Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Meilan, Mark Anthony
MEILAN, MARK ANTHONY (fl. 1812), miscellaneous writer, born about 1743, held at one time a situation in the post-office, which he resigned in order to become ‘instructor’ in private families in English, bookkeeping, and shorthand, of languages, arts, and sciences. In 1776 he was keeping an academy in Charles Square, Hoxton, but is subsequently found residing at Westminster, St. George's Fields, and Kennington. He took orders, and for some time served the curacy of St. John, Wapping. He submitted tragedies to Garrick and Colman, who declined them on the ground that they contained rather too many reminiscences of Shakespeare and Rowe. At the suggestion of some kind-hearted ladies he printed his dramas by subscription, and prefixed a diverting preface, in which he gives a detailed account of his interviews and correspondence with the ‘despots of the drama’ (i.e. the managers). He had intended to inflict a second volume upon his subscribers, but found their patience exhausted. In 1809 he was assistant minister of St. Mary, Newington, Surrey, and was apparently alive in 1816 (Dict. of Living Authors, 1816). He was married and had a family.
Meilan published: 1. ‘Stenography, or Shorthand improved,’ 8vo, London, 1764, which professes to be an ‘improvement’ on Gurney's system. 2. ‘Northumberland, a Tragedy,’ 8vo, London, 1771. 3. ‘The Adventures of Telemachus, an epic poem from the French of Fénelon, with alterations,’ in heroic couplets, 2 vols. 8vo, London, 1776; 2nd edit. with plates, 2 vols. 4to, 1792–4. 4. ‘Dramatic Works (tragedies entitled “Emilia,” “Northumberland,” and “The Friends”), published by way of an appeal from the arbitrary decisions of the despots of the drama,’ 8vo, London, 1780. 5. ‘The Children's Friend,’ translated from the French of A. Berquin, 24mo, London, 1786. 6. ‘The Friend of Youth … consisting of … stories, … dialogues, and moral dramas,’ partly translated from Berquin and other writers, and partly original, 12 vols. 12mo, London, 1788. 7. ‘Sermons for Children,’ 3 vols. 12mo, London, 1789. 8. ‘The Book of Righteousness, or an Elucidation of the … Gospel … with … the Acts,’ 12mo, London (1790?). 9. ‘Holy Writ familiarized to Juvenile Conceptions,’ 4 vols. 12mo, London, 1791. 10. ‘An Introduction to the English Language,’ 2 vols. 8vo, London, 1803. A portrait of Meilan, surrounded by his ‘Works,’ is prefixed to the second edition of his ‘Telemachus.’
[Meilan's Works; Baker's Biog. Dram. (1812); Westby-Gibson's Bibliography of Shorthand, p. 129.]