© University of Edinburgh and the Arts & Humanities Research Council
Becket’s letter gives a fascinating insight into how an ambitious young bookseller might try to launch his own business in London—as Millar had done some thirty-five years before.
25 December 1759
William Strahan (1715–85), eminent printer and Millar’s longtime friend and business partner. Between 1740–65 Strahan moved his London premises four times in the area between St Bride’s and the Strand. By 1770 he owned the biggest printing operation in the kingdom, comprising three separate printing businesses in six buildings. William Rose (c.1718–86) was co-founder of the Becket indented his letter, possibly in anticipation of annotations. Becket had been Millar’s trusted employee, possibly a shop manager, at least since the birth of his son (named after Millar) in 1749. At his death in 1813, Becket had one son and four daughters.r Strahanr RoseMonthly Review (the leading literary review of the period, which was printed by Strahan). Rose was also one of Millar’s advisors on incoming manuscripts. All three men were born and educated in Scotland but pursued their careers in London.r Millartho late, i.e., although Millar had taken time to submit his proposal.r Millarof it, i.e., since Becket is eager to comply with it. r Millar
In order to make both parties easy & to bring this affair to a final issue, These sums place Becket squarely within “the middling ranks”—a growing proportion of London’s population, which by 1760 probably comprised 22% of the total. £100 per year was considered a fair salary for “persons in the law”, “eminent clergymen”, “military officers”, and well-paid tradesmen who were not proprietors. In 1756, Strahan noted that he paid his best employee Archibald Hamilton 30 shillings per week, amounting to £78 per year. Since Hamilton had completed his own apprenticeship in 1749, he could triple his own salary by taking on his own apprentices within Strahan’s shop. See to a final issue, i.e., so that this negotiation can be brought to a close.r MillarEarthly Necessities: Economic Lives in Early Modern Britain, 1470–1750 (New Haven: Yale UP, 2000)Economic History Review, n.s. vol. 10 (1957)Reversion of his shop to me, i.e., the promise of succeeding to manage the business at a future date.r Millardepend on M r Millar’s honour, i.e., depend on his word alone. Ironically, by putting this in writing, Becket now relies on a written statement rather than Millar’s honesty. r MillarSteward, i.e., principal manager.Expenses I have necessarily incurred: these relate to the “Engagements he has entered into” mentioned earlier.r Millar
They are as follows. –
House, i.e., the shop, with the family’s home on the upper floors. Becket is illustrating the greatest of the “non-monetary entitlements” of working as, or for, a successful London merchant: the inclusion of his family’s lodging as an element of his employment. See Progress and Poverty: An Economic History of Britain, 1700–1850 (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1995)
Becket hoped to earn £100 per year (see note 8), so an annual expenditure of 52% on family lodging and shop premises reflects a comparatively comfortable margin of personal income.
The Shop is a very good one and well situated, and make no doubt but it will soon let, and whoever takes it must pay for the fitting up Painting, kitchin furniture & other expences before mentiond –
I have been at many expences in Commissioning Since Millar would be taking on the expenses Becket had incurred by investing in De Hondt’s stock, Millar would receive any profit from trading them. Robert (1707–76) and Andrew Foulis (1712–75), prolific printers to the University of Glasgow from 1743, whose famously skilled editions of classical authors and of more recent European and British literature were sold through Millar’s shop. Alexander Kincaid (1710–77) was, like Millar, a former apprentice to James McEuen. He succeeded to his master’s shop in Edinburgh in 1732, and collaborated with Millar on numerous works by Scottish authors. Their collaborations aside, Kincaid and Millar fought numerous legal battles over the rights of Scottish booksellers to print and sell books held under London copyright. Archibald Hamilton (1719–93), Scottish printer and principal manager of Strahan’s shop from 1752 (see note 8), founded his own printing business in Chancery Lane in 1756. Hamilton was a steady commissioner of journalism, history, and fiction by Tobias Smollett. Samuel Baker (1711–78), auctioneer and bookseller, joined Millar as printer and bookseller to the Society for the Encouragement of Learning in 1736. From 1744, Baker popularised retail book auctions to the London public; previously, attendance at book auctions was limited to self-selected members of the trade. On his death, Baker’s auction business passed to his nephew John Sotheby (1740–1807), under whose name it grew into a leading commercial force. In 1804 Sotheby’s firm moved to 145 Strand, next to Cadell and Davies, second-generation successors to Millar. See r Dehondtsent to, i.e., to whom I have sent.r Millarbinding, i.e., binding the £300 worth of books for sale on behalf of, or in partnership with, De Hondt.r Millard many Books from Mssr. t if r Millarr Millarr BakerA list of the original catalogues of the principal libraries which have been sold by auction by Mr. Samuel Baker, 1744 to 1788 (London: Compton and Richie, 1828)Sotheby’s: Portrait of an Auction House (London: Chatto and Windus, 1980)Gentleman’s Magazine 48 (1778)r Millar
This is the true & honest State of the case, and I think it the fairest to tell it at once, that r Millar
Upon the Conditions above mentiond I will chearfully serve him — I will devout my whole time to his Service – and will do all I can for his Interest — On the other hand, I desire r Millarr Millar
sBecket
Tuesday 25th Decbr 1759