re long selections of books at 1s.
each, or 10s. per dozen, and of others at 6d. each or 5s. per dozen.
Brindley was succeeded in 1759 by his apprentice, a much more celebrated
bibliopole, James Robson, who built up a very extensive connection and
died in 1806. In company with James Edwards and Peter Molini (the Exotic
Bookseller of Beloe), Robson, in 1788, undertook a journey to Venice for
the purpose of examining the famous Pinelli Library, which was purchased
for about L7,000; it was safely transferred to London and sold by
auction in Conduit Street, the total result being L9,356. A large
number of more or less famous collections of books passed through
Robson's hands, notably those of Sir John Evelyn; Edward Spelman, the
translator of Xenophon; the Duke of Newcastle (1770); W. Mackworth Praed
(1772); Joseph Smith, Consul at Venice; Dr. Samuel Musgrave; J. Murray,
Ambassador at Constantinople. Messrs. Robson and Clark were succeeded
early in this century by Nornaville and Fell, who in 1830 made way for
T. and W. Boone, who were, as we have said, succeeded by Mr. F. S.
Ellis; it is interesting to note that this house had been in the
occupation of booksellers for over a century and a half.

The bookselling fraternity had, however, obtained no definite footing
until shortly after the middle of the eighteenth century, when James
Almon began to acquire notoriety, his political fearlessness more than
once bringing him at loggerheads with the authorities. When he first
came to London, he worked as a printer at Watts', in Wild's Court,
Lincoln's Inn Fields, where he had the frame which had been occupied by
Benjamin Franklin. His shop was opposite Burlington House, and for many
years this was the meeting-place of the leading Whig politicians. He
died in 1805, and was succeeded by J. Debrett, a name still associated
with publishing.

During the last few years of the last century, and probably in
consequence of the greatly improved condition of the place, Piccadilly
and neighbourhood became favourite spots with booksellers, the more
notable being James Ridgway, whose 'repository of loyalty' was in York
Street, St. James's Square, who died in 1838, aged eighty-three years;
T. Hookham, Old Bond Street; and Stockdale, whose name will be for ever
associated with that of Erskine in connection with the liberty of the
press. Stockdale's shop, No. 178, Piccadilly, was for a long time in the
possession of Thomas Thorpe; the place has s