There are no less than twenty of Mavor's school-books in the catalogue before me.

They include Mavor's _History of England_, Mavor's _Universal History_, and Mavor's _History of Greece_.

In the _Memoir_ of 1808 it is claimed that 'Mavor' is but a pseudonym for Phillips, and the claim is also made, quite wrongfully, by John Timbs, who, before he became acting editor of the _Illustrated London News_ under Herbert Ingram, and an indefatigable author, was Phillips's private secretary.[54] It seems clear, however, that in the case of Blair's _Catechism_ and Goldsmith's _Geography_, and many another book for schools, Phillips was 'Blair' and 'Goldsmith' and many another imaginary person, for the books in question numbered about two hundred in all.

For these books there must have been quite an army of literary hacks employed during the twenty years prior to the appearance of George Borrow in that great army.

On 9th November 1807, the Lord Mayor's procession through London included Richard Phillips among its sheriffs, and he was knighted by George III.