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    £- . — : J^

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    — ' I THE LATE MR. WILLIAM NELSON.

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    £- . — : J^

    £ - . — : J ^

    Sept . is , 1887 The Publishers' Circular IOO 3 ^*^^ " ^^^ . , _ _ ^ " ^^^—^ M ^ M ^^—^ W ^^^ M ^ M ^^* ^ ^

    — ' I The Late Mr. William Nelson.

    — ' I THE LATE MR . WILLIAM NELSON .

    It is with , much regret that we announce the death of Mr . William Nelsonthe senior

    , partner in m the a 4 firm ^^ p > of Thomas & m ^ B ^ Nelson ^ "f ^ M & ^^ Son p ^^ tl , Edinburg ——^ ^^^ m ^ jp « ^^ p ^ ^ p ^ ^ p ^ p ^^^ 0 P ^^^^^ ^ p ^ pp ^ PJPJPk h ^^ ™ . - ^ Mr ~— — —* ^—^— . ^ Nelson — — - —~ ™ died ~ ^—^ at ~~ his residence ~— ^^^ ~ ~— ~ " ~ ™

    in Edinburgh on the 10 th of September , at the age of 71 years . The house of Nelson ,

    like all great houses , began in a very small In a small and quaintly picturesque ~~

    corner way y y lh > p ^ I . , on ^~ - ~* ^^ ~ historic ^ ^— ^ ^ ground ¦ — , in ^/ the old ^ — - ¦ — city ^— ¦ of Edinburghthe late Thomas Nelsonthe

    , , father __ of William f ' . tr -W « « , began business 4 earl y in the 4 present century . William was born in

    December 1816 . At the High School , where he received his education , he carried off the gold

    medal , and subsequently had a distinguished career at college Km * , althoug i « # h he did not take a

    degree . The business soon expanded under the

    astute management of its founder , who is described as being shrewdindustriousand

    , , thrifty—qualities that are often common to the Scottish character . William in due course

    entered the business ( publishing had now "been added ) of his fatherwhichunder his

    management and that of his , brother , Thomas , has grown to its present large dimensions .

    Branches have been established successfully in London and New York . At the very

    commencement of his publishing enterprise the founder of the house gave a direction

    to the style of its books , which has almost invariably been followed to the present time .

    Illustrations formed the chief attraction of the firm ' s early publications , as they do at the

    present time . Few great literary works hsfcve come from . Messrs . Nelson ' s pressbut many

    P & A JK MM A A PH ' VSHk , of their . ^ m publications , such as ' The ^^^ m Schonberg ^ " * . ¦ . ^ - Cotta Famil M ' and * Land ¦¦ - ¦ and the Book ¦ ¦¦ ' have

    lad — ^^ ^ a ^» p popularity ^^^^ . ^ V PP » ^™ " ^^^ PPP > ™^™ y ^ P ^ P' ^ P' ^^ PBPBP that ^ P ^ ^^ ^^^^^^^ is ^^ ^ ^ h ^ v v ^^ rarel ^^^^^ ^ r ^^ ^ p » ^ . ^ v y ^» ^^ met ^^^ h ^ ^ " ^ ^ ™ with ^~ ^^— , ^ p in — - r - ^ the ^— — ^ publishing trade . The circulation of these

    well-known works , and the familiar A . Ii . O . E . serieshas been enormous in all parts of the

    world , . Books such as Michelet's ' Birds' and * The ^^ Insect ^^^^ m ^^ B n W ^*& ^^^ F ^ P ^> r ^^^ ' are ^ . f ^ P * W ^ ^^^^ ^ famous ^*^ ^^ V ^^^ ^^^^ i ^ a m ^ ~^^^ ^ W ^ B r ^^ P * w for ^ v ^^^ ^^^ their ^ pp ^ ^>^ ^ i ^ H ^^ pr ^ ^ r ^« exquisite h ¦ hh ^ v h ¦ —^ - - ^ ^ ^^ ¦ — ™ ¦

    the the illustrations ¦ production house has . been Latel of attractive y particularl , by chromo children y successful -lithograp ' s books h in y

    which — ^^ ^*^ H ^^^ P have ^ V * A ^^^ T W ^ . V ^^ V ^ H ^^ Pr P ^ long . VJ ~^^ r M * . ^^ ' ^^ ^ been B *^ ^^ " ^ P ^^ VP ^^^ V ^ Bj ^ r ^^ P * V ^ . a ^¦ j ^ ' speciality ^ V ^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ PH ^^ ^*« P >^> ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ V ^^* in H ^ i ^ ^^ ^^^~^ the ^^^ ^^ V ^^ , ^ V establishment .

