James Dodsley

James Dodsley
Born	1724 near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England
Died	1797-02-19 Pall Mall, London, England
Occupation(s)	Bookseller, publisher
Years active	1759–1797
Known for	Partner in R. & J. Dodsley; publisher of Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy and Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France

James Dodsley (1724–1797) was a prominent English bookseller.

Life

Dodsley was born in 1724 near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. He probably commenced his professional journey working in the shop of his elder brother, Robert, eventually becoming a partner in the firm R. & J. Dodsley located in Pall Mall. In 1759, he took over the business following Robert's departure.

In 1782, Dodsley introduced the concept of a tax on receipts to the Rockingham administration. On 7 June 1787, he endured a financial setback of £2,500 due to a fire that destroyed quirestock stored in a warehouse. The following year, in 1788, he paid a penalty to avoid the responsibilities associated with serving as Sheriff of London and Middlesex.

Preferring a private lifestyle, Dodsley gradually transitioned from direct retail operations to focusing on wholesale distribution of his publications. The retail side was eventually managed by George Nicol. Although he owned a carriage for many years, he refrained from using it conspicuously in central London, reflecting his reserved demeanor in both business and society.

Publications

The publishing firm R. & J. Dodsley was responsible for important literary works, including the second edition of the initial two volumes and volumes three and four of Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy. James Dodsley is specifically acknowledged within the text as the collector of subscription payments.

In 1775, he printed A Petition and Complaint touching a Piracy of "Letters by the late Earl of Chesterfield". By 1778, he promoted a catalogue featuring 41 titles appended to Thomas Hull's Select Letters. In 1780, he issued an enhanced edition of the Collection of Old Plays (12 volumes), edited by Isaac Reed, who also prepared an edited six-volume 'Collection of Poems' two years later. As part of the "Congeries," a consortium of booksellers, Dodsley contributed to the publication of Samuel Johnson's Lives of the Poets among other significant works.

Dodsley played an important role as an adjudicator in a renowned literary controversy concerning lines attributed to Oliver Goldsmith, highlighting his influence within literary circles.

Apart from bookselling, he was involved in agricultural pursuits near Woodstock. A notable achievement includes selling eighteen thousand copies of Edmund Burke's pivotal Reflections on the Revolution in France in 1790, demonstrating his significant role in political publishing.

Death

James Dodsley passed away on 19 February 1797 at his residence in Pall Mall at the age of seventy-four. He was interred at St James's Church, Westminster, where his monument was crafted by John Flaxman RA.

At his death, he left behind an estimated fortune of £70,000, largely inherited by his nephews and nieces.

External links

Attribution