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HISTORY OF PRINTING.
and an Hebrew Bible." " You shall have diem," said Sixtus, " but foolish man, why don't you ask for a bishoprick, or something of that sort.'" " For the best of reasons," said Wesse- lus, " because I do not want such things. " The Hebrew Bible thus presented, was long after- wards preserved in his native city of Groningen. He died in 1489, aged 70.
His works have been several times printed, but the most complete edition was published in 1614, 4to., with a short account of his life by Albert Hardenberg.
1489. Michel le Noir (Nig^r) commenced the art of typography in the city of Paris. He was a printer of very considerable interest, whose impressions are held in high estimation by the admirers of early Parisian typography. He con- tinued his labours to a late period, and was succeeded by his son Philippe, a printer also of considerable estimation. Felix Baligaut, Ber- thold Rembolt, probably a son of the ancient printer of that name, WoUang Hopyl, George Wolfe, and Durand Gerlier, began to print about the same period.
1489. Printing introduced into the following places in the course of this year : —
Lisbon, by Samuel Zorba and Raban Eliezer.
The first book printed in Portugal is of this date; it is a Commentary on the Pentateuch in Hebrew, and from the printers' names, they appear to have been Jews.
Uagenau, by Henry Gran.
Kuttenberg, by Martin Van Tischiniowa.
Lerida, no printer's name.
San Cucufate del Valles, near Barcelona, no printer's name.
1490. This year Caxton printed two works, of which the following was the first —
The Arte and Crafte to knawe well to dye. Translated out of frentthe in to englyuhe by WiUm Caxton the xv day of Juyn the yert of our Lord a m iiij'. Ixxxx. Folio.
The following article, which was given in the Harleian catalogue, is partly copied from Lewis : — ^"This important subject, of such universal behoof, was wisely undertaken by Master Cax- ton, at the age he was now arrived at, and un- der the decay he might feel upon him, which put an end to his laudable labours, before he was a twelvemonth older. It is the more to be regarded, in that he chose, by this work, to set himself the example of the doctrine therein in- culcated. It is divided into six parts; treating, of the praise of death; and how we ought to die gladly; of the temptations we are under at the point of death; of the questions that ought to be made at that time; of the instructions that ought to be given; of the remembrance df God's doings and sufferings for us; of certain devout prayers that ought to be said by, or for, the dy- m^ person. From all which articles it may evidently appear, as the author concludes, that to every person who would die well, it is neces- sary that he learn to die, before death comes, and prevents him."
The commencement of the work is thus given
by Mr. Dibdin : — " When it so, that, what a man maketh or doeth, it is made to come to some end, and if the thing be good and well made it must needs come to good end; then by better and greater reason every man ought to intend in such wise to live in this world, in keeping the commandments of God, that he may come to a good end. And that out of thia world, full of wretchedness and tribulations, -be may go to heaven unto God and his saints into joy perduable."
"The origin of this performance, (one of the most populu works in the 15th and 16th cen- turies)" Mr. Dibdin observes, "was probably the celebrated An Moriendi: the composition of a Polish monk, and printed, as it is supposed, before the middle of this century."
This work ranks amongst the rarest of Cax- ton's printed books; it contains thirteen leaves, with capital initials, the leaves are not num- bered.
1490,/«n<22. The BokeofEneydot,compyled by Vyrgyle : by me Wyllm Caxton. Folio.
.This work is a translation from the French; it is a mere compilation in prose of the principal events recorded in Virgpl's poem, and has do pretension to an imitation of that poet, in any one respect. It does not, therefore, deserve the contemptuous and sarcastic notice taken of it, by Gawain Douglas,* in the preface to bis Scotch translation of the works of Virgil. The bishop of Dunkeld says —
Tboch WylUame Caxtoon had no compsssioan
Of VlrgUl In tbat buk he prent In prols,
Ctepind tt VirgUl in Bneado*
Qnhllk that he niTis of Frenache he did translait.
It has natbing ado therwtth, Ood wate.
Nor na man like than the deuil and sainet Anatin,
Have he na thank therfore, hot lols his pyne :
8o BcfaanieftiUy the storle did pemerte,
I reid his werk with hannea at my Iwrt. —
His buk is na mare like Virgin, dar I say.
Than the nyght oule resemblls the paplngay.
Caxton's work was dedicated to Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII. He represents himself as at this time well stricken in years: and if the date usually assigned to his birth (1412) be accurate, he must have been seventy-seven years old.
Caxton's edition was never reprinted, it was doomed to sink into silent oblivion, being; eclipsed by the popular versions of Douglas, Phaer, Twine, and Stanyhurst. The original from which this was taken, is supposed to be a French edition published at Lyons, in 1483, by Guillaume le Roy, who was both translator and printer. It has signatures, but no catchwords. It contains 48 leaves.
In Caxto#9 preface to this work, our word pamphlet is first found in the English language, and tt is written DampA/e<u. That it is ancient see Lambard's Perambulation* of Kent, Hall's
- Gawain Donglas, a Scotch poet and bishop, «a* the
yonnger son of the sixth eail of Anens, and was ban at Brechin, in U7I. He obtained the bishopric of Dnnkeld. to which was added the rich abbey of Aberbrothick. He died In 1523. His works are — i. A Translation of Virgif* .fiiKto— 3. The Palace of Hommr, a poem.— 3. Airr* NarraHona, CommeUtt oH^ot Saer».—4. De Rtiiut Sr»- tieit Liitr.
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