    When , the earlier Elementary Education Acts " — ¦— were » ¥ * p » ^* ^ mr passed w * r * - ^» r * p * P > rf . ^ w "" ^^» p Messrs *>< p » i-i ^^ ^^ rv ^ ptv * rv . W Nelson ¦»¦¦• ^ ^ i ^ <•» »>^ ^'" •>¦• at ¦•»»• * r once - > t ^ «»>^» -we - « pr

    entered this wide field of keen publishing competition have issued . Of for the the numerous use of schools series pi which the Royal they

    — *— ¦ ^*» r ^* v ^ * p * 'w ^ t * i ^ - » . ^ - m .. ^* iip ^ # ¦! ^^ v ^ r ^ ir ^^^ p 1 ^^ i # b * tt >^ ^^ * «^ -+ ^ ^^ pp ^ i ^ p * ^» ^» ^* ^»^ *^~ m ^ ^ 1 ^ » ^ # - ^ —^ Readers' have had an immense amount of have favour kep among t their educationists reputation , and . The ¦¦ for school years

    catalog — ^ i ; © - ¦ - ' ^* of up ^"™ 'f Messrs " ^ ^ ^ " ^ ^* ^ . " * ^^ »"' Nelson »** ^*** »•> ** ^ p-p- MAI is »^ now p ^ " ¦»• r »* ^ p very »» " ^ pp" ^ mf —™ extensive — ^ p ~ rv « j » , v Vrf' . _ If <« . we Wl ^ - * mistak AJ-AXM Uft > V * Jk , e ^ . ^ not 4 A \/ Vt however AAV / V T ^^ V ^^ •»¦ « it rf * ** ¦ is * , r ^ r I ! T f ||^« PPM IpM M H , , ^ ^ _ *¦*

    Mr . Thomas Nelson who ^ looks ^ after ^ the ^ educational portion of the business .

    ttrhich Some Messrs years ago Nelson the large had p erected lace of at business great

    . time J to expense - the — ~—x ^ PK ground O at VIAJIV Hope ^ H * , , ^^ ibut UUU Park in JLJ 1 JI , a I Edinburg > W very » VJJL ^ m r brief »_ rjL ^^ h , * was . space ML / UVU burnt - IPJof 1 ^ - ' *

    large , establishment through the . energy at Parkside of .. the was brothers built . , and the ,

    has become one of the sights of the northern metropolis . There the visitor acquaint

    himsel — J f with ^ all — - ' ^^ ^ p the ^ ^^ ^^ p ^ lates ^ r w ^ -- ^^ ^^^ t « p contri »»^ p ^ p ^ ^ p" ^ w ^ ^^ vances may ^ v ^ fe 4 V * P * W W ^ iP 1 ^ ^ Ip ^ in ^^* 1 ^ pf >^ # v the ^ ^ htfb ^ p > T mechanical operations of book-making .

    Mr . William Nelson was an enthusiatic traveller — ~ , —J and - - ~ shortl ~^ ~^ y ^ M before - — - ^ ' " ^^ — ^^^ - ^» " his ^^ ^^ ^^ V ^ p ^ death - ^^^ ^ p ^ ^ pr- ^ pr ^^ IPftPJ ^ had ^»^^ B ^| p ^ P ^ ^ PVJ

    made arrangements to visit Greece , in company - — — — ¦ with — — — ¦ 1 ™ ¦¦— ^ Dr ^^— . ^ Walter ' » - ^* - ^ b ^^— ' ^ f' - ^^ ^ Smith » h ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^ v ^^^^ m ; w but »^ p » ^ i # ^ ^ pr ^ his ^ p ^^ ^ qp - ^^ ^ medical pk ^^ M ^ PB ^^ p ^ ^ pp ^ vp ^ v ^>^ " ^ pPBr mm )

