r"--The "Printing Conger"--Mrs. Turner, the Poisoner--The
Church of St. Michael "ad Bladum"--The Boy in Panier Alley.

Paternoster Row, that crowded defile north of the Cathedral, lying
between the old Grey Friars and the Blackfriars, was once entirely
ecclesiastical in its character, and, according to Stow, was so called
from the stationers and text-writers who dwelt there and sold religious
and educational books, alphabets, paternosters, aves, creeds, and
graces. It then became famous for its spurriers, and afterwards for
eminent mercers, silkmen, and lacemen; so that the coaches of the
"quality" often blocked up the whole street. After the fire these trades
mostly removed to Bedford Street, King Street, and Henrietta Street,
Covent Garden. In 1720 (says Strype) there were stationers and
booksellers who came here in Queen Anne's reign from Little Britain, and
a good many tire-women, who sold commodes, top-knots, and other
dressings for the female head. By degrees, however, learning ousted
vanity, chattering died into studious silence, and the despots of
literature ruled supreme. Many a groan has gone up from authors in this
gloomy thoroughfare.

One only, and that the most ancient, of the Paternoster Row book-firms,
will our space permit us to chronicle. The house of Longman is part and
parcel of the Row. The first Longman, born in Bristol in 1699, was the
son of a soap and sugar merchant. Apprenticed in London, he purchased
(_circa_ 1724) the business of Mr. Taylor, the publisher of "Robinson
Crusoe," for L2,282 9s. 6d., and his first venture was the works of
Boyle. This patriarch died in 1755, and was succeeded by a nephew,
Thomas Longman, who ventured much trade in America and "the
plantations." He was succeeded by his son, Mr. T.L. Longman, a plain
man of the old citizen style, who took as partner Mr. Owen Rees, a
Bristol bookseller, a man of industry and acumen.

Before the close of the eighteenth century the house of Longman and Rees
had become one of the largest in the City, both as publishers and
book-merchants. When there was talk of an additional paper-duty, the
ministers consulted, according to West, the new firm, and on their
protest desisted; a reverse course, according to the same authority,
would have checked operations on the part of that one firm alone of
L100,000. Before the opening of the nineteenth century they had become
possessed of some new and valuable copyrights--notably, the "Grammar"