Thomas Salmon (Meppershall, 1679 – 20 gennaio 1767) è stato uno storico e geografo britannico.

Nacque a Meppershall, nel Bedfordshire, e vi fu battezzato il 2 febbraio 1679^[1]. Era figlio del musicologo Thomas Salmon (1648–1706) e di sua moglie Katherine, figlia di John Bradshaw; Nathanael Salmon era il fratello maggiore. Secondo l'antiquario William Cole, Salmon scrisse la maggior parte delle sue opere a Cambridge, dove gestiva una coffee house, ed in seguito si trasferì a Londra. Cole riferisce che Salmon gli aveva detto di aver passato del tempo per mare e di essere stato per qualche tempo nelle Indie orientali e in quelle occidentali. Viaggiò anche in Europa.^[1]

Nel 1739–40 Salmon accompagnò George Anson nel suo viaggio intorno al mondo^[1].

Per la sua tragicommedia La sposa persiana, Carlo Goldoni si documentò circa gli usi e i costumi persiani consultando l'opera di Salmon Modern History, or the Present State of All Nations (La storia delle nazioni moderne)^[2].

I lavori di Salmon furono:^[1]

• A Review of the History of England, as far as it relates to the Titles and Pretensions of four several Kings, and their Respective Characters, from the Conquest to the Revolution, London, 1722; 2nd ed. 2 vols. London, 1724.
• An Impartial Examination of Bishop Burnet's History of his own Times, 2 vols. London, 1724.
• Bishop Burnet's Proofs of the Pretender's Illegitimacy … compared with the Account given by other writers of the same fact, 2 vols. London, 1724.
• A Critical Essay concerning Marriage … By a Gentleman, London, 1724, and a second edition in the same year under Salmon's name.
• The Characters of the several Noblemen and Gentlemen that have died in the Defence of their Princes, or the Liberties of their Country. Together with the Characters of those who have suffer'd for Treason and Rebellion for the last three hundred years, London, 1724.
• The Chronological Historian, containing a regular Account of all material Transactions and Occurrences, Ecclesiastical, Civil, and Military, relating to the English affairs, from the Invasion of the Romans to the Death of King George I, London, 1733; 3rd ed. continued to the fourteenth year of George II, 2 vols. London, 1747. A French translation, by Garrigue de Froment, appeared in 2 vols., Paris, 1751.
• A new Abridgment and Critical Review of the State Trials and Impeachments for High Treason, London, 1738.
• Modern History, or the Present State of all Nations … illustrated with Cuts and Maps … by Herman Moll, 3 vols. London, 1739; 3rd ed. 3 vols. London, 1744–6. This is his major work, and it was abridged, continued, and published under various fictitious names. A Dutch translation, in forty-four parts, appeared at Amsterdam, 1729–1820, and an Italian translation in twenty-three volumes, at Venice, 1740–61.
• The Present State of the Universities, and of the five adjacent Counties of Cambridge, Huntingdon, Bedford, Buckingham, and Oxford, London, 1744. Only one volume appeared, containing the history of the county, city, and university of Oxford.
• General Description of England, and particularly of London, the Metropolis, mentioned in the preface of the previous work, 2 vols.
• The Modern Gazetteer, or a short View of the several Nations of the World, London, 1746; 3rd ed. London, 1756; 6th ed. with additions and new maps, London, 1759.
• The Foreigner's Companion through the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and the adjacent Counties, describing the several Colleges and other Public Buildings, London, 1748.
• Considerations on the Bill for a General Naturalisation, London, 1748.
• A New Geographical and Historical Grammar, with a set of twenty-two Maps, London, 1749; 2nd ed. 1751; 6th ed. 1758; other editions updated by J. Tytler, Edinburgh, 1778 and 1782; 13th ed. London, 1785.
• A Short View of the Families of the present English Nobility, London, 1751; 2nd ed. 1758; 3rd ed. 1761.
• The Universal Traveller, or a Compleat Description of the several Nations of the World, 2 vols. London, 1752–3.
• A Short View of the Families of the present Irish Nobility, London, 1759.
• A Short View of the Families of the Scottish Nobility, London, 1759.

• Sidney Lee (a cura di), "Salmon, Thomas (1679-1767)", in Dictionary of National Biography, vol. 50, Londra, Smith, Elder & Co., 1897.

• Wikisource contiene una pagina dedicata a Thomas Salmon
• Wikimedia Commons contiene immagini o altri file su Thomas Salmon

• Opere di Thomas Salmon, su MLOL, Horizons Unlimited.
• (EN) Opere di Thomas Salmon, su Open Library, Internet Archive.

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