,,john ,,baskerville                    
,illustration3     ,from a picture after
 ,miller in the ,national ,portrait     
,gallery1 ,london4                      
,emery ,walker ,ph4 x4                  
,john ,baskerville                      
,,john                                  
,,baskerville                           
,,type-,,founder                        
,,and ,,printer                         
#agjf-agge                              
,illustration                           
,,by                        ,josiah     
,henry ,benton1 ,,ll4,d4                
,illustration                           
,,boston                                
,,privately ,,printed                   
#aiad                                   
,copyright1 #aiad1 by ,j4 ,h4 ,benton   
,d4 ,b4 ,updike1 ,the ,merrymount       
,press1 ,boston                         
,,note      ,i have1 for some years1    
been interested in ,john ,baskerville1  
and have  collected his imprints4       
,knowing this fact1 the ,president of   

the ,boston  ,society of ,printers asked
 me to prepare a paper on ,baskerville1 
to be  read at a meeting of the ,society
 on ,february #bd1 #aiad4 ,this ,i did1 
and  that paper formed the basis of this
 little book4                           
,j4 ,h4 ,b4                             
,,john ,,baskerville      ,john         
,baskerville1 a great ,english          
type-founder and printer1 was born  in  
,january1 #agjf1 and died in ,january1  
#agge1 having lived nearly the  full    
period of threescore years and ten4 ,to 
understand him and what he  did1 we must
 know something of the time and place in
 which he lived4 ,it  was a time when   
the great middle classes of ,england    
were coming into  power4 ,the divine    
right of kings was destroyed at         
,culloden in #agde4  ,england was slowly
 awakening from the deadly languor of   
the corruption  of ,walpole's           
government4 ,whitefield was preaching1  
and ,wesley was  preaching and          
organizing4 ,the middle classes grew    

stronger every day  and kept ,pitt1 with
 his intense patriotism and             
extravagance1 in power1  in spite of the
 upper classes4 ,the rule of ,england in
 the ,east began in  #ageg1 when ,clive1
 on ,june #bc1 fought the battle of     
,plassey4 ,frederick  the ,great1 aided 
by the liberal subsidies of ,pitt1      
fought the battle  of ,rossbach in      
,november1 #ageg1 and the battle of     
,minden in ,november1  #agei1 thus      
laying the foundation of the ,german    
,empire which has always  been at peace 
with ,england4 ,the capture of ,montreal
 in #agfj established  the ,english     
ascendancy in the ,new ,world4 ,during  
this period the ,english  ,empire came  
into being because of the rule of the   
commercial middle  class4    ,birmingham
 was even then a great middle-class     
town2 a place of about  #cj1jjj         
inhabitants1 noted for its varied       
manufactures1 but more noted  for its   
freedom1 by which it seemed to have the 
power of attracting  within its         

boundaries artisans of every trade and  
every degree of  skill4 ,it accorded    
almost perfect freedom to all4          
,dissenters1 ,baptists1  ,methodists1   
,roman ,catholics1 ,jews1 ,quakers1 and 
heretics of all sorts  were welcomed1   
and were undisturbed in their religious 
observances4  ,no trades unions1 no     
trade guilds1 no companies existed4 ,the
 system  of apprentices was only        
partially known4 ,every man was free to 
come  and go1 to found1 or to follow1 or
 to leave a trade1 just as he  chose4   
,birmingham was emphatically the town of
 free trade1 where no  restrictions1    
commercial or municipal1 existed4       
,into this community young ,baskerville 
came4 ,it was particularly suited  to   
him4 ,he was a free thinker4 ,he was    
active1 industrious1 inventive1         
persistent4 ,he thought out and did new 
things4#a    ,his first occupation1 when
 he was seventeen years old1 was that of
 a  servant in the house of a clergyman1
 who discovered that ,baskerville  was  

skilled in penmanship and set him to    
teaching the poor boys in the  parish   
the art of writing4    ,the post of     
writing-master at ,king ,edward's       
,school in ,birmingham fell  vacant1 and
 ,baskerville took it and taught writing
 and bookkeeping  there4 ,in the mean   
time he had become very much interested 
in  calligraphy1 and turned his skill in
 writing to the cutting of  stones4 ,of 
his actual stone-cutting work only two  
specimens have  been preserved1 the most
 important of which is in the churchyard
  at ,edgbaston4 ,there is also a small 
square slate slab with the  inscription3
 8,grave ,stones ,cut in any of the     
,hands by ,john ,baskervill  ,writing   
,master40 ,it is to be noted that the   
final e was not added to  ,baskerville's
 name until after he became more        
prosperous4 ,in the fine  lettering of  
this inscription it is easy to trace the
 foundation of  those forms of type     
which ,baskerville afterwards used in   
printing4 ,he  practised writing during 

