a faithful editor, than ambitious of being an original composer.

"In the year 1768, he collected into one volume, 12mo. "The Poetical Works of the Hon. Lady M[arly Wortele]y M[ontagu]e.” His other publications were, Middleton's "Witch, a TragiCoomodie," a few copies only for his friends, 1778; the sixth volume of Dr. Young's Works, 1778, 12mo. " Biographia Dramatica," 2 volumes, 8vo. 1782, founded upon "Baker's Companion to the Playhouse:" the biographical department of this work is the result of diligent enquiry, and his strictures on the productions of the English drama display sound judgment and correct taste; an improved edition of Dodsley's old Plays, with Notes, 12 vols. 8vo. 1780; Dodsley's Collection of Poems, with Biographical Notes, 6 vols. 8vo. 1782; "The Repository; a select Collection of Fugitive Pieces of Wit and Humour, in Prose and Verse, by the most eminent Writers," 4 vols. 8vo. 1777-1783; Pearch's Collection of Poems, with Biographical Notes, 4 vols. 8vo. 1783, (which some have ascribed to the late George Keate, esq.); " A Complete "A Collection of the Cambridge Prize Poems, from their first Institution, in 1750, to the present Time," 8vo. 1773; an edition of Johnson and Steevens's Shakspeare, 10 vol. 8vo. 1785, which he undertook at the request of Dr. Farmer and

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Mr. Steevens, the latter of whom resigning, for this time, the office of Editor; some short Lives of those English Poets who were added to Dr. Johnson's Collection, in 1790; the Fifth Edition of Shakspeare, in 21 vols. 8vo. 1803, with his name prefixed; an effort which he with some difficulty was persuaded to make. So extremely averse indeed was he to appearing before the publick, that, when he was asked, as a matter of course, to add only his initials at the end of the prefatory advertisement of Dr. Young, his answer was nearly in these words: "I solemnly declare, that I have such a thorough dread of putting my name to any publication whatever, that, if I were placed in the alternative either of so doing or of standing in the pillory, I believe I should prefer the latter." He was a valuable contributor to the Westminster Magazine, from 1773-4 to about the year 1780. The biographical articles in that Miscellany are from his He became also very early one of pen. the proprietors of the European Magazine, and was a constant contributor to it for many years, particularly in the biographical and critical departments. He was also an occasional volunteer in the pages of Sylvanus Urban. So ample indeed was his collection of literary curiosities, so ready was he in turning to them, and so thoroughly able to communicate information, that no man of character ever applied to him in vain. Even the la

bours of Dr. Johnson were benefited by his accuracy; and for the last thirty years, there has scarcely appeared any literary work in this country, of the least consequence, that required minute and extensive research, which had not the advantage of his liberal assistance, as the grateful prefaces of a variety of writers have abundantly testified. Among the earliest of these was the edition of Dr. King's Works, 1776, and the Supplement to Swift, in the same year. In both these works Mr. Nichols was most materially indebted to the judicious remarks of Mr. Reed, whose friendly assistance also in many instances contributed to render his "Anecdotes of Mr. Bowyer," in 1782, completer than they otherwise could possibly have been. He contributed also many useful notes to the later editions of Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets. To enumerate the thanks of the authors whom he had assisted by his advice would be endless.

"With the late Dr. Farmer, the worthy master of Emanuel College, Cambridge, he was long and intimately acquainted, and regularly for many years spent an autumnal month with him at that pleasant seat of learning. At that period the theatricals of Stirbitch Fair had powerful patronage in the Combination-room of Emanuel, where the routine of performance was regularly settled, and

where the charms of the bottle were early deserted for the pleasures of the sock and buskin. In the boxes of this little theatre Dr. Farmer was the Arbiter Elegantiarum, and presided with as much dignity and unaffected ease as within the walls of his own College. He was regularly surrounded by a large party of congenial friends and able criticks; among whom Mr. Reed and Mr. Steevens were constantly to be found. The last-mentioned gentleman, it may not here improperly be noticed, had so inviolable an attachment to Mr. Reed, that notwithstanding a capriciousness of temper which often led him to differ from his dearest friends, and occasionally to lampoon them, there were three persons with whom through life he scarcely seemed to have a shade of difference of opinion; but those three were gentlemen with whom it was not possible for the most captious person to have differed-Dr. Farmer, Mr. Tyrwhitt, and Isaac Reed,

"To follow Mr. Reed into the more retired scenes of private and domestic life: he was an early riser; and, whenever the avocations of business permitted leisure, applied, in general, several hours in the morning, either in study or in the arrangement of his numerous scarce Tracts. His collection of books, which were chiefly English, was perhaps one of the most extensive in that kind

that any private individual ever possessed; and he had a short time before his death made arrangements for disposing of a great part of it. The whole was afterwards sold by auction.

"He was naturally companionable; and frequently enjoyed the conversation of the table at the houses of a select circle of friends, to whom his great knowledge of men and books, and his firm but modest mode of communicating that knowledge, always rendered him highly acceptable.

"Exercise was to him a great source both of health and pleasure. Frequently has the compiler of this article enjoyed a twelve miles walk to partake with him in the hospitalities of Mr. Gough at Enfield, and the luxury of examining with perfect ease the rarer parts of an uncommonly rich topographical library. But the most intimate of his friends was the friend of human kind at large, the mild, benevolent Daniel Braithwaite, esq. late comptroller of the Foreign Post-office, who has frequently beguiled him into an agreeable saunter of near twenty miles, to his delightful retreat in the pleasant village of Amwell, where he was always as happy, and as much at home as Dr. Johnson was at Mr. Thrale's at Streatham.