Nollekens and His Times/Volume 2/Patterson the Auctioneer

by John Thomas Smith

PATTERSON, the Auctioneer.

In my boyish days, I was much noticed by that walking-library, Samuel Patterson, when he was an Auctioneer, and residing in King-street, Covent-garden, after he had left his rooms in Essex-street, in the Strand, formerly the residence of Sir Orlando Bridgeman.^[1] Patterson was originally a Stay-maker; he was a most amiable man, and the best book-catalogue-maker of his time. He was the earliest auctioneer who sold books singly in lots; the first bidding for which was six-pence, the advance three-pence each bidding, until five shillings were offered, when it rose to sixpence; and by this manner of disposing of property, no book was overlooked.

Mr. Patterson's reading was so extensive, that I firmly believe he had read most of the works he offered for sale in the English language; and I was induced to believe so from the following circumstance. I happened to be with him one evening, after three cart-loads of books had been brought into the auction-room, to be catalogued for sale; when, upon his taking up one, which he declared to me he had never seen, he called to the boy who attended him to bring another candle and throw some coals upon the fire, observing, that he meant to sit up to read it. I have also frequently known him, on the days of sale, call the attention of the bidders to some book with which he considered that collectors were but little acquainted. In one instance, he addressed himself to Dr. Lort nearly in the following words. "Dr. Lort, permit me to draw your attention to this little book. It contains, at page 47, a very curious anecdote respecting Sir Edmondbury Godfrey, of which I was not aware until I read it during the time I was making my catalogue." I recollect two shillings had been offered for the book before he addressed the Doctor, who requested to see it, and, as he turned over the leaves, a three-penny bidding being nodded by him, induced Dr. Gosset, who sat opposite, also to request a sight of it; another nod was the consequence, and the biddings for this book, which might at first have been knocked down for a few shillings, increased to the sum of one pound five. Mr. Patterson had rather an impediment in his speech, which rendered him incapable of pronouncing every word with equal correctness; but, notwithstanding, his excellent judgment and extensive reading were so great, that he delivered in his auctionroom a series of Lectures upon Shakspeare's Plays, to which he admitted me gratis. They were very well attended; George Steevens, Edmund Malone, and Barry the Painter; being among the auditors.

Mr. George Keate has observed, that a man of business should not indulge in much reading, if he wish to make money; and it was certain that Patterson gave up too much of his time to the contents of his books, without looking to the amount of his gains: indeed, so little did he profit by his occupation as an auctioneer, that he was at length glad to become the Librarian of the first Marquess of Lansdowne, with whom he remained until death deprived him of his patron, at which time the library was sold, and poor Patterson discharged. He was an honourable and industrious man, and subsequently supported himself by now and then making book-catalogues. His friendship for me knew no abatement; and I had the painful duty of attending his funeral from Norton-street, together with his old friends. Walker, the Teacher of Elocution; Mortimer, the Author of "Every Man his own Broker;" Waldron, well known as a collector of materials £or the Life of Ben Jonson; John Ireland, who was then preparing his Anecdotes of Hogarth; James Pearson, the celebrated Glass-stainer, who married Patterson's daughter Margaret, (lately deceased); and Patterson's two sons, the youngest of whom was Samuel, Dr. Johnson's godson, in whose favour he wrote the letter to Sir Joshua Reynolds, given in Boswell's Life of Johnson.

Upon our arrival at the church-yard of St. Paul, Covent-Garden, it was discovered that the vault, which had been made for Patterson's wife, was at least six inches too short; for his own coffin; we were, therefore, under the painful necessity of seeing the funeral ceremony performed above-ground, in order that the clergyman might not be detained; and the oorpse actually remained uninterred until a bricklayer could enlarge the vault for its reception.^[2]

Upon Patterson's leaving his Auction-room in King-street, it was taken by the triumvirate, King, Collins, and Chapman, who held it for the sale of books and prints, but occasionally let it out for an evening; and it was here that the veteran Collins gave what he called his "Evening Brush," consisting principally of anecdotes of prisons who had left this world before the birth of three-fourths of his audience. But what renders this room far more memorable is, that it was under this roof that Charles Dibdin commenced his "London Amusement;"^[3] and here his pathetic and popular song of "Poor Jack" was often encored: a song of itself sufficient to immortalize its author. This delightful composition was in such requisition, that for months the printers could not produce it fast enough; and Dibdin actually hired a stall, which then stood close to the corner of the Piazza in Russell-street, such as was formerly called a "by-stander" and similar to those erected in front of the Royal-Exchange for the sale of newspapers, being large enough for Wood, his man, to stand in to deliver out the songs. The crowd and scramble to get them, even wet from the press, was such, that I have seen persons fight for their turn; while others were glad to get out of the mob without their change, congratulating themselves upon the possession of "Poor Tom Bowling," or "Poll and my Partner Joe."

1. "The late Mr. John Nichols favoured me with the following card, which may now be considered as a great rarity. Mr. Patterson, at Essex-House, in Essex-street, in the Strand, purposes to set out for the Netherlands, about the middle of the month of May, and will undertake to execute commissions of all sorts, literary or commercial, in any part of Flanders, Brabant, or the United Provinces, with the utmost attention and integrity, upon reasonable terms. Neither is it incompatible with his plan, to take charge of a young gentleman, who is desirous of improving by travel; or to be the conductor and interpreter of any nobleman or man of fortune, in that, or a longer tour, during the summer and autumn vacation from his usual business. To be spoke with every day, at Essex-House aforesaid. 27th March, 1775."
2. I am shocked to state, that this is not a solitary instance of inattention to measurement of graves; since, as a mourner, I also witnessed another at the interment of the Rev. James Bean, late of the British Museum.
3. Miss Welch, when she could not prevail on her sister, Mrs. Nollokens, to accompany her, was generally seen seated in the middle of Dibdin's room, attended by James Barry, the Painter; with whom she would now and then walk to the Catholic Chapel. She was often heard to speak of Barry with more than common kindness, though she considered his conduct at times not altogether justifiable, particularly when he was rude to Mr. West, a man whom she respected above most of her acquaintance.