376 
his father, who, in 1796, was suddenly 
carried off 2 an attack of fever whilst ab- 
sent from this country on commercial 
business in the island of Jamaica, his mo- 
ther was left in great measure unprovided 
for; by industry and perseverance, how- 
ever, she was enabled not only to overcome 
all temporary difficulties, but eventually. 
to support herself and bring up her ehil- 
dren with credit and respectability. - John, 
the elder son, the subject of the present 
memoir, having always eviuced an attach- 
ment to books, was placed, at an early 
age, with Mr. Emery, an eminent book- 
seller then resident in Bristol, He now 
ardently devoted himself to literary pur- 
suits, in particular to the study of our old 
writers ; and his rapid progress in biblio- 
graphy, added to his extensive acquain- 
tance with general literature, soon occa- 
sioned: him to be honoured with the cor- 
respondence and patronage-of some of the 
most eminent bibliographers and biblio- 
philiasts of the age ; among whom may be 
noticed, Sir Egerton Brydges, Archdeacon 
Wrangham, Dr. M‘Crie, Mr. Gilchrist, and 
Francis Freeling, esg. which last-named 
gentleman from time to time liberally gra- 
tified him with the loan of many rare and 
curious early printed volumes from his ex- 
tensive and valuable library. In January 
1810 he published, with notes and illustra- 
tions, “A. Selection from the Poetical 
Works of Thomas Carew,” which was fol- 
lowed in the same year by another small 
volume of ‘Ancient Poems.” At this 
period Mr. Elliston, the present lessee of 
Drury-lane Theatre, who had long known 
and admired the rising talents of Mr, Fry, 
projected a bookselling establishment in 
Bristol, and carried his plan into effect in 
the following year, where the new concern 
opened in St. John-street, under Mr. F.’s 
sole superintendence, he being at that 
time little more than nineteen years of age. 
During the continuance of the establish- 
ment, which was relinquished in 1817, 
chiefly owing to the declining state of Mr. 
Fry’s health, he published various Selec- 
tions of Ancient English Poetry, inde- 
pendently of many ably written articles 
contributed to the different periodical 
works of the day. His principal literary 
performance is entitled, ** Bibliographical 
Northumberland and Durham. 
fNov. {; 
Memoranda in Tilustration of Barly Eng 
lish Literature,” 4to. which appeared in 
parts from 1814 to 1816 ; and he had made 
considerable progress in the arrangement 
of materials for a more extensive Work on 
a similar plan, ander the title of “ Biblio- 
philia,” when his editorial labours were 
put a stop to by the rapid advances of the 
disease which eventually terminated his 
life, after having vainly struggled against 
its attacks for a period of more than five 
years. ‘The defects of his early education, 
Mr, F. by diligence and attentions had 
been enabled effectually tosupply. In the 
course of his last illness, by dint of applica~ 
tion alone, without the aid of a master, he 
had obtained a competent knowledge of 
the Latin and French languages, with the 
rudiments only of which he had been ‘pre- 
viously acquainted ; and, also, had made 
some progress in the study of Italian ané 
Spanish, Though confined to his bed 
through extreme debility, almost without 
intermission for two years prior to bis 
decease, he appeared by no means sensible 
of his approaching dissolution ; but, on the 
contrary, was in the habit of expressing his 
confident hopes of being ultimately re- 
stored to a state of vonvaleseence. His 
disease, however, baffled the skill of his 
medical attendant, as well as the unremit~ 
ling attentions of his mother ; and his vitak 
powers continued gradually to decline, 
until the 28th of June last, when he ex- 
pired withont apparent pain, to the inex-' 
pressible grief of his afflicted parent, and 
the sineere regret of his friends and ac— 
quaintance. Having been thus prema- 
turely eut off in the flower of his age, the 
real merits of Mr. F, as a writer, ean be 
truly appreciated by those few alone who 
had the opportunity of duly estimating the 
unusual extent of his mental resources ; 
such being actually to be judged of, rather 
than by what he was physically capable of 
performing under more favourable cireum- 
stances, than by that which he had really 
acconiplished at so early a period of life, 
and under numerous disadvantages, OF 
his social qualities it may briefly, yet 
justly, be observed, that he lived and died 
a steady friend, an affectionate son, aud 
an honest man. 
PROVINCIAL OCCURRENCES, 
WITH ALL THE MARRIAGES AND DEATHS, Hh tas 
Furnishing the Domestic and Family History of England for the last twenty-seven ¥cars. 
<< 
NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM, 
A SMARY shock of an earthquake was 
distinctly felt’ at Dunston, near 
Newcastle, between one and two in the 
morning of September the 16th, accom- 
panied by a loud noise like distant 
thunder. Several of the inhabitants. of 
the village were awakened from - their 
’ 
slumbers, and much alarmed by the eir- 
cumstance of the chairs, tables, and other’ 
furniture in their houses being moved ; 
and in one house the head of the clock- 
case Was thrown down by the violence 
of the concussion. 
An exhibition of the Vine Arts took 
place on the 23d of September, at New- 
castle, 
