Edward Cave, an English printer and bookseller, born at Newton, Warwickshire, Feb. 29, 1691, died in London, Jan. 10, 1754. He founded the " Gentleman's Magazine," the first number of which appeared in January, 1731, and which still continues to be published. The original purpose of this periodical, according to the prospectus, was to preserve from the newspapers "essays on various subjects for entertainment." Original communications, however, were afterward admitted, Dr. Johnson being a favorite contributor, and he wrote the "parliamentary speeches" which appeared in this magazine from 1740 to 1743. It has undergone many changes of management, but its special and most valuable features were always till recently antiquarian research and contemporary biography and history. The success of the magazine led to the establishment of the "London Magazine" and other rival publications of the same class, in which the "Gentleman's Magazine" was the pioneer. Cave was the early friend and patron of Dr. Johnson, and for a long time was his only publisher.

Dr. Johnson was present at his deathbed, and he wrote the "Life of Cave" which was published in the " Gentleman's Magazine " for Feb-ruarv, 1754. Cave had some claims to author-ship, and wrote an "Account of Criminals."