George Virtue

Contents 1 Pictorial publisher 2 Magazine publisher 3 Publishing houses 4 Family 5 Community service 6 Legacy 7 Partial bibliography 8 References

George C. Virtue, Esq. (1794 – 8 December 1868) was a 19th-century London publisher, well-known for printing engravings. His publishing house was located at 26 Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row, London, EC.^[1]

Pictorial publisher

Virtue selected accomplished artists, employed the best engravers, and produced books that were rarely surpassed in elegance and correctness for the period. Chief among his publications were the following, all illustrated by William Henry Bartlett: Switzerland, by William Beattie, 2 vols. 1836; Scotland, by W. Beattie, 1838; The Waldenses, by W. Beattie, 1838; American Scenery, 2 vols. 1840; Description of the Beauties of the Bosphorus, by Julia Pardoe, 1840; and The Danube, its History and Scenery, by W. Beattie, 1844. Virtue created a prodigious business, issuing upwards of twenty thousand copper and steel engravings through his career.

Magazine publisher

In 1848, Virtue purchased two magazines. One was an art publication, The Art Union, which had been founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves, then purchased in 1847 by Chapman & Hall. The second purchase was controlling interest in Sharpe's London Magazine, a literary and cultural magazine, Arthur Hall publisher. In 1849, Virtue renamed the art magazine The Art Journal and, in time, it became known as the premier art publication of Great Britain. Also in 1849, he created a new firm with Arthur Hall called "Arthur Hall, Virtue & Co.".^[2]

Publishing houses

• George Virtue
  • 26 Ivy Lane, London
  • 25 Paternoster Row, London
  • 26 John Street, New York
• Arthur Hall, Virtue & Co.

Family

Virtue's wife was named Helen.^[3]

Their oldest son, George Henry Virtue (d.1866), FSA, Esq., was Treasurer of the Royal Numismatic Society for several years.^[4]

When Virtue retired from his publishing business in 1855, his second son, James Sprent Virtue, took over the business, having spent many years in the United States overseeing the Virtue's New York publishing house.

In 1861, the youngest son, William Alexander Virtue (d.1875), was promoted to Lieutenant, vice Turney, with the 39th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps..^[5] In 1865, he became a partner in the Virtue's City Road and Ivy Lane publishing houses before moving to the United States and taking over the Virtue's New York publishing house, including "Virtue and Yorston" with Charles H. Yorston.^[6]

^[7]

Virtue's daughter, Frances Virtue (d.1878), married the English essayist and historian, James Augustus Cotter Morison in 1861. They had one son, Theodore Morison, a principal from 1899–1905 of the college of Aligarh and member of the Council of India from 1906; and daughters Helen Cotter, and Margaret.^[8]

Community service

Virtue was a common councilman for the ward of Farringdon Within, and later was the Deputy of his ward. He was a member of the court of the Stationers' Company and a director of the Great Central Gas Company.

Legacy

Virtue retired in Oatlands Park. ^[9] He died in 1868 at the home of his daughter, Frances Morison, on Porchester Square, London.^{[10] [11][12]} Much of his correspondence and other family records are archived in the Smithsonian through a donation of documents by Virtue's great-great-grandson, Michael Virtue.^[1]

Partial bibliography

Musical scores

• Hogarth, G. (1850). The book of British song. London: George Virtue, OCLC 43226028 
• Turle, J., & Taylor, E. (1848). A Collection of psalm and hymn tunes, comprising the best compositions in general use, and including many by eminent English and foreign musicians, which are now, for the first time, published in this country: harmonized for four voices, with an arrangement for the organ and pianoforte forming the first part of the People's music book. London: George Virtue., OCLC 57245096 

Pictorials

• Armytage, J. C., & Warren, H. (1850). The Washington National Monument. London: George Virtue, OCLC 21000902 
• Bartlett, W. H., Willmore, J. T., & Willis, N. P. (1838). Boston from the Dorchester Heights. London: Published for the Proprietors by Geo. Virtue, OCLC 57745958 
• Bartlett, W. H., Wallis, R., & Virtue, G. (1837). View From West Point (Hudson River) (colored engraving). London: George Virtue, 26 Ivy Lane, OCLC 7251506 
• Griffiths, H., Bartlett, W. H., & Willis, N. P. (1838). Faneuiel [sic] Hall, Boston. London: Published by Geo. Virtue, OCLC 57744083 
• Hunt, T. W., Dubourjal, S. E., Bartlett, W. H., & Woodward, B. B. (1856). John Quincy Adams. New York: Published by George Virtue and Co., OCLC 57747319 
• Lacey, S., Bartlett, W. H., & Willis, N. P. (1839). Saw mill at Centre Harbour (Lake Winnipesaukee). London: Published by Geo. Virtue, OCLC 57744145 
• Lacey, S., Bartlett, W. H., & Willis, N. P. (1837). State Street, Boston. London: Published by Geo. Virtue, OCLC 57745594 

References

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Virtue, James Sprent". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 

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Name	Virtue, George
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Date of death	1868-12-08
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