BENTLEY

bentley, richard (1794-1871), british publisher, was born in london in 1794. his father owned the _general evening post_ in conjunction with john nichols, to whom richard bentley, on leaving st paul's school, was apprenticed to learn the printing trade. with his brother samuel (1785-1868), an antiquarian of some repute, he set up a printing establishment, but in 1829 he began business as a publisher in partnership with henry colburn in new burlington street. colburn retired in 1832 and bentley continued business on his own account. in 1837 he began _bentley's miscellany_, edited for the first three years of its existence by charles dickens, whose _oliver twist_, with cruikshank's illustrations, appeared in its pages. bentley and his son george (1828-1895), as richard bentley & son, published works by r.h. barham, theodore hook, isaac d'israeli, judge haliburton and others; also the "library of standard novels" and the "favourite novel library." in the latter series mrs henry wood's _east lynne_ appeared. in 1866 the firm took over the publication of _temple bar_, with which _bentley's miscellany_ was afterwards incorporated. richard bentley died on the 10th of september 1871. his son, george bentley, and his grandson, richard bentley, junior, continued the business until it was absorbed (1898) by macmillan & co. see also _r. bentley & son_ (edinburgh, 1886), a history of the firm reprinted from _le livre_ (october, 1885).