Note 88 — HOGARTH. (continued 2)

The following brief Memoirs of Mr. William Tothall, F. A. S. were communicated by Dr. Ducarel, who was personally acquainted with Mr. Tothall, and received the intelligence in a letter from the Rev. Mr. Lyon, Minister of St. Mary's at Dover, to whom the particulars in it were related by Captain Bulstrode of that town.

"Dover, June 11, 1781.

"Sir,

"The following narrative of your friend Tothall may be depended upon, as Captain Bulstrode informs me he frequently heard it from Tothall himself. His father was an apothecary in Fleet-street; but dying, as Captain Bulstrode thinks, while his son was young, and in but indifferent circumstances (as his mother afterwards practised as a midwife), he was taken by an uncle, who was a fishmonger. He lived with his uncle some time; but, not approving of the business, ran away from him, and entered on board a merchant-ship going to The West Indies. He also went several times to Newfoundland. During the time of his being in The West Indies, though so early in life, he was indefatigable in the collecting of shells, and brought home several utterly unknown in England. He continued at sea till he was almost 30 years of age. In one of his voyages he was taken by the Spaniards, and marched a considerable way up the country, without shoe or stocking, with only a woollen cap on his head, and a brown waistcoat on, with a large staff in his hand. He had afterwards his picture drawn in this dress. He continued a prisoner till exchanged.

"When he was about 30 years of age, he went as shopman to a woollen-draper at the corner of Tavistock Court, Covent Garden, with whom he continued some years; and his master, finding him a faithful servant, told him, 'as he dealt only in cloth, and his customers were taylors, he would lend him money to buy shalloons and trimmings, and recommend him to his chapmen, if he liked to take the trouble and the profit of the branch upon himself.' He readily accepted the proposal.

"About the same time an acquaintance in The West Indies sent him a puncheon of rum. Before he landed it, he consulted his master what he should do with it; who advised him to sell it out in small quantities, and lent him a cellar in his house. He followed this advice; and, finding the profits considerable, wrote to his correspondent in The West Indies to send him another supply; and from this time he commenced rum, brandy, and shalloon merchant.

"I cannot learn how long he continued in this way; but his master having acquired a fortune, and being desirous of retiring from business, left him in possession of his whole stock at prime cost, and he was to pay him as he sold it. He now commenced woollen-draper, and continued in this business till he acquired a sum sufficient, as he thought, to retire upon; and he left his business to his shopman, the late Mr. Job Ray, on the same conditions his master left it to him.

"During his residence in Covent Garden, he became a member of the club at the Bedford Coffee-house, and of course contracted an acquaintance with Hogarth, Lambert, and other men eminent in their way; and Hogarth lived some time in his house on the footing of a most intimate friend.

"On quitting his business (being troubled with an asthmatical complaint) he came and settled at Dover; where, soon becoming connected with certain persons in the smuggling branch, he fitted out a bye-boat, which was designed (as is supposed) to promote their business; but in this branch Fortune, which had hitherto smiled upon his endeavours, now frowned upon his attempts. The vessel, in going over with horses either to Ostend or Flushing, was lost. This, with some other losses, so reduced him, that he was rather straitened in his circumstances, and he could not live as he had done previous to the losses he sustained.

"His residence was near the Rope-walk at Dover (since pulled down), where his old friend Hogarth frequently visited him: but being in a decline, and his asthma increasing, he bought a very small cottage at West Langdon, about three miles from Dover, to which he used to go on horseback. Digging in a very small garden belonging to this cottage, he had the good fortune to find some valuable fossils; which to a man of his taste was a singular treasure. He died January 9, 1768, at the age of 70 (possessed of about 1500 l.), and was buried at St. Mary's Church at Dover. His collection of shells and fossils were sold by auction at Longford's, the following year.

"The foregoing is the substance of what I have gathered from Capt. Bulstrode. If there should be any other particular which you are desirous of knowing, I shall be happy to make the inquiry, and to communicate it; and am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

"J. Lyon."