, a gentleman who deserves honourable notice in the literary history
, a gentleman who deserves honourable notice in the literary history of his country, was
the son of a woollen-draper in the parish of St. Paul, Covent-garden, and born March 17, 1728. He lost his father
when about the age of twelve years; and his guardian not
only neglected him, but involved his property in his own
bankruptcy, and sent him to France. Having there acquired a knowledge of foreign literature and publications
beyond any persons of his age, he resolved to engage in
the importation of foreign books; and, when little more
than twenty years old, opened a shop in the Strand: the
only person who then carried on such a trade being Paul
Vaillant. Though, by the mis-conduct of some who were
charged with his commissions in several parts of the continent, it proved unsuccessful to the new adventurer, he
continued in business till 1753, when he published Dr.
Pettingal’s “Dissertation on the original of the Equestrian
Figure of the George and of the Garter.
” At the same
early period in which he engaged in business he hacl married Miss Hamilton, a lady of the most respectable connexions in North Britain, still younger than himself, both
their ages together not making 38 years. He next commenced auctioneer in Essex-house. This period of his
life tended to develope completely those extraordinary
talents in bibliography (a science hitherto so little attended to) which soon brought him into the notice of the literary
world. The valuable collection of Mss. belonging to the
right hon. sir Julius Caesar, knt. judge of the Admiralty in
the reign of queen Elizabeth, and, in the reigns of James I.
and Charles I. chancellor and under-treasurer of the Exchequer, had fallen into the hands of some uninformed
persons, and were on the point of being sold by weight to
a cheesemonger, as waste paper, for the sum of ten pounds;
some of them happened to be shewn to Mr. Paterson, who
examined them, and instantly discovered their value. He
then digested a masterly catalogue of the whole collection,
and, distributing it in several thousands of the most singular and interesting heads, caused them to be sold by auction, which produced 356l.; and had among the purchasers
the late lord Orford, and other persons of rank. These
occurrences took place in 1757.