the years #agcc1 #agcd1 and #agce1 being
 rated  for school taxes at a sixpence4 
,about the year #agcf one ,john ,taylor 
came to ,birmingham and introduced      
japanned ware in the shape of indoor    
utensils and articles of personal  or   
other ornament4 ,from the smallest      
beginnings ,taylor created a  business  
out of which he had acquired a fortune  
of #bjj1jjj when he  died at the age of 
fifty-four4 ,to ,taylor we owe the gilt 
button and  gilt snuff-box1 the painted 
snuff-box1 and the numerous race of     
enamels4    ,baskerville had a great    
desire to obtain money1 and as he was a 
good  draughtsman and had a turn for    
painting1 it occurred to him that the   
best thing he could do would be to      
produce goods painted and japanned  as  
they never had been painted and japanned
 before4 ,he dropped his                
writing-materials and set himself to    
learn the secrets of japanning4  ,it is 
said that he obtained his knowledge of  
,mr4 ,taylor's cheap and  excellent     

varnish for snuff-boxes1 which was a    
secret1 by following him  to every place
 and shop where he went and ordering    
precisely the same  species1 kind1 and  
quality of articles that he had ordered4
 ,he thus  learned not only the         
ingredients of the varnish1 but their   
proportions4    ,baskerville had that   
which is rare1--business capacity in    
connection  with artistic taste1--and he
 soon built up a flourishing business4  
,in #agdi he carried on a great trade in
 the japan art1 making such  useful     
things as candlesticks1 stands1 salvers1
 waiters1 bread-trays1  tea-boards1     
etc41 which were elegantly designed and 
highly finished4  ,his ingenuity        
continually suggested improvements both 
in the materials  of which he made use  
and in the methods adopted in the       
manufacture1  while he had a genius in  
selecting as workmen those who were best
  fitted for their occupation4 ,one of  
his advertisements reads as  follows3   
8,any boy of a decent ,family who has a 

,genius and ,turn for  ,drawing will be 
taken on trial on moderate terms4 ,any  
,painters of  tolerable ,abilities may  
have constant employment40    ,in #agdb 
he obtained a patent for 8a new method  
of making and flat  grinding thin metal 
plates and of working or fashioning the 
same by  means of iron rolls and        
swages40 ,the plates were japanned and  
varnished  to 8produce fine glowing     
,mohogony ,colour and ,black no way     
inferior to  the most perfect ,india    
goods1 or an imitation of ,tortoise     
shell which  greatly excels ,nature1    
both in ,colour and ,hardness40 ,it will
 be seen  that this patent embodied to a
 great extent the same principle that   
,baskerville employed in his later      
treatment of paper4 ,in the japan       
business ,baskerville competed with     
,taylor1 not so much in making the      
things ,taylor made as in making better 
ones and different ones4 ,a  curious    
thing about ,baskerville's japan work is
 that no authentic  specimen has come   

down to us4    ,in a few years he       
amassed a considerable fortune in that  
business4  ,he took a building lease of 
eight acres in the northeast part of    
,birmingham1 to which he gave the name  
of ,easy ,hill1 and there he  built a   
house at an expense of about #fjjj1 or  
#cj1jjj1 equivalent to  at least #fj1jjj
 to-day4 ,this place is described by    
,alexander ,carlyle  as follows3        
8,baskerville's house was a quarter of a
 mile from the town1  and in its way    
handsome and elegant4 ,what struck us   
most was his first  kitchen1 which was  
most completely furnished with          
everything that  could be wanted1 kept  
as clean and bright as if it had come   
straight  from the shop1 for it was     
used1 and the fineness of the kitchen   
was a  great point in the family1 for   
here they received their company1 and   
there we were entertained with coffee   
and chocolate40#b ,derrick1 in  a letter
 written to the ,earl of ,cork1 ,july   
#ae1 #agfj1 says3 8,i need not  remind  

your ,lordship1 that ,baskerville1 one  
of the best printers in the  world1 was 
born in this town1 and resides near it4 
,his house stands  at about half a mile 
distance1 on an eminence that commands a
 fine  prospect4 ,i paid him a visit1   
and was received with great politeness1 
though an entire stranger4 ,his         
apartments are elegant2 his stair-case  
is particularly curious2 and the room in
 which he dines1 and calls a            
smoking-room is very handsome4 ,the     
grate and furniture belonging to it     
are1 ,i think1 of bright wrought iron1  
and cost him a round sum4 ,he has  just 
completed an elegant octavo ,common     
,prayer ,book1 has a scheme for         
publishing a grand folio edition of the 
,bible2 and will soon finish  a         
beautiful collection of ,fables1 by the 
ingenious ,mr4 ,dodsley4 ,he            
manufactures his own paper1 types1 and  
ink2 and they are remarkably  good4     
,this ingenious artist carries on a     
great trade in the japan way1  in which 