    attendants , aware of the seriousness of his last illnessintimated to him that he could

    not go . A , benevolent and public-spirited citizenMr . Nelson was cut off in the midst

    of active , work for the public good . His appearance was very familiar in his native

    city , and , as a friend has said , c many eyes I will grow ^^^¦^^¦ 2 — — ~ dim — ¦ when » ~^— ^—^ ~— ^^™^^» they — ^^^ ^^^ ¦ ~ read ^~— ^^^ - - ^* —^ ' ~^ ' ^* m that ^ p ^> hh ^ v ^ ^^ f ^^ ^^ r William ¦ v . ^^ B ^^^ V ^ PJPj p . ^^ P' ^ Pf ^^ P ^ PHV ^^ Pf

    Nelson is dead / This same friend writes as follows to the c

    Scotsman Scotsman , : : -A A man man of 01 cultivatp cultivated -d taste taatfi . , Mr Mr .. Nelson had surrounded himself with many beautiful thingsand his house isperhaps pj pi - ^ p ^ f h richer in

    china — ware ^^^^ p > , , -m and —^ — - T - — » - ^ bronzes —^ - — ~ ¦ - ^ ^^— »^^ " ^ , ^^ r ^ and ^ m , ^ p old ^^^ ^™ ^ pp ^^ - ^ marqueterie v «^ - p , ^ pj ^^^ —— ^^ r- p ^ ^ p ^ ^ pjpr ^ p ^^ ^ h ^ ^ pa pp ^^ . than W ~ ¦••¦•»••» ¦ any » . — ^»» ^ w other ¦ »* - * r *^ P * P ¦**¦ « W in bit & pJM Edinburg pipSppMpI ^^« . ^ p . p ^« Bp I" *^ « p >* pB « k ^ K < h ^* " >« . He ¦¦»¦ pp ^ ^^ ¦ was V ^ 'V *^ « a ^ V great ^ K ^ U' ^ p **« l # ^

    collector , but as he made no display of his treasuresonl ¦ " y his friends know how abundant

    those —^ — — ~ — treasures . — ~ "" ^ , W ^— M are ^^ ^^— ¦ ^ . ^— - - ^^^ ^^» His ^^ " — ^ v ^ native ^^^ - ^^» ^—^^^— ^ p > v v PPPP town 1 ^»^ T » ^ P ^^ P" was ~*^ ^^ P" ^^ P *^ p ™ very - ^ pr ^ P ) ^ PP ^ BT 4 VP ^ P * ^ Pp * dear . — ^ to — ^^ him ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ , ^ JJ and ^^ ^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ he ¦ ¦ ^^^ ^^^ was ^ ^ ^^^ ^ F — ^^^ ever ^^ p > V ^ PP' ^^^» read ^^^^ ^ P ^ P ^ 1 ^^^ ^ P' ^^^ P ^ P y ^ P to ^ p' ^^^ P forward ^^^ ^^ i ^ P ^ W ^ ¦/ ^ P ^ ^ P ^ ^ P ^ . ^ P ^ ' ^ PB

    its interests , though he shrank from taking any publi — — —¦ c — part ¦— ~^~^ ¦ - ^ in ' —™ the ^ p * - ^^— ^ - ^^ management ^^^^^^^ ¦ ¦ ^ p- ^ ^ pjph ¦ ^» ^^^^» "P ^ p- ^^»^^» ^^ of - «« ^ pppj ^ its ^^ ^ pr p- ^ p ^ afiairs - ^^^ ppp ^^^ ^ b' ^ P" ^ P ^ P ^ P » «^* P » ^ .

