KITTO, JOHN, was born at Plymouth, December 4, 1804. His father had been a respectable builder, but soon after his eon 'a birth became much reduced in circumstances through the adoption of intemperate habits. At four years old John Kitto was transferred to the care of his maternal grandmother, by whom his intellect was called into activity by the relation of marvellous stories, and by leading him to notice and admire the natural objects around him in the fields and woods. He early learned to read, and read with avidity all the books he could procure. By the time he was twelve years old, his father had descended to the rank of a jobbing mason. Ile was unable to keep his eon at school regularly, who, whenever he could be made available, was required to attend his father in his labours. On February 13, 1817, having ascended a ladder with a load of slates, he fell from a height of thirty-five feet. He was taken up senseless, conveyed home, and lay for a fortnight in a state of uncon sciousness. He recovered, but was himself unaware at first that he was deaf. He wondered at the silence around him, and at length, asking for a book, was answered at first by signs, and next by writing on a elate. He inquired with astonishment, do you not speak ?" His attendants wrote again, " You are deaf." No efforts could restore his hearing. He still continued his reading, but in 1818 his grand mother was obliged to quit Plymouth, and he was left to the care of his father. For nearly a twelvemonth he lived with his parents in a state of great destitution. At length, on November 15, 1819, he was placed in the workhouse, where he was treated with much indul gence, and began to learn shoemaking. His deafness occasioned him to write often, and by constant practice he acquired great facility. In Angnst 1820 he commenced a journal, which lie continued till January 1822, and he was encouraged to write lectures which were read to the other boys. In 1821 his grandmother died, which event made a great and serious impression on his mind. In November 1821 he was apprenticed to a shoemaker; but his master was harsh, he was somewhat awkward, and still passionately devoted to reading. Finding himself uncomfortable, he wrote to some of his friends, and after pleading his cause in writing before the magistrates, he was taken back to the workhouse in May 1822. Early in 1823 lie wrote some essays which were published in Nettleton's Plymouth Journal,' and he also wrote some imaginary correspondence. In April 1824, Mr.
Grove, a dentist, who had known something of him in Plymouth, but who was then settled at Exeter, engaged him iu order to teach him his art, and he accordingly removed to Exeter, where be succeeded in attachiog Mr. Grove to him as a sincere friend. In 1825 he pub liaised his first work, a volume entitled ' Essays and Letters, by John Kitto.' It produced but little profit, but it contributed to make him known, and excited the interest of many of the inhabitants of Plymouth. By their efforts, greatly aasieted by Mr. Grove, he was sent to the Missionary College at Islington, there to be taught printing, which it was thought might render him useful in some of the missionary establishments abroad. He entered that institution iu July 1825, and was despatched to Malta as a printer in June 1827, but his health being unequal to his work, he returned to England iu February 1829. In the following May he agreed to accompany Mr.
Grove on an extensive tour to the East, during which he was to instruct Mr. Grove's children. In this journey he visited St. Peters burg, Astrachan, the Calmuck Tartars, the Caucasus, Armenia, Persia, and Baghdad. At this latter town he was detained during the plague. Mr. Grove there lost his wife, and Kitto thence returned to England in June 1833.
In July of that year, Mr. Woolcombe of Plymouth wrote a letter of introduction for him to Mr. Coates, the secretary of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, recommending him for employ ment on the 'Penny Magazine.' On the 18th he waited on Mr. Coates with a letter written by himself, in which he proposed a plan of writing his travels, either in the form of weekly numbers, "like the Penny Magazine," or as volumes of the Library of Entertaining Knowledge.' Mr. Coates referred him to Mr. Charles Knight, as editor of those works, telling him he thought the society could not undertake the travels in the Entertaining Knowledge.' On the 19th he wrote to Mr. Knight, stating his willingness io use his journal for separate papers in the Penny Magazine.' On the 20th he called on Mr. Knight : the conversation was carried on by Mr. Kitto speaking, which he did very imperfectly, and Mr. Knight writing. A few letters afterwards passed, specimen articles were sent and approved of, and on the 4th of August he accepted Mr. Knight's proposals for a general engagement at a salary, saying that "the terms offered would be sufficient not only for my present but my prospective wants." He continued for two years in various literary employments.