WILLIAM BOWYER, PRINTER, F. S.A.

AND MANY OF HIS LEARNED FRIENDS;

AN INCIDENTAL VIEW

OF THE PROGRESS AND ADVANCEMENT OF LITERATURE
IN THIS KINGDOM DURING THE LAST CENTURY;

AND

BIOGRAPHICAL ANECDOTES

OF A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF

EMINENT WRITERS AND INGENIOUS ARTISTS;

WITH A VERY COPIOUS INDEX.

BY JOHN NICHOLS, F. S. A.

IN SIX VOLUMES.

VOLUME I.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR,

BY NICHOLS, SON, AND BENTLEY, AT CICERO'S HEAD,

RED-LION-PASSAGE, FLEET-STREET.

1812.

TO

JAMES BINDLEY, Esa. M. A. F. S. A.