    But the stately pillars at the east entrance to the ¦ Meadows ¦ and hit ? beautiful ¦ ¦ restoration of

    St — r— — . Bernard — — - ^— — ^ r ^^ ^^ ^^ - ^ » ™ ' s , ^^ Well ' ¦ ^ ^ ^^» ^ i ^^ ^ ^^ . ^ " ^™ ^^>*^^ " »^ bear ^ p — n ^ ^^» ^^^ ^ witness ™ ^^ - ^^ ^ ™ ^^ ^ bp ^ p 1 pi ^ pr ^ p ^ ^^ both P" ^ ^^ p ^ np * ^^^^ ^^ ^^ *^ " ppp to > ^^ p ^ ^ pb p ^ pv his ^ pp ^^^ pi liberality and to his , affection for our city ;

    while his still unfinished work in connection with the Castle forms a still more costly

    monument of his desire to save what official barbarism had gone far to destroy ^ Doubtless

    it was his friend , Dr . Daniel Wilson , who drew his attention to the Argyll Tower and St .

    Margaret ' s Chapel , and the old Scottish Parliament Housebut it was his own generous

    spirit that prompted , him to restore them and to endure wearisome rebuffs of men in

    authority that he might have the pleasure of seeing the maiden fortress of Edinburgh

    in something like its pristine beauty . Mr . Nelson was a Liberal in politics and an

    earnest though not very prominent Free Churchmanopen to fresh thought while

    adhering to , old-fashioned habits of devotion ; ^ a # - ^ pr pb man ^ vpb pm ^ p * v p ^ p ^ of - * pp- PiV solid W ^~ ^ P ^^ ¦ P ^»^ " worth ¦/ W Tap " 1 P ^^ ^» » " » ^^^ and ^^^ ^ ^ p" ^^*^ genuine ^ T ^^ B ^^ — — p fl iety — ^ M . He

    had always been fond of travel ; had visited most European iw countries t and crossed the

    American p * 4 ppv «^ ^^^^ v ^ pv ^ pp * p ^^ v ^^ ^^ r » " ^^^^ ^ continent a ^ pi v ^ i" - ^ ^^ r' ^^ ¦ w *^ - ^^ ^^ r' ¦ »» ^ - — from »¦ — p ™ ¦ " ^— . ^— , ^ jj New York ^ - ^ — — - ~ to - ~ - — - San Francisco . But though he had more than

    once hoped to visit Greece , he had always been f disappointed ¦ once ¦¦ ¦ I by quarantine w-1 ¦

    arrangementa ^^^ pr ^ g ^ ^^^ pr ^ p ^ ^ p ^ ^^ I . PI , 1 ^ T ¦ and t ^ ^ P *^ P » P ^ ^^*^ ^^^ at ^^ ^^ ' ~^ another ^ P ^ ^^^ *^ , ~ W ^^ ' ^ ^^^ ¦ » time '"^ ¦ ^ " ™ by — — ~ something ' ^ ^ — - -w ' — j as imperative ^ P ^ J ^ p | P ^ ^ T ^ ' ^^ P ^ ' P ^^* " ^ rf ^ . "P' P * iPHJ ^ F ^ P ^ P" . ^" W P At 1 *^^ *^^^* ^ t ^ P las 1 ^^ ^ PI *^ P ^ ' ^^ t ^ " ^» P he 1 * P ¦ V - ^^ r « seemed T ^^» *«¦ ^^ P- - T — ^ ^ ^— ~^ 1 ™ on ^ T ^ " ¦ ™ the ^^ - ^ - — eve

    of accomplishing his purpose , and had all J his ^ JQ , Jkl ^ arrangements " pVWp « P" p « P » "fc ^ W ^*^^*\ ^ ^ p ^ pp » p ^* ^ PJr p ^ p ™ ^ p- » to ^ ^* - » start ^ ^ ^— —^ ~*» - with ¦ » —^ - - ^ ¦ — - his ' ¦ - " — ' famil ¦ — — ~~ —~ - — y -M

    and another friend about the middle of Sepwith tember the , when fatal he illnesa was which suddenl has y struck carried down

    WALl--ll \ JX % . K > XCAlVtAlX XXJLJ . XV 7 K > f 3 \ V XL * . \* tlA , JkJLUP now WV »» VC 4 IAJLAVIV 1 , h , ina off .

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), Sept. 15, 1887, page 1003, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_15091887/page/5/