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Floruit: 1757–1801
floruit 1757 (B)—1801 (B); Male, married
Life Events
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Date |
Source
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| Death |
- on 6 Jun 1801 Nichols 1, vol.3, p.449.; Gents.Mag.; Timperley, C.H. (1842), wrongly says the 1st, but the article makes it clear it was the 6th. |
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| Burial |
St.Faith's in St.Paul's Churchyard Gents. Mag.; Nichols 1, vol.3, p.449; Timperley, C.H. (1842) |
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Will
| Will (Ref., Piece, Image) |
Will Dates |
Intestate |
Probate Dates |
Administration Dates |
Comments
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PROB 11/1359
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1799-02-05
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Family Relationships
Occupations (1)
| Occupation |
Comment
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| Bookseller |
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Events (3)
Further Notes
Gents.Mag., Jun 1801, pp.578-580 [Obit] 6 Jun 1801 - At his house in Pater-noster-row, in the 65th year of his age, Mr.George Robinson, an eminent bookseller; whose death will be lamented by a large circle of acquaintance; and of whom it may be truly said, no man discharged the duties of private life with more active zeal or more steady virtue; as a husband, a father, and a friend, he was warm and sincere, affectionate and tender. These, however, are the common features of every worthy man's character; but Mr.Robinsons' s death will be felt and regretted on a broader and more public ground - as a loss to the world of letters. During the better half of the past century, Jacob Tonson and Andrew Millar were the best patrons of literature; a fact rendered unquestionable, by the valuable works produced under their fostering and genial hands. Their successors, Mr.Alderman Cadell, the late Mr.Strahan, and his surviving son, exceeded their predecessors in the spirit of enterprise, which led them, at great expence, to publish the works of the many celebrated writers that have ornamented the age in which we live. Mr.Robinson, standing alone and unconnected, boldly rivalled these, the most powerful of his competitors; and, by his liberality to authors, his encouragement to engravers, and other artists of the press, has considerably added to the stores of science and taste. - An excellent correspondent, who had the best possible means of knowing him intimately, adds, " Our late worthy friend affords another instance of the benefits of industry and integrity in the establishment of the most important concerns of trade, and of the fairest fame. He was born at Dalston, in Cumberland, and, about 1755, came up to London in search of such employment as he might be qualified for by a decent education, and a great share of natural sense and shrewdness. His first engagement was, we believe, in the respectable house of Mr.John Rivington, from which he went to that of Mr.Johnstone, on Ludgate-hill, where he remaind until 1763-4, when he commenced business as a bookseller in Paternoster-row, in partnership whith Mr.John Roberts, who died about 25 years since. The commencement of an undertaking like this required a copital; and the uniform habits of industry and punctuality which Mr.R had displayed, while managing the concerns of others, pointed him out as one who might be entrusted. He has often been heard to acknowledge his gratitude to the late Mr.Thomas Longman, who liberally, and unasked, offered him any sum, on credit, that might be wanted. In a short time, however, these small beginnings swelled into concerns of importance. Mr.R's active spirit, knowledge of business and reputable connexion, soon enabled him to achieve the higher branches of the business, and, in the purchase of copyrights, he became the rival of the most formidable of the old established houses; and before the year 1780, he had the largest wholesale trade that was ever carried on by an individual. In 1784, he took into partnership his son and brother, who are his successors. In the rise and progress of so great a concern, Mr.R. was an eminent proof (if so plain a truth requires a proof) how much may be done by habits of attention, industry, and, above all, inflexible integrity and perseverance. We have authority to say, from the most successful of his rivals, the first bookseller in London, and now a magistrate of high rank, that "of George Robinson's integrity too much cannot be said." It was this which frequently involved him in the troublesome, yet honourable offices of arbitrator in cases of dispute, and executor and assignee in the events of death or bankruptcy; and there are probably none in the trade who cannot testify in his favour in some one of those departments. He had, indeed, a natural aversion to every thing little, mean, and partaking of subterfuge and undue artifice; and many will remember, that, when his indignation was roused by actions of this description, he expressed it in terms peculiarly harsh and inaccomodating. As his success in business proceeded, he extended his liberality to authors in no common degree; and it will be difficult to find an instance where he did not amply gratify the wish of the party, if at all compatible with prudence, or even the distant probability of return. It was his opinion, that liberality to authors was the true spirit of bookselling enterprize, and, perhaps, little can be done if occasional failures are allowed to break in upon this system. If the writer of the present article, who for many years has enjoyed, Mr.R's intimacy, were to venture on an objection, at a time when he feels nothing but regret, it would be that Mr.R. rather gave too much than too little, and that he sometimes gave a consequence to works, which neither their own merit, nor the opinon of the public, could ever sanction - Still another trait of his character must not be forgotten. If, add to their concern with him as a publisher, his authors obtained his friendship, no man could serve them with more active zeal in every emergency; and, although he had on some occasions the common fate of generous minds, that of bestowing his favours improperly, he never permitted such a circumstance to contract his desire to serve those for whom he professed an attachment. Few men will probably be regretted by a more extensive acquaintance; and it is particularly noticeable in his history, that amidst the strictest attention to business, he was throughtout the whole of his early life enabled, by a due division of time, appropriate more to social pleasures than many men could venture to do with impunity. For the social enjoyments of life, indeed, he was eminently qualified. He had mproved the scanty education of a Northern village by some reading, but principally by the company of literary men, and by a memory uncommonly tenacious. His own mind was shrewd, penetrating, and enriched by various experience. He had likewise a great share of wit and vivacity; many of his bons mots, which have been pretty extensively circulated among his friends, would do credit to men of the first reputation in this minor department of genius. His sense of ridicule was remarkably strong, and few men excelled him in telling a story, of which he had a plentiful stock, and which he varied with circumstantial embellishment that were irresistably laughable. Versed too, in the literary and business-history of his time, his a conversatiion was a rich fund of information, and his memory in dates and minutiae gave an authority which made him be frequently consulted when points in dispute were to be accurately ascertained. Of late years he visted less abroad, but was seldom happy without the company of his friends at home, who found themselves welcomed to a well spread table, without ceremony and without affectation. He imposed no condition but that of punctuality to the hour of dinner, and in that particular, it is well known, he never relaxed to persons of any rank or condition: Such were some of the features of a character which will be long remembered by a very extensive circle of friends, and on which the writer of this article could expatiate at a greater length, were it necessary. To have said less would not have been respectrful to his memory; and to indulge the feelings of private friendship, in more ample recollections, becomes the province of memory rather than of public record. Mr.R. was seized with the illness which proved fatal on Monday, May 25, while at a meeting of booksellers, at the accustomed place, the Chapter coffee-house: from this he was obliged to retire hastily, and soon exhibited symptoms of fever; this abated so far, in the subsequent week, as to give hopes of recovery; these hopes were particularly encouraged, even on the evening, June 5, preceding his death, when he became calm, took his medicines willingly, and seemed, to all human appearance free from fever. These symptoms, however, were fallacious; the snares of death were wound around him, and at 5 on Saturday morning he expired. He was interred, on Thursday the 11th, in the burying-ground belongin to St.Faith's in St.Paul's church-yard." --- Timperley, C.H. (1842), pp.808-9 [Follows G.M. account.] ---
SOURCES & TRANSCRIPTIONS
Transcriptions
ODNB - article by G.E.Bentley jun.