, an eminent English penman of the seventeenth century. It is difficult
, an eminent English penman of the
seventeenth century. It is difficult to fix the time and
place of his birth we find him, early in life, in a menial
capacity with sir William Ashurst, who was lord mayor in
1694, to whom, and in which year, he dedicated his “Arithmetic made easy,
” a book which was well received by the
public, and has passed through several editions the twelfth
was printed in 1714, with an addition in book-keeping by
Charles Snell. In 1695, he published his “Tutor to Penmanship,
” engraved by John Sturt, in oblong folio. It is
dedicated to king William III. and though a very pompous
book, is valuable on many accounts; the writing being
plain and practical, and much more useful than his “A-la-mode Secretary,
” another writing-book he published from
the hand of the same engraver. In 1700 he published his
“Paul’s school round hand.
” It is no more than a set of
copies, ornamented but is clear and bold, and was engraved by Sturt. He lived then at the Hand and Pen in
St. Paul’s Church-yard, and is said to have gained 800l.
per annum by teaching and the sale of his works. We have
another of his performances under the title of the “Penman’s Daily Practice,
” which he calls a cyphering book
it contains examples of all the hands now in use, in thirtyfour plates done by the same engraver, but has no date.
He died about 1705, of an apoplexy.