Chronology

Date	Social/Political Events	Literary/Cultural	Hone
1780	2-8 June, Gordon Riots Major Cartwright founds Society for Constitutional Information	Bentham, The Principles of Morals and Legislation	The pious dissenter William Hone Sr. living in Bath with new wife, Francis Maria Stawell Hone. 3 June, Hone born in Bath 26 August, Hone baptized, parish of St. James, City of Bath
1781	Luke Colingwood, captain of the slave ship Zong, jettisons 133 slaves into shark-infested waters to collect insurance. Yorktown, Cornwallis surrenders	Kant, Critique of Pure Reason Johnson, Lives of the Poets Rousseau, Confessions	Sister born to William Hone; she died in infancy
1782	30 November, End of war for American independence with the Treaty of Paris	Burney, Cecilia
1783	2 April, Fox-North Coalition formed under Duke of Portland 15 August, Duke of Richmond's letter to Sharman (a blueprint for parliamentary reform), later republished by Hone 3 September, Treaty of Versailles 19 December, William Pitt the Younger becomes prime minister	Blake, Poetical Sketches Crabbe, The Village Sophia Lee, The Recess Blair, Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres	Hone family moves to London, taking lodgings in Grafton Street; Hone begins his London childhood and his reading. 30 December, Joseph Hone (William's brother) born
1784	East India Company comes under jurisdiction of the Crown	Captain James Cook, Voyage to the Pacific Ocean in 1776-80 Death of Phillis Wheatly Blake, Island in the Moon 13 December, Death of Samuel Johnson
1785
1785	William Pitt introduces Bill for Parliamentary reform	William Cowper, The Task Della Crusca (Robert Merry), The Florence Miscellany Sunday School Society begun to educate poor children Boswell, Life of Johnson
1786		Burns, Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, vol. 1 Beckford, Vathek
1787	Wilberforce establishes the Proclamation Society, precursor to the Society for the Suppression of Vice Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade established
1788	George III temporarily insane Botany Bay penal colony established in Australia George Washington elected first American President	22 January, Byron born Gibbon finishes Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
1789	14 July, Fall of the Bastille signals start of the French Revolution Mutiny on the H.M.S Bounty	Blake, Songs of Innocence Bowles, Fourteen Sonnets . . . Erasmus Darwin, Loves of the Plants Bentham, Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation	Hone hears of French Revolution, but doesn't know what "revolution" means
1790
1790	In France, Robespierre and the Jacobins in power; royal family captured in escape attempt	Burns, Tam O' Shanter Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France
1791	Sierra Leone established as settlement for freed slaves Slave revolt at Santo Domingo Anti-Jacobin riots in Birmingham	Inchbald, A Simple Story Boswell, Life of Johnson Death of Wesley
1792	In France, Royal family arrested; September massacres; Abolition of monarchy and trial of Louis XVI.	4 August, P. B. Shelley born	Hone takes first "job" as "factotum" for solicitor in Bishopsgate Street, beginning a stressful entry into public and political life. 6 December, Hone watches as bookseller Thomas Spence is arrested on charges of sedition
1793	23 January, Luis XVI executed France declares war on England 16 October, Marie Antoinette executed Reign of Terror lasts into 1794	Blake, Visions of the Daughters of Albion and America Smith, The Old Manor House Wordsworth, Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches Godwin, Enquiry Concerning Political Justice	Hone's first "publication": a privately printed broadside called The Contrast attacking principles of the French Revolution
1794	Hardy, Horne Tooke, and Thelwall on trial for High Treason Habeas Corpus suspended in Britain	Blake, Songs of Experience Paine, Age of Reason Radcliffe, Mysteries of Udolpho Godwin, Caleb Williams
1795
1795	Directory established as new government in Paris Speenhamland Act provides poor relief in Great Britain, linking relief to price of bread	Death of Boswell 31 October, Keats born
1796	Napoleon begins Italian campaign Napoleon marries Josephine Death of Catherine the Great of Russia	Death of Burns Watson, Apology for the Bible Burney, Camilla Hays, Memoirs of Emma Courtney Coleridge, Poems on Various Subjects Lewis, The Monk	Hone's reading of Watson's Apology generates (or at least confirms) religious skepticism Hone's increasingly radical political leanings lead him to join the London Corresponding Society
1797	Napoleon consolidates power in Paris; prepares for invasion of England	Death of Burke Radcliffe, The Italian Bewick, History of British Birds	Hone in Chatham, where he takes position as clerk in a solicitor's office
