DODS'LEY, Itotalrr t 1703-61). An English author and publisher. Ile was born near Mans field, in Nottingham. His father, who was a seiwohnaster. apprenticed him to a stocking weaver: hut finding this employment disaree 1 le. Dodsley ran away, and was afterwards en gaged as footman. While thus employed he began to N\ rite \ er,es on the beim\ io• ut servants, in :I Volume entitled The _Hum. in Lir• ry, or the Pout/Hairs Miscellany. His next roduction—The Toy :chop. a dramatic piece was performed in 1735 at Covent Garden Theatre with great success. With the profits from his and play, and with the aid of Pope, Dods ley began business as a bookseller. in which trade he was very successful. In 1737 his King and the .11i/br of Mans/hit/ was brought cut it Drury Lane, and met with an enthusiastic reception. This was followed by ;qt. John Cockle at Court, The Blind. Beggar of Bethnal C,eei. and Rix ct
POO IICT, «Lich were republished in a collected edition of his dramatic works with the title of Trilhs I 174S1. His dramatic career closed with a tragedy called c/conc (175S), acted at Covent Garden with extraordinary success. Meantime, he was conducting his business with great ability and spirit. In 173S lie bought Johnson's London for ten guineas. He became the publisher of other famous authors—Pope. Young, Walpole, and Goldsmith. Though he carried through many other literary schemes, he now on account of his .)'elect collection of Old Plays (12 vols., 1744). of which there have been four editions. the last being edited by Hazlitt 115 vols.. IS74-76). Another valuable publica tion was Collection of Poems by •creral hands (4 vols., 17S-1-491. Consult : Knight, Shadows of the Old Booksrllers (London, 1S65).