he shewed me several useful articles1   
such as candlesticks1  stands1 salvers1 
waiters1 bread-baskets1 tea-boards1 c4  
elegantly  designed and highly finished4
 ,baskerville is a great cherisher of   
genius1 which1 wherever he finds it1 he 
loses no opportunity of  cultivating4   
,one of his workmen has manifested fine 
talents for fruit  painting in several  
pieces which he shewed me40    ,a writer
 in the ,birmingham 8,daily ,mail0 of   
,february #c1 #ahhf1 thus  describes the
 ,easy ,hill residence3 8,the pasture   
was luxuriant1 great  elm trees shaded  
the parklike expanse of verdure1 an     
ample fish-pond  stretched away         
westwards1 and a picturesque disused    
windmill standing  upon a slight        
elevation was ready to be converted into
 the most  captivating of summer        
houses4444 ,of the house which he built 
for  himself we have engravings1 and as 
many remains as one would care to       
preserve of that particular style of    
architecture40    ,hutton1 the historian

 of ,birmingham1 says ,baskerville      
previously lived  at ,no4 #bb in        
,moor-street1 and that having obtained a
 building lease1  8two furlongs north of
 the town1 he converted it into a little
 ,eden1  and built a house in the       
center2 but the town1 as if conscious of
 his  merit1 followed his retreat1 and  
surrounded it with buildings4444  ,here 
he continued the business of a japanner 
for life3 his carriage1  each pannel of 
which was a distinct picture1 might be  
considered  the pattern-card of his     
trade1 and was drawn by a beautiful pair
  of cream-coloured horses40 ,this      
chariot was one of the wonders of       
,birmingham1 one section richly gilt and
 painted with little naked  cupids and  
flowers1 drawn by two cream-colored     
horses with net hangings  almost to the 
ground4 ,the panels were said to be each
 in the nature of  a picture1 got up    
,japan-wise4#c ,he became ,high ,bailiff
 of ,birmingham  in #agfa4 ,his duties  
were to inspect the market and rectify  

weights and  dry measures2 also to make 
proclamation of two fairs each year2 and
 to  give a dinner to the other         
municipal officers1 at which it is said 
that  an expense of #dj was incurred4   
,this dinner was intended for business1 
but1 in the quaint language of the      
historian of the time1 8,it was too     
early to begin business till the table  
was well stored with bottles1  and too  
late afterwards40 ,he affected clothes  
of the most gorgeous  description4 ,his 
favorite dress was said to have been    
green1 edged with  a narrow gold lace1 a
 scarlet waistcoat with a very broad    
gold lace1  and a small round hat       
likewise edged with lace4 ,it is said   
that he  attended a funeral in a new    
suit of bright colors and gold lace4    
,all this show created a suspicion in   
the public mind that ,baskerville  was  
in financial trouble1 so that at one    
time he published a refutation  of some 
charges of that kind in the ,birmingham 
8,gazette40 ,he sought to  find the     

author of the charges1 declaring that   
8,whoever can discover  the author1 or  
give a clue by which he may be traced1  
will by informing  me lay me under the  
highest obligations of gratitude40      
,in these letters he said that he had   
8often wished an additional  ,article in
 the ,litany for the ,use of            
,tradesmen1--,from ,bad ,debts and      
,bankrupts1 ,good ,lord deliver us40    
,a ,mrs4 ,eaves went to live at ,easy   
,hill about #agej4 ,she took her  two   
daughters1 and very likely her son1 with
 her4 ,she had made an  unfortunate     
marriage with one ,richard ,eaves1 who1 
8having been found  guilty of some      
fraudulent practices in regard to a     
relation's will1 was  obliged to quit   
the kingdom40#d ,her husband left her   
without money  or any means of support4 
,baskerville became interested in her1  
and  she went to his house probably as a
 housekeeper4 ,shortly afterwards       
,baskerville and she were living        
together as man and wife4 ,although  her

 husband was not known to be dead1 she  
passed as ,mrs4 ,baskerville4  ,she     
accompanied him to ,london to visit     
,dodsley1 and was everywhere  received  
as his wife4 ,it does not appear that   
his social position in  ,birmingham was 
at all impaired by this connection4 ,he 
was very kind and  attentive to ,mrs4   
,eaves1 and when ,eaves died1           
,baskerville married the  widow in      
,june1 #agfd4 ,they had one son1 who    
died in infancy4 ,baskerville  was      
inconsolable1 and in a letter to        
,franklin gave the death of his  son as 
one of the reasons for desiring to sell 
his type in ,france4 ,he  said3 8,let   
the reason of my parting with it be the 
death of my son and  intended           
successor40    ,when ,baskerville began 
the work that made him famous1 he was a 
middle-aged man1 fifty years old1 who   
had amassed a large fortune1  and was   
living in quiet comfort on his own      
estate4 ,he was carrying  on a very     
large and lucrative japanning business1 

