714
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
1766. Th* Hofy SibU, with a Commentary, by the Tev. Matthew Henry. London : H vols, folio. A second edition appeared in 1776.
1765, Jan. The Royal Granada Gazette, No. 1, printed by W. Weyland, at St.Georife'stown, the capital of the island of Granada. It appears that there had been a printing-office on the island before this of Weyland's vas opened.
1766. 7%< Freeport Gazette ; or, the Domi- nica AdverHter, printed by William Smith, at Roseau, now called Charlottetown, the capital of the island of Dominica, in the West Indies.
1765, July. The Court Miicellany, No. 1.
1765, Dec. 27. 77ie Liverpool General Adver- titer. No. 1. bearing the following motto. " By His Majesty's authority. Given at St. James's." This paper was commenced by Mr. John Gore, and printed by Mr. Nerett.
1766, Tan. 23. DM, William Caslon, who is styled by Rowe Mores " the Coryphoeus of letter-founders," though not trained to that busi- ness ; " which is a handy-work, so concealed among the artificers of it," that Moxon, in his indefatigable researches on that subject, " could not discover that any one had taught it any other, but every one that had used it learnt it of bis own genuine inclination." It was by mere chance that Mr. Caslon was led to take up the gauntlet, and avert from England the reproach of a de- pendence on foreign genius in this grand arena of human skill. It may be both amusing and instructive, to read the rise and progress of his professional life. William Caslon was born at Cradley, a hamlet of Hales-Owen, in Shropshire. He served a regular apprenticeship to an engra- Tcr on g^un-locks and barrels, and after the ex- piration of his term followed his trade in Vine- street, near the Minories. In every branch of his art his ability was conspicuous, but his early reputation arose chieflj from the dexterity and genius he evinced in inventing and engiaving ornamental devices on the barrels of fire-arms. He did not, however, confine his ingenuity to ihat particular employment to which be had been brought up, but was occasionally occupied in making tools for bookbinders and for chasers of silver plate. While he was thus engaged, some of his bookbinding punches were noticed for their neatness and accuracy bv Mr. John Watts,* the printer, who conjectured correctly that he was capable of remedying the defects of the existing foundries, and who, by engaging to support him, and introducing him to the leading typographers of the day, induced him to undertake anew one. The elder Mr. Bowyer also accidentally saw in the shop of Mr. Daniel Browne, bookseller, near Temple-bar, the lettering of a book uncommonly neat ; and inquiring who the artist was by whom the letteiB were made, Mr. Caslon was introduced to his acquaintance, and was taken by him to Mr. T. James's foundery, in Bartholomew-close. Caslon had never before that time seen any part of the bosiness ; and being asked by his friend if
- lii. John Watts, m printer of first-iate emlDence, who
has before been mentiooed as the able coadjator of the Touoos, died Sept. St, l7Sat aged U.
he thought he could undertake to ent types, he requested a single day to consider the matter, and then replied he hud no doubt but he could. From this answer Mr. Bowyer lent him £200, Mr. Bettenham £200, and Mr. Watts £100 ; and by that assistance our ingenious artist applied himself assiduously to his new pursuit. The three printers above-named were of coune his constant customers. In 1720, the society for
Sromoting Christian knowledge deemed it expe- icnt to print, for the use of the eastern chnrcbes, the New Teitament and Pialler in the Arabic language. Mr. Caslon was fixed upon to cut the fount, in his specimensof which he distinguished it by the name of " English Arabic." After he had finished the letters of this fount, he cut the letters of his own name in pica roman, and pot them at the bottom of one of the Arabic R>eci- mens. The name being seen by Samual Fanner, he advised Mr. Caslon to cut the whole fount of pica. This was accordingly done, and the letter exceeded that of the other founders of the time. But Mr. Palmer, whose circumstances required credit with those whose business would hare been hurt by Mr. Caslon's superior execution, repented of the advice he had given him,andendettTomed to discourage him from any further prognn.* Mr. Caslon, being justly disgusted at such treat- ment, applied to Mr. Bowyer, under whose in- spection lie cut, in 1722, the beautiful fbuBt of English which was used in printing Sdda't works, and the Coptic tvpes that were made tte of for Dr. Wilkins's edition of the PentaUmL It is difficult to appreciate the obstacles whick Caslon had to encounter in the commencenxai of his career. He had the candour to ackno*- ledge Mr. Bowyer as his master, and thathehaj taught him an art, in which, by dUigence aad unwearied application, he arrived to that perfec- tion, as not only to remove the necessity of im- porting types from Holland ; but in the beaotr and elegance of those made by him so tta sat- passed the best productions of foreign artificer, that the importation of foreign types ceased, and his types, in their turn, were frequently exported to the continent. Beginning earlv in life, attaia- ing an advanced age, and engraving for himsdf, he had the advantage of completing his speci- men on his own plan. For clearness and uni- formity, for the use of the reader and student, it k doubtful whether it has been exceeded by aay subsequent productions. From 1720 to 1780 few works were printed with the types of an; other foundry, and the editions of tnat interval will bear a successful comparison with those of any period prior or subsequent for typog^phical regiuaritr and general respectability of appear- ance. He has since been excelled in individual founts, but as a whole his foundry is still im- rivalled. He was no less esteemed as a good and worthy member of society, than for bis eminence in his art. His conduct to his family, his friends, and his workmen, were alike deserving of piaise.
• This circmnataace waa veriikd by Dr. FrankUn, was then wcrldoK with Mr. Watts, in Uttle ' UncolD's-inn Fields. .
