Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/More, Robert (1671-1727?)
MORE, ROBERT (1671–1727?), writing-master, born in 1671, was the son of a writing-master living in King Street, Westminster. Having been educated by his father in the same profession, he ‘taught writing, arithmetic, merchants' accounts, and shorthand, at the sign of the Golden Pen in Castle Street, near the Queen's Mews, Leicester Fields,’ where he also announced that ‘youths were boarded, or taught abroad.’ He succeeded Colonel John Ayres [q. v.] in his school at St. Paul's Churchyard before May 1704 (Massey). More died about 1727, either going to or returning from a visit to the north of England. He was married, and had a ‘dutifull daughter, Elizabeth More,’ who wrote one or more of the pages for his ‘Writing Master's Assistant.’ Sir Richard Steele had a high opinion of his artistic penmanship (cf. Noble, ii. p. 358n.)
More published in 1696 (the dedication to his father was dated 4 Nov.) ‘The Writing Master's Assistant.’ A second edition was issued in 1704 with a preface by Ayres, who says he ‘extorted it from him that strangers might judge how early he began to deserve well of all ingenious persons.’ He also published (without a date) ‘A Striking Copybook’ of English, French, and Italian capitals. It contains eleven plates, but no engraver's name, and is dedicated to Josiah Diston, merchant, London. About 1710 followed ‘Specimens of Penmanship,’ and in 1716 ‘The First Invention of Writing. An Essay Compendiously Treating of the Whole Art. More particularly; Of Letters, their Number, Order, and of how many Variations capable: Of their First Invention; by ancient Writers ascribed to Adam himself, and for what Reasons. Of Short-hand. Of Secret Writing, Decypherable by the Key. Of Arithmetick, &c. Interspers'd with diverting History and Poetical Entertainments on the Subject. Whereunto are added, Several Pieces of the Hands in Use, not before Published.’ This work is dedicated to ‘Mr. George Shelley, Writing-Master of Christ's Hospital in London,’ 23 April 1716. A fine portrait drawn and engraved by William Sherwin [q. v.] is prefixed. The portrait was reproduced, with the addition of the words ‘ætatis 54 domini 1725,’ in ‘The General Penman,’ published by More in that year. It was also included in a group of six writing-masters engraved by George Bickham, senior [q. v.], above his ‘Poem on Writing,’ no date (print room, British Museum). More is the author of some lines in the ‘British Apollo,’ 2nd edit. i. 173, on the art of writing.
[Noble's Continuation of Granger's Biog. Hist. of England, ii. 357–9; Massey's Origin and Progress of Letters, 1763, pt. ii. pp. 103–8; Ames's Cat. of English Heads, 1748, p. 119.]