sold by auction at Evans's in 1825.

[Illustration: _John Hatchard (1768-1849)._]

The most ancient book-business in Piccadilly is that of Hatchard's,
which dates back to 1797. It was started by John Hatchard, who had been
an assistant at Tom Payne's. Hatchard was patronized by Queen Charlotte,
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Canning, and Dr. Keate. Hatchard is the
Godly Bookseller of Beloe; he was a Conservative, dressed like a bishop,
and published for Hannah More and the Evangelicals. Zachary Macaulay,
Wilberforce, and the other opponents of slavery, once involved Hatchard
in a libel action, in which he was found guilty. Hatchard published for
Crabbe and for Tupper, and, according to Mr. Humphreys' interesting
'Piccadilly Bookmen,' Liston, Charles Kemble, and other actors,
frequented the shop. So did the Duke of Wellington, who, 'when the
library of the Duke's brother was sold at Evans's Auction Rooms in Pall
Mall, where now stands the Carlton Club . . . sent several open
commissions for books which he wished secured. Among these was a
shilling pamphlet by A. G. Stapleton, with the late owner's notes in
pencil. This was put up at 2s. 6d., and ultimately knocked down for L93
to Hatchard, the under-bidder being Sir A. Alison. The Duke, though very
much astonished at the price such a mere fragment had fetched, yet
admired the obedience to his orders.' The Horticultural Society took its
rise in a meeting at Hatchard's, and he also seems to have lent his
premises to the 'Outinian Society,' a species of matrimonial agency,
which did not last long; but the wonder is how so respectable and
cautious a personage ever harboured it. Among his assistants were
Fraser, afterwards noted for his magazine, and Tilt.

[Illustration: _James Toovey, Bookseller._]

The two great second-hand booksellers of the Piccadilly of the latter
half of the present century are James Toovey and Bernard Quaritch.
Toovey's shop at 177, Piccadilly (once occupied by William Pickering,
the famous publisher), was for about forty years a favourite haunt of
booksellers, for Toovey was a bibliophile as well as a bibliopole. His
whole life was spent among books. He was apprenticed at fourteen to a
bookseller, and for some time had a shop of his own in St. James's
Street. He published Newman's 'Lives of the English Saints,' and other
works by the leaders of the Tractarian movement, in addition to a very
fine reprint of the 'Aberdeen Breviary,' of the original