LONG'MANS. An English family of hook publishers, founded by Thomas Longman (1601) 1755). lie was apprenticed when seventeen years of age to a London bookseller named John Osborn, whose daughter he afterwards married. In 1724 he bought out the business of John Taylor (who' published the first edition of Robinson Crusoe), and set up for himself on the site which is to day occupied by the works of his successors. His father-in-law soon joined him, and together they conducted the business until the former's death, when Thomas again became sole director. He was very successful, and was interested in a number of books which were not only good busi ness investments at the time, but which have achieved an enduring reputation, among them David llume's Treatise of Human Solari', and Dr, Johnson's Dictionary. He was succeeded by his nephew, Thomas Longman (1730-97), whom he had taken into partnership, and who not only extended the business in England, but carried on a considerable trade with America. The second head of the firm was succeeded on his death by his son. Thomas Norton Longman. who in 1794 received Owen Rees into partnership. During this period the Lon,gmans acquired many valuable copyrights, including Lindley Murray's English Grammar; the Lyrical Ballads of Coleridge and Wordsworth; Seott's Lay of the Last Minstrel ; and Moore's Lalla Rookh. They also published a number of very profitable cncyclopwdias, and in 1826 became sole pro prietors of the Edinburgh Review, Several new partners were admitted during these years, and the title of the firm changed to Long man, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green. Thomas
Norton was succeeded by his sons, Thomas (1804 79), who became head of the firm on his father's death in 1842, and William (1813-77), who was an author as well as a publisher. His writings dealt chiefly with travel and history, and in cluded a Journal of Six Weeks' Adventures in Switzerland, Piedmont, and on the Italian Lakes (1856) ; A History of ,England to the Close of the Reign of Edward II. (1869) ; and A History of the Life and Times of Edward III. (1869). During this administration the firm published a sumptuous edition of the New Testament, illus trated with wood engravings after paintings by famous artists. It also acquired the copyrights to a number of famous books, including the works of John Stuart Mill and Disraeli's novels, and it published Lord Macaulay's works, giving him as part payment for the third and fourth volumes of his History of England a check for £20.000. Thomas Longman was succeeded by his sons, T. N. Longman, who became head of the firm, and G. H. Longman. William Longman was suc ceeded by his son, James Charles Longman, who graduated at University College, Oxford. and in 1882 became editor of Longman's Magazine.