KNIGHT, Charles, English editor and pub lisher : b. Windsor, 15 March 1791; d. Addle stone, Surrey, 9 May 1873. He succeeded his father as a bookseller in Windsor, and for several years edited a Windsor newspaper. Having removed to London in 1823, he estab lished Knight's Quarterly Magazine, in 1827 undertook the superintendence of the publica tions of the Society for the Diffusion of Use ful Knowledge, for which he superintended and published the 'Library of Entertaining Knowl ; the Penny Magazine and the 'Penny afterward remodeled as the 'Eng lish Cyclopiedia,) etc. Other publications of his were the 'Pictorial the 'Pictorial Prayer-book,) 'Pictorial Shakespeare) and many others. The Shakespeare (8 vols., Lon don 1839-43) was edited by Knight himself, and has, both for its text and notes, taken a high place among editions of the great dram atist. It went through many editions, and was published in the United States as 'The Strat ford Shakespere' (5 vols., New York 1881). The most important of his own writings, the History of England,' appeared 1854 61 (1st American edition, 4 vols., New York 1881). His autobiography, of a Working Life During Half a Century' (3 vols.), was issue in 1864-65. It would he very
difficult to give a complete list of all books in the publication of which he had a part, either as author or editor, because it is frequently impossible to determine just how large his share was in either of these capacities, instead of only in that of publisher. However, the following books, to which must be added a num ber of articles and pamphlets, are, beyond all doubt, results of either his authorship or edi torial care: 'The Menageries' (1828) ; 'The Elephant) (1830) ; 'The Results of (1831) ; 'Capital and Labour' (1831) ; 'Trades Unions and Strikes' (1834) ; 'William Shakes peare' (1843) ; 'William Caxton' (1844) ; 'Old England, etc.' (2 vols., 1845) ; (Studies of Shakespeare' (1849); 'The Struggles of a Book against Excessive Taxation' (1850); 'The Old Printer and the Modern Press' (1854); 'Once Upon a Time' (1854) ; edge is Power' (1855) ; at Court' (1866) ; 'Shadows of the Old Booksellers' (1867). Consult Clowes, A. A., 'Knight, a Sketch' (London 1892).