1798	Nelson defeats French fleet in Battle of the Nile Irish Rebellion--as many as 25,000 dead as British forces crush the rebellion. Irish Parliament abolished	Wordsworth and Coleridge, Lyrical Ballads Godwin, The Posthumous Works of Mary Wollstonecraft (incl. Maria, or The Wrongs of Woman) Landor, Gebir Malthus, Essay on the Principle of Population Lamb, Blank Verse and Rosamund Gray Bentham, Political Economy
1799	Napoleon's Syrian campaign Pitt advocates union of Britain and Ireland Napoleon overthrows Directory and becomes first consul	Mungo Park, Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa Mary Hays, The Victim of Prejudice More, Strictures on the Modern System of Education	Hone returns to London; takes lodgings in Southwark
1800
1800	1 August, Irish Act of Union Napoleon attacks Austria Britain captures Malta	Edgeworth, Castle Rackrent Mary Robinson, Lyrical Tales Stanhope patents iron-frame printing press Death of William Cowper	19 July, Hone marries Sarah Johnson, the daughter of his landlady. Hone opens small stationery shop and circulating library in Southwark
1801	Pitt government resigns after George III refuses to acknowledge Catholic emancipation 1 January, Union with Ireland takes effect 1 October, Truce with France initiates the 14-month "Peace of Amiens"	Edgeworth, Belinda Southcott, The Strange Effects of Faith Opie, Father and Daughter Southey, Thalaba Moore, Poems by Thomas Little	20 July, daughter Sarah born
1802	Health and Morals of Apprentices Act restricts child labor, initiates 12 hour day. Napoleon becomes Consul for Life	Baillie, Plays on the Passions, vol 2 Scott, Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border Cobbett begins Political Register Edinburgh Review established Opie, Poems
1803	Irish uprising led by Robert Emmett; Emmett later executed	Hays, Female Biography Cobbett begins Parliamentary Debates	5 April, daughter Fanny born
1804	April, Pitt once again established as Prime Minister 18 May, Napoleon declares himself Emperor 12 December, Spain declares war on England	Blake, Milton, Jerusalem Hays, Harry Clinton Baillie, Miscellaneous Plays Smith, Beachy Head	Hone edits Charles Millington's The Housekeeper's Domestic Library, published by M. Jones, 1805
1805
1805	Austria, Russian, Sweden, and Britain form coalition against France and Spain 21 October, Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson defeats Franco-Spanish fleet	Hazlitt, Principles of Human Action Scott, Lay of the Last Minstrel Southey, Madoc Tighe, Psyche Lamb, King and Queen of Hearts Hazlitt, Essay on the Principles of Human Action Owenson, The Novice of St. Dominick Opie, Adeline Mowbray	Hone working as bookkeeper for E. Lowton, a hop factor in Southwark 26 July, daughter Matilda born
1806	End of Holy Roman Empire French wars against Prussia, Russia; Napoleon puts European Continent off-limits to British trade Death of Charles James Fox	Byron, Fugitive Pieces (suppressed) Jane and Ann Taylor, Rhymes for the Nursery	With John Bone, a former LCS operative, Hone establishes a combination savings bank and annuity plan called "Tranquillity"
1807	Slave trade banned throughout British empire British invasion of Alexandria French invasion of Portugal	Moore, Irish Melodies Hegel, Phenomenology Byron, Hours of Idleness Lamb, Tales from Shakespear	"Tranquillity" plan collapses Hone and Bone take over J. S. Jordan bookshop, 331 Strand Son William born (possibly 1808)
1808	French invasion of Spain leads to Peninsular War between British and French British victory a Vimeiro under Wellesley Convention of Cintra; French leave Portugal	Hunt establishes The Examiner Lamb, Specimens of English Dramatic Poets	28 December, Bone and Hone augment their book stocks with a �233 purchase at bookseller's auction at Queen's Arms.
1809	Metternich made Foreign Minister of Austria	Byron, English Bards and Scotch Reviewers Quarterly Review established More, Coelebs in Search of a Wife Death of Thomas Paine	Bone and Hone issue catalogue of over 2400 older books, some dating from 16th century
1810
1810	Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington) defeats French at Salamanca Parliamentary debates over press coverage of Commons, reform	Crabbe, The Borough Southey, Curse of Kehama Chalmers, Works of the English Poets	2 January, son Alfred born June, working with Francis Place and others, Hone helps organize celebration of Sir Francis Burdett's release from prison 16 October, Bone and Hone declared bankrupt
1811	Regency begins as Prince of Wales assumes throne due to George III's insanity Luddite riots in Nottingham	Austen, Sense and Sensibility Brunton, Self Control	Hone becomes an "auctioneer to the book trades" with premises in Ivy Lane.
