EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
631
printers in general copy from the rankest papers in London ; and thus the poison is transmitted from one hand to another through all his ma- jesty's dominions. How far this may tend to the corrupting the minds of his majesty's sub- jects, and how detrimental it may prove to the state, your lordship is a competent judge.
" It was Ihougdt fit by order of council, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, that there should be no more than thirty printing-houses in the cities of London and Westminster, one at the university of Oxford, and one at the university of Cambridge ; so that by these means the state had them always under its eye, and knew pre- sently where to find those printers who had in any way disturbed or offended her. It was said by a judicious gentleman, that it might not be an improper question, ' whether the ill use made of the liberty given to the press was not the principal occasion of the late rebellions and disturbances ?' It is impossible, my good lord, to reduce the number or printers to what once they were; yet I would humbly inform your lordship, that there are many of them who give great offence and disturbance to the state, and who never have been brought up to that business, and ought to be put down. If the hints here offered may be of service, and not displease your lordship, they will answer their desired end."
PRINTING-BOUSES IN THE COUNTRY.*
Brtatol a Newcastle 1
Bnry St. Edmund's ) Northampton 1
Canterbury s Norwich a
Chichester 1 NotUogham 1
Coventry I Salisbury I
Darby I Sbiewsbniy t
Doncaster 1 Stamfonl 1
Gloucester 1 West-Chester 1
Gosport I Winchester I
Ipswldj I York s
Leicester 1
- John Dunton characterizes the following booksellers
in the conntzy, with whom he had dealing :
Mr, William Bonnt, printer, Bristol. — He has had great losses in trade, but in despite of fate, look greatest like the sun in lowest btate. The ftowns of fortune may make him poor, but never unhappy. He Sras always ge- nerous to those he dealt with, (as myself have found in several instances) and upon receiving a sum of money he would treat so nobly that one could not foihear loving him. Mr. Bonny always proposed a paitlcular friendship to roe, and printed for me Mr. B<uter'$ Dinetiomt to Me Uneon- ttrted, the THalt efthr. New Englmd WUrka, the PteatanI Art of Momn CatcMng, and several other books, and had printed treile to what he did, had not Robin Hayhurst lived so near him ; but though good fortune seemed to for- get him, he has now set up a press at Bristol, and had he not lost his sight, (Ibr I hear he is now stark blind) would get a good estate in a few years.
Good unexpected — evil unforeseen, Appear by turns, as fortune shifts the scene ; Some rais'd aloft come tumbling down amain. Then fail so hard they bound and rise again.
Mr. BisHor, Exeter.— He is a firm adherer to the esta- blished government, and a declared enemy to popery and slavery. Be is a man of strict justice, deals much, and thrives in liis trade
Mr. R. CLUiaMTS, Oxford, is a thriving man, and has a quick return of trade. He acts always with a great deal of caution, which is extremely necessary in the compoai- tion of a bookseller.
Mr. HiLovAan, York. — He is the topping man in that city, and not only a Jnst, but an ingenious man.
Mr. Hicks, Cambridge, deals much in modern books.
WELL AFFECTED TO KINO OBOROE.
Basket (John), Black Fryers, and printer to the
king's most excellent majesty. Buckley, Amen-comer, the worthy printer of the
Gazette. Botham, Jewin-street. Bridge, Little Moor-fields. Burton, St. John's-lane. Darby, Bartholomew -close. Downing, eodem. Downing, St. John's-lane. Hunter, Jewin-street. H umpheries, Bartholomew -lane. Holt, St. John's-lane. Jenout (Matthew), Giltspur-street, and printer
of the Flying Pott. Janeway,* White Fryers. Leach.t Old Baily, and printer of the Pott Man. Larkin, Bishoprate-street. Mount, late or Tower-hill. Norton, Little Britain, printer of Latin, Greek,
and Hebrew to his majesty. Negus, Silver-street, near Wood-street. Pearson, Aldeisgate-street. Parker, Goswell-street. Parker, senior, Salisbury-street, and printer of a
Half-penny Pott. Pickard, Salisbury-court. Palmer, Great Swan-alley, Goswell-street. Roberts, Warwick-lane.
He is a very honest man, and was extremely civil to me when I kept Stourbitch fair.
Mr. KsBLawiTK, Isle of Wight, has a good trade, con- sidetinK the place ; but that is not his whole dependence, he has been twice mayor of the town, and is not only rich, but a grave and discreet churchman.
Mr. MiNsuuLL, Chester, is a man of sense, very comteons to strangers, (as myself has lately expertenced) and manages his trade witharreat deal of prudence; but I have dme this man a better justice Inmy Duilin Seuflo, (pubUahedin i6M) than my deaigned brevity will admit of here.
Tbohas Wall, Bristol.— His character resembles that of old Jacob Tonson, Iwing a plain but sincere hearted man. He is well accomplished for his trade, which is very considerable. He was first a goldsmith, but made an ex- change of that way fbr tliis of bookselUng. He is a sure Mend and extremely dvil. I have deslt very much with him, and for those two years that I kept Bristol fair I was treated very kindly at his bouse.
Booksellers in ScoUand— Ma. Kkox, Mk. HiNniasoH. and Ma. Vallikoi, I shall dispense with myself, as to their characters, for I could never see through a Seottman in a UtUe time.
- I never employed him much, but I have found him
very ready to serve me both before and after my misfor- tunes, and kindness his has always given me very deep impressions. — Dunton .
Dunton mentiuns a bookbinder, whom he calls honest Dicx Janswav : like a second Democritns, he always simpered. He brought me the Joyful news of a benefit ticket iu the parliament lottery, which he delivered in capers ; but at otbertlmes his constant mirth was no more tlian a cbeerAU smile. He had a great loss in Alderman
H 1, hot misfortune did not exercise or dismay him ; he
could turn necessity into virtue, and put evil to good use. He was an excellent binder, a tender husband, a Itind fa- ther, the surest iHend, the easiest enemy, and so much more happy than others, by how much he could abide to be more miserable.
t This was Dstdin Lsaoh, whose tether, Francis Leach, has been noticed at page 600 anie. AnoUier Dryden Leacli, (grandson, I believe, of Francis) had the merit of shewing to his bretiiren of the profession, that the produc- tions of the English press might easily be brought in com- petition with the boasted editions of Ftnie—Nlcholt.
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