Thomas Tomkins (1743–1816) was an English calligrapher. Thomas Tomkins Reynolds

Life

He kept for many years a writing school in Foster Lane, London. Tomkins was a friend of

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

and Sir Joshua Reynolds, and used to demonstrate how he could draw a perfect circle with the pen; but was ridiculed by

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. He died in Sermon Lane, Doctors' Commons, in September 1816. His partner in the writing academy, John Reddall, survived till 17 August 1834.

Works

Among examples from his pen are: *A transcript of the charter granted by Charles II to the Irish Society, containing 150 folio pages; *ornamental titles to books, particularly Thomas Macklin's Bible (8 vols. 1800–16), James Thomson's '' The Seasons'', and the Houghton Collection of Prints; *a transcript of

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's letter announcing his victory at the

battle of the Nile The Battle of the Nile (also known as the Battle of Aboukir Bay; french: Bataille d'Aboukir) was a major naval battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the Navy of the French Republic at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast off the ...

—this was engraved and published; *titles to three volumes of manuscript music presented to the king by Thomas Linley the elder; *honorary freedoms presented to celebrated generals and admirals for their victories (1776–1816)—framed duplicates of these are preserved among the city archives; and *addresses to their majesties on many public occasions, particularly from the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

Tomkins published: Thomas Tomkins Schiavonetti

* ''The Beauties of Writing, exemplified in a variety of plain and ornamental penmanship. Designed to excite Emulation in this valuable Art'', London, 1777; again London, 1808–9, and 1844. * ''Alphabets written for the improvement of youth in Round, Text, and Small Hands'', 1779. * ''Rays of Genius, collected to enlighten the rising generation'', 2 vols., London, 1806. * ''Poems on various Subjects; selected to enforce the Practice of Virtue; and with a view to comprise … the Beauties of English Poetry'', London, 1807.

References

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Tomkins, Thomas 1743 births 1816 deaths English calligraphers