Walker, THOMAS, was born at Manchester in 1784, son of a Liberal manufacturer, whom Erskine defended successfully on a charge of high-treason at Lancaster. He was educated privately, then went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1808. He took to law, was called to the bar by the Society of the Inner Temple in 1812, became a Lambeth police-magistrate in 1829, and died at Brussels, 20th January 1836. He gave much thought to the problem of pauperism, and published a book on the subject in 1826; but his chief reputation was as a conversationalist of rare humour. His famous weekly periodical, The Original, ran only for twenty-six numbers, from
May to 11th November 1835. His characteristic quality is seen here in the touch of humour which adds interest to themes the most ordinary.