site St. Clement's Church, Strand; he
published catalogues between 1786 and 1793. William Otridge, at first
alone, and afterwards in partnership with his son, issued catalogues
from the Strand during the last quarter of the last century. In 1796
Joseph Pote was selling books at the Golden Door, over against Suffolk
Street, Charing Cross. John Nourse (died 1780), bookseller to his
Majesty, was another celebrated bibliopole of the Strand, and is
described by John Nichols as 'a man of science, particularly in the
mathematical line.' Francis Wingrave succeeded Nourse.

One of the most celebrated booksellers of this neighbourhood during the
last half of the eighteenth century was Tom Davies, who sported his
rubric posts[237:A] in Russell Street, Covent Garden, and who was driven
from his position as actor in Garrick's company by Churchill's killing
satire:

'He mouths a sentence as curs mouth a bone.'

In spite of satirists, the verdict of his contemporaries is ratified, so
to speak, in voting Tom Davies a good fellow. Dr. John Campbell
described him as 'not a bookseller, but a gentleman dealing in books';
and the Rev. P. Stockdale described him as 'the most gentleman-like
person of that trade whom I ever knew.' Dr. Johnson said he was 'learned
enough for a clergyman,' which was an equivocal compliment, for the
clergymen of the period were not, as a rule, learned. Davies was
generally talkative, but at times quite the reverse, and sometimes
uttered pious ejaculations. Between 1764 and 1776 Davies sold a number
of interesting and valuable libraries--those, for example, of William
Shenstone and William Oldys. Davies, like many other contemporary
booksellers, was fond of scribbling, and was the author of 'Memoirs of
Garrick,' and other books.

Probably the most famous bookseller of the Strand is Thomas Payne, who
for over half a century (1740-1794) was selling books in this locality.
'Honest Tom Payne' started business in or about 1740, for in February of
that year he issued a catalogue of 'curious books in divinity, history,
classics, medicine, voyages, natural history,' etc., from the 'Round
Court,[237:B] in the Strand, opposite York Buildings.' About ten years
later (January, 1750) he had removed to the Mews Gate to a shop shaped
like the letter L, which became one of the most famous literary resorts
of the period. Just before leaving Round Court, Tom Payne issued a sort
of clearance catalogue, comprising 10,000 vol