1812	French invasion of Russia proves disastrous for both sides War of 1812 between Britain and U.S. Perceval assasinated	Edgeworth, The Absentee Byron, Childe Harold, I and II	2 April, son John born
1813	Wars of Liberation in Europe Parliament extends sovereignty over possessions of the East India Company	Austen, Pride and Prejudice Southey becomes poet laureate Leigh and John Hunt imprisoned for libel against the Prince Regent Byron, The Giaour, The Bride of Abydos P. B. Shelley, Queen Mab	June, Through the Spectacle Makers' Company, Hone purchases his Freedom of the City, listing profession as "Ivy Lane Bookseller" Working with Robert Waithman, James Bevans, and Edward Wakefield, Hone devises plan for the improvement of insane asylums.
1814	Defeat of France; Napoleon banished to Elba Congress of Vienna Treaty of Ghent ends War of 1812	Austen, Mansfield Park Scott, Waverly Wordsworth, The Excursion Byron, The Corsair, Lara Burney, The Wanderer	January, Hone begins editorship of Critical Review 14 March, daughter Emma born December, Hone family move into small house adjoining Hone's bookselling shop at 55 Fleet Street
1815
1815	Passage of Corn Laws in England, amidst considerable public unrest Napoleon enters Paris, beginning the "Hundred Days" 18 June, Napoleon's forces defeated at Waterloo by Allied forces under Wellesley (Duke of Wellington)	Ricardo, The Influence of a Low Price of Corn on the Profits of Stock Wordsworth, Poems of 1815 Scott, Guy Mannering Mary Hays, The Brothers, or Consequences. A Story of What Happens Every Day	March, Hone witnesses shooting of Edward Vyse in Old Burlington Street; later he publishes an account of the inquest. June, Hone removed from position as editor of Critical Review August, Hone publishes several accounts of the trial of Elizabeth Fenning
1816	Post-war economic depression in Britain (through 1820) 2 December, Spa Fields Riots	Austen, Emma Coleridge, Christabel, Kubla Khan, and The Statesman's Manual Hunt, The Story of Rimini Hazlitt, Memoirs of the Late Thomas Holcroft Peacock, Headlong Hall P. B. Shelley, Alastor	14 June, daughter Charlotte born (dies 1817) Autumn, Hone publishes several satirical accounts of Prince Regent's extravagance. October, Opens bookselling shop at 67 Old Bailey; Hone also maintains shop at 55 Fleet Street
1817	In response to domestic unrest, active program of Home Office domestic spying 4 March, Suspension of Habeas Corpus initiates government crackdown on radical activity 27 March, Home Secretary (Lord Sidmouth) issues "circular letter" encouraging vigilance over and summary arrests of radical publishers June, T. J. Wooler, publisher of Black Dwarf, tried on libel charges 6 November, Death of Princess Charlotte November, Portsea printer James Williams tried and found guilty of libel for issuing Hone's parodies	Death of Jane Austen. Coleridge, Sibylline Leaves and Biographia Literaria Peacock, Melincourt Hazlitt, Round Table Byron, Manfred P. B. Shelley, A Proposal for Putting Reform to the Vote, Laon and Cythna Keats, Poems Cobbett, Paper against Gold, the History and Mystery of the Bank of England Blackwood's Magazine founded Southey, pirated publications (including one from Hone) of early radical work, Wat Tyler	Late January, early February, Hone publishes four liturgical parodies: The Bullet Te Deum, The Political Litany, The Sinecurist's Creed, and The Late John Wilkes's Catechism Late January, with assistance from Francis Place, begins publication of The Reformists' Register which continues weekly until October. 3 May, arrested and held in prison on blasphemous and seditious libel charges. 2 July, released from prison. Late November, notified of forthcoming trials by the Attorney General. 18, 19, 20 December, three consecutive trials lead to three consecutive acquittals; Hone becomes celebrity as a result.
1818	28 January, Habeas Corpus restored 1 June, Motion for Parliamentary Reform defeated	Austen, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (posthumous publications) Peacock, Nightmare Abbey Hunt, Foliage, or Poems Original and Translated Lamb, The Works of Charles Lamb M. W. Shelley, Frankenstein Byron, Childe Harold IV, Beppo January-March, Hazlitt, Lectures on the English Poets	With moneys raised by public subscription, Hone takes new premises at Ludgate Hill; publishes little more than accounts of his trials. 27 August, daughter Rose born