John Rritton, an English antiquary, born at Kington St. Michael, Wiltshire, July 7,1771, died in London, Jan. 1, 1857 He was apprenticed to a London wine merchant, with whom he remained six years. For seven years afterward he struggled with poverty, eking out a bare existence by various employments. A book on the adventures of Pizarro, which he wrote, introduced him to the publisher of the "Sporting Magazine," who employed him with another person to compile the "Beauties of Wiltshire," which appeared in 1801, and succeeded so well that the authors were employed to compile the "Beauties" of all the other counties of England, in 26 volumes. In 1805 he published the first part of the " Architectural Antiquities of England; " it was completed in 1815 in 5 vols. 4to, richly illustrated. His distinct productions, 87 in number, are valuable, not only for the information they supply, but for their numerous and beautiful engravings. He published in 1847 an " Essay on the Authorship of the Letters of Junius," in which he endeavored to prove that Junius was Col. Barre, aided by Lord Shelburne and Dunning. Then, at the age of 76, having accumulated a handsome fortune, he discontinued his labors as author.

His friends, constituting the " Brit-ton Club," entertained him at a public dinner, and subscribed over £1,000 for a testimonial to be presented to him. On his own suggestion, the money was devoted to bringing out his autobiography.