KNIGHT, CHARLES (1701-1873). An Eng lish author, born in 1791 at 'Windsor, where his father was a bookseller. Knight was sent to school at Ealing, where he gained sonic knowl edge of the classics; but he was educated mostly in his father's bookshop. Mien a young man lie set himself to educate the masses by raising the tone of popular literature. In conjunction with Hawke Locker, lie founded the Plain Eng lishman, a magazine of original and selected articles (1820-22) ; edited the Guardian, a lit erary and political miscellany (1820-22) ; and, with the eneouragement of and other-. started knight's Quarterly Magazine (1823-24). In 1825 Brougham established the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. The idea originated with Knight. who was subsequently called in to take charge of the society's publica tions. For the rest of his life 'Knight wielded immense influence as a popular instructor. Among
the works which he published or edited are the Penny Magazine (1832-45), which at one time enjoyed a circulation of nearly 200.000 copies weekly; Penny Cyclopedia (30 viols., 1833-44) ; Library of Entertaining Knowledge. the volume on the elephant (1831) being written by him self; Pictorial History of England (18374-0 ; London Pictorially Illustrated (6 vole.. 1841-44): Old England. a Pictorial Museum of National Antiquities (2 vols., 1845) ; half Hours with the Best Authors (4 vols.. 1847-48) The English, Cyclopwdia (22 vols., 1854-61) ; Pictorial Shake speare (S vols., 1838-41) ; Life of Caxton (1844) ; Knowledge is Power (1855) ; and. above all, the Poinuar History of England (1856-62).
Knight died at Addlestone, March 9. 1873. Consult his autobiography. entitled Passages of a Working Life During Half a Century (1864-65).