Thomas Mortimer

Thomas Mortimer (1730–1810) was an English writer, known for his works in the field of economics, and for first documenting the financial terms bull and bear, in use in London at that time.

Life He was the son of Thomas Mortimer (1706–1741), principal secretary to Sir Joseph Jekyll, the Master of the Rolls, and grandson of John Mortimer, and was born on 9 December 1730 in Carey Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields in London. His mother died in 1744, and he was left under the guardianship of John Baker of Spitalfields.

Mortimer went to Harrow School, under James Cox, and then to a private academy in the north, but was largely self-taught. In 1750 he published An Oration on the much lamented death of H.R.H. Frederick, Prince of Wales, and began to study elocution. He also learnt French and Italian for his study of modern history. He returned to England, resumed his writing, and worked as a private tutor.

Besides pamphlets, Mortimer's economic publications were: This early pamphlet source for the Society of Arts was anonymous. Dictionary of Trade and Commerce, London 2 vols. 1766; it covered geography, manufactures, architecture, the land-tax, and extraneous topics. A similar General Commercial Dictionary by Mortimer appeared in 1810, 3rd ed. 1823. The National Debt no Grievance, by a Financier, 1768. Elements of Commerce, London 1772; 2nd edit. 1802; translated into German by Johann Andreas Engelbrecht, Leipzig, 1783. Based on works of earlier economists, this work covered material had been used by Mortimer in a series of lectures given in London. He also translated Jacques Necker's Treatise on the Finances of France, London 3 vols., 1785.

Family Mortimer married twice, and had a large family. A son, George, captain in the Royal Marines, published in 1791 Observations during a Voyage in the South Seas and elsewhere in the brig "Mercury," commanded by J. H. Cox, esq..