in February, 1817. A sketch of
his life and a portrait of him appear in the fifth volume of the
_Wonderful Magazine_.

[Illustration: _Staircase at Puttick and Simpson's._]

After Sotheby's, the most important of the book-auctioneers of to-day
are Messrs. Puttick and Simpson; Christie, Manson and Woods; and Hodgson
and Co. The first-named have since December, 1858, occupied the greater
portion of the house in Leicester Square in which Sir Joshua Reynolds
lived throughout his brilliant career, and where he died in 1792. The
auction-room was formerly the artist's studio; the office was his
dining-room; the upper portion of the house is occupied by Mr. H. Gray,
the topographical bookseller. The place has been altered since the
distinguished painter resided there, but in this age of iconoclasm it is
pleasant to wander in the passages and rooms where all the wit, beauty,
and intellect of the latter part of the last century congregated--where
Johnson and Boswell, Burke, Garrick, Goldsmith and Malone met in good
fellowship. The founder of the firm was a Mr. Stewart (see p. 112), who
started in Piccadilly in 1794, and who continued here until about 1825,
when he took into partnership Benjamin Wheatley, who had been at
Sotheby's, and a son of the printer, Adlard; for a while the firm was
John and James Fletcher, but early in 1846, the two and only partners
were Mr. Puttick and the present Mr. William Simpson; the former died in
1873, and the business is now in the hands of Mr. Simpson and his son.
The most important sale held at Puttick's was that of the Sunderland
Library from Blenheim Palace, which, commencing on December 1, 1881,
occupied from that date up to March 22, 1883, fifty-one days, the 13,858
lots realizing the gross total of L56,581 6s. On April 21, 1884, and ten
following days, the exceedingly fine topographical library of the Earl
of Gosford was sold at Puttick's, the total of the sale being L11,318
5s. 6d.; the most remarkable item in the sale was a fine large copy of
the first volume of the Mazarin Bible in the original binding, which was
knocked down to Mr. Toovey for L500; and next in interest to this was a
copy of the First Folio Shakespeare, 1623, measuring 12-7/8 inches by
8-3/8 inches, quite perfect, but with the title and verses mounted, and
the margins of two leaves slightly mended, and this sold for L470. The
extensive library of L. L. Hartley (see p. 87) was also disposed of at
Puttick's, 1885-87, and