646
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
And these were to be shewn at a enind meeting of learned men, of which Dr. Mead was president that year; and, being his singular fnend and patron, was to hare promoted a large subscription and payment, which Mr. Palmer stood in great need of at that time ; whereas Papiat had got nothing ready but a few loose and imperfect ex- tracts out of Chevalier, Le Caille, and some other French authors on the subject, but which could be of little or no use, because he frequently mistook them, and left blanlu for the woriu which he did not understand. These, however, such as they were, Mr. Palmer brought to me; and earnestly preyed me that I would set aside all other things I might be then about, and try to produce the expected plan and specimen by the time promised, since he must be ruined both in credit and pocket if he disappointed his friends of it. It was well for him and me that the subject lay within so small a compass as the consulting of about twelve or fourteen principal authors ; so that I easily fell upon a proper plan of the work, which I divided into tnree parts ; the first of which was, to give an account of the invention of the art, and its first essays by Faust at Mentz, and of its improvement by uisile or metal ^npes, varnish, ink, &c., by his son-in-law, Peter »i;noeffer. The second was to contain its propagation, and farther improvement, through most parts of Europe, under the most celebrated printers ; and the third, an account of its intro- duction into and progress in England. This, to- gether with above one half of the first part, were happily finished, and produced by the time ap- pointed ; and met with more approbation and encouragement from his friends than I feared it would, being conscious how much better it might have turned out, would time have per- mitted it. And this I chiefly mention, not so much to excuse the defects of so horrid a per- formance, as because it hath given me smce frequent occasion to observe how many much more considerable works have been spoiled, both at home and abroad, through the impatience of the subscribeis ; though this is far enough from being the only or even the greatest inconvenience that attends most of those kinds of subscriptions. As to Mr. S. Palmer, his circumstances were by this time so unaccountably low and unfor- tunate, considering the largeness and success of his business, and that he was himself a sober and industrious man, and free from all extravagance, that he could not extricate himself by any other way but by a statute of bankruptcy, which caused his history to go sluggishly on ; so that, not- withstanding all the care and kind assistance of bis good friend Dr. Mead, a stubborn distemper, which his misfortunes brought upon him, car- ried him off before the third part of it was finished. This defect, however, was happily supplied bjr the late noble earl of Pembroke, who being informed b^ Mr. Pain, the engraver, Mr. Palmer's brother-in-law, what condition the remainder was left in, and that I was the person who had wrote the former parts, sent for me, and, with his usual generosity, enjoined me to com-
plete the woric, aiMwrding to the pUui ; and not only defrayed all the chives of it, even of the paper and printing, but ^mished me with all necessary materials out of his own libiaiy ; and, when the work was 'finished, his lordship re- served only some few copies to himself, and gave the remainder of the impression to Mr. Palmer's widow, not without some further tokens of his liberality." Mr. Palmer served his apprentioe- ship with John Dunton, whom he accompanied to America ; and Dr. Franklin worked for sogoe time in Mr. Palmer's office during his residence in London.
1732, Dte. 14. In the Gntb-ttnet Joanul of this day, is the following observation : — "■ Of all the parts of a book, the title is the most imsn- tant; on the brmafidet of this one page, half the commerce of literature turns; the title then- fore should be the most authentic, and oomposed with the greatest justness as well as skill. Bat so it is, no part is so subject to frauds. The composing them is fallen into the hands of bool- sellers, persons often ignorant and incapable, and at least too nearly interested ; even authoTs theai- selves are scarce fit to be trusted with so delicate a province. Some person, or company, shoald be appointed by the government, to give dee names and titles to all writings which come froa the press, that readers may not be impoeed on with qrtidspro quot, chaff for grain.
1732, March 23. The Derby Mercury No. I, printed and published by Samuel Druiy. The first advertisement of a $aU by aueticm was in- serted on June 24, 1742, consisting of a fJediaU estate of nine houses, &c. to he sold at the Virgins' Inn, in that town.
1732. The Nottingham Conrant. This paper was commenced by George Ayscough, son of William Ayscough, noticed at page 605, ante.
1732, March. The London Magaziiie.
1732. Hittoria Literaria, by Archibald Bower, four volumes 8vo.
1732, Dec. 16. The WeMy MisceUang, No 1. This publication was commenced by Dr. Wm. Webster, in London, under the asssumed naae uf Richard Hooker, esq. of the Inner Temrie, and printed by William Bowyer, jun. " The undertaking," says Dr. Wesbster, " was more ap- proved of uan supported, procured him nolhiof out great trouble, much ill-will, and abuse (tf all sorts, great expense, and much difiSculties. From being crowaed with religious essays, the newspaper soon acquired the quaint appellatkn of Old Mother Hooker's Journal. In 1734, if his own account may be credited, he rejected ao offer of £300 a-year, besides preferment, ofiotd him by lord Pailmeiston, if he would turn ike MiteeUany into a ministerial paper.
1733. Died, Constantia Grierson , wife of George Grieison, who succeeded Andrew Cro^, as king's printer for Ireland, in 1732. That the most splendid talents, united with the laaA intense application, is not confined either to sex or sphere of life, is fully evinced by the sabject of the present memoir. This prodigy of eariy learning and acquirements (whose maiden nanf
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