occasion he pressed his wife's mother to enable him to pay his debts, but could not prevail, although he thought to enforce compliance, by abstaining from the usual intercourse with his wife. To these means he added entreaty and argument; but they proved equally ineffectual; and Dunton, who formerly wrote for profit and fame, was now obliged to write for his daily subsistence. At this period, anno 1705, he published The Life and Errors of John Dunton, late Citizen of London; Written by Himself in Solitude. He gives an account of his voyage to Boston, of his business there, and of his travels in Holland and Germany. He characterizes upwards of a thousand persons then living, among whom were the booksellers of most note in Boston, many of the clergy and other eminent persons he visited, or with whom he was acquainted, together with several of his male and female customers, in and about "the metropolis of New England;" after which he proceeds to the authors for whom he published, all the printers, binders, engravers on wood and copper, whom he had employed, and the company of stationers in London; and, he concludes with the most conspicuous of his London customers. He was an adept in writing of this kind, and appeared to engage in it with peculiar pleasure and ease. In this work there is a singular mixture of humor, anecdote and religion, and it is, perhaps, a true picture of the mind and disposition of the author. At the conclusion of it he observes, "could I not compose a few sheets for the press, I might now

starve; but it is well known that in the course of a few years I shall be able to pay all I owe to a half farthing."

Dunton had a patent from king William and queen Mary, for the sole printing and publishing an English translation of The History of the Edict of Nantz, in four volumes. During the life of his first wife he made a will, and appointed her sole executrix, and desired her to bury him the seventh day after his death, and not before, lest he should come to life, as his mother had done on the day appointed for her funeral. This circumstance, respecting his mother, he relates at the beginning of his Life, &c. Having been sick, she, to all appearance, died. "After lying three days, her friends were about to put her into a Coffin for interment, when to their astonishment she revived from the trance in which she had fallen, and was thus mercifully restored; in a year after she dy'd in earnest."

Dunton was a man of a singular character. He appears to have been a complete, enterprising bookseller; and was sensible, humorous and religious.

1690. NICHOLAS BUTTOLPH, "Next to Guttridge's CoffeeHouse."

I have discovered many books which were printed for him. He carried on business about fifty years, and was a man of respectability. On the 29th of January, 1737, he died, considerably advanced in years.

1690. BENJAMIN ELLIOTT, "Under the Exchange, Head of King-Street." He was largely concerned in publishing books, among which were the laws of the general court; and he was a noted dealer in books which were printed in Boston. He was about fifty years in business; and died November 9, 1741, aged seventy-six years.

1690. BENJAMIN HARRIS, had a bookstore "at the London Coffee-House," two or three years; but removed to