1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Millar, Andrew

MILLAR, ANDREW (1707–1768), British publisher, was born in 1707. About 1729 he started business as a bookseller and publisher in the Strand, London. His own judgment in literary matters was small, but he collected an excellent staff of literary advisers, and did not hesitate to pay what, at the time were considered large prices for good material. “I respect Millar, sir,” said Dr Johnson in 1755, “he has raised the price of literature.” He paid Thomson £105 for The Seasons, and Fielding a total sum of £700 for Tom Jones and £1000 for Amelia. He was one of the syndicate of booksellers who financed Johnson’s Dictionary, and on him the work of seeing that book through the press mainly fell. He also published the histories of Robertson and Hume. He died at his villa at Kew Green, near London, on the 8th of June 1768.