Richard Bentley (d. 1697; fl. 1675–1697)

BENTLEY (RICHARD), bookseller in London, Post House in Russell Street, Covent Garden, 1675–97. The well-known publisher of novels, plays, and romances, hence referred to by Dunton as "novel" Bentley. [Life & Errors, p. 292.] His name first appears in the Term Catalogue of Hilary 1675 in partnership with J. Magnes as joint publisher of a tragedy Andromeda [T.C. Ill. 197.] and in the following year they advertised and published the romance of Zelinda. [Esdaile, p. 329.] As J. Magnes's name appears first in all the imprints, Bentley was evidently the junior partner. In the latter part of 1678 the firm became R. Bentley and M. Magnes and so continued until 1682, when for a few months Bentley was publishing alone, but in the Term Catalogue for Michaelmas 1683 Dryden's Religio Laici was published by R. Bentley and S. Magnes [T.C. n. 50.] S. Magnes's name occurs for the last time in Mich. 1688, after which Richard Bentley continued the business alone. Some time in 1688 he issued a broadside entitled The Commissioners' proposals to... the Prince of Orange, &c. [B.M. 1850. c. 6 (6).] In 1692 Bentley reissued some fifty novels of the preceding fifteen years, not all bearing his imprint, as Modern Novels, in xii volumes. [B.M. 12410. c. 18–29.] Letters of his in Sir H. Ellis's Original Letters of eminent Literary Men, 1843, show that Bentley was both an enterprising and liberal man. Amongst other notable books published by him may be noticed John Evelyn's Sylva, and the author, writing to Dr. Richard Bentley in 1697, says that the latter's namesake "had sold off three impressions and was impatient for the fourth." But it is chiefly as a publisher of romances that Bentley is known, and in some "romans a clef" he adopted fictitious imprints. For example, Gabriel de Bremond's Hattige, or the Amours of the King of Tamaran, was published "For Simon the African, Amsterdam", 1680; again, The Secret History of the Duke of Alancon and Q. Elizabeth, published in 1691, bore the imprint "For Will with the Whisp, at the sign of the Moon in the Ecliptick", sometimes with the addition of "Cologne." [Esdaile, pp. 169, 215.] Bentley's name last appears in the Term Catalogue of Easter 1697 [T.C. in. 15] and he died between that date and July 6th, when his will was proved. He made his wife Katherine his sole executrix and he left a son Thomas. Among the witnesses to the will was Robert Everingham.