which he continued  to conduct during   
his life4 ,he was a person of much      
consequence in  ,birmingham when he took
 up the matter of type-founding and     
printing4    ,as for ,baskerville's     
private character1 we have the accounts 
of his  friends and of his critics1 and 
it is not easy to come to a just        
conclusion4 ,hutton1 in his 8,history of
 ,birmingham10#e says3 8,in  private    
life he was a humorist2 idle#f in the   
extreme2 but his  invention was of the  
true ,birmingham model1 active4 ,he     
could well  design1 but procured others 
to execute2 wherever he found merit he  
caressed it3 he was remarkably polite to
 the stranger2 fond of shew3  a figure  
rather of the smaller size1 and         
delighted to adorn that  figure with    
gold lace4444 ,although constructed with
 the light timbers  of a frigate1 his   
movement was solemn as a ship of the    
line4 ,during  the twenty-five years ,i 
knew him1 though in the decline of life1
 he  retained the singular traces of a  

handsome man4 ,if he exhibited a        
peevish#g temper1 we may consider good  
nature and intense thinking are  not    
always found together4 ,taste           
accompanied him through the different   
walks of agriculture1 architecture1 and 
the finer arts4 ,whatever passed        
through his fingers1 bore the lively    
marks of ,john ,baskerville40           
,chambers1 in his 8,biographical        
,illustrations of ,worcestershire10     
gives  an interesting sketch of         
,baskerville1 in which his will is      
printed with  the exception of those    
portions where1 as1 ,mr4 ,chambers      
regrets to  say1 ,baskerville           
8unblushingly avows not only his        
disbelief of1 but  his contempt for     
revealed religion1 and that in terms too
 gross for  repetition40 ,chambers was  
evidently not a partial critic4 ,he     
records  the fact that ,mr4 ,noble1#h   
who well remembered ,baskerville1 says  
he  taught his respected father to      
write1 and he maintained an acquaintance

  with him as long as he lived4 8,i have
 been very often with him to            
,baskerville's house1 and found him ever
 a most profane wretch1 and  ignorant of
 literature to a wonderful degree4 ,i   
have seen many of his  letters1 which1  
like his will1 were not written         
grammatically2 nor  could he even spell 
well4 ,in person1 he was a shrivelled   
old coxcomb4  ,his favourite dress was  
green1 edged with a narrow gold lace1 a 
scarlet  waistcoat1 with a very broad   
gold lace2 and a small round hat1       
likewise  edged with gold lace4 ,his    
wife was all that affectation can       
describe3  she lived with him in        
adultery many years4 ,she was originally
 a  servant3 such a pair are rarely met 
with4 ,he had wit2 but it was always  at
 the expense of religion and decency1   
particularly if in company  with the    
clergy4 ,i have often thought there was 
much similarity in his  person to       
,voltaire1 whose sentiments he was ever 
retailing40    ,mr4 ,paterson1 in a     

letter in ,nichols's 8,literary         
,anecdotes10 wrote3  8,i could give you 
also a note on ,baskerville1 to         
demonstrate that he  knew very little of
 the execution of typography beyond the 
common  productions which are to be     
found every day in ,paternoster-row1 and
  therefore1 in a comparative view1     
might readily conclude that he had      
outstript them all40 ,but1 adds         
,chambers1 8,dibdin1 whose judgment in  
these matters few will call in question1
 says that #8,rowe ,mores1 in his  abuse
 of ,baskerville1 exhibits the painful  
and perhaps mirth-provoking  efforts of 
a man kicking against the thorns4       
,baskerville was a  wonderful creature  
as an artist1 but a vain and silly      
man4'0    ,many lies were told about    
,baskerville and his work4    ,the      
following from the 8,european ,magazine0
 7,december1 #aghe1 page  #dfc7 is a    
fair sample4 ,a correspondent1 whose    
name is not disclosed1  but who signs   
himself ,viator1 makes the following    

statement1 to  which ,mr4 ,chambers     
gives place in his 8,biographical       
,illustrations of  ,worcestershire30 8,i
 was acquainted with ,baskerville1 the  
printer1 but  cannot wholly agree with  
the extracts concerning him1 from       
,hutton's  ,history of ,birmingham4 ,it 
is true he was very ingenious in        
mechanics1  but it is also well known he
 was extremely illiterate1 and his jokes
  and sarcasms on the ,bible1 with which
 his conversation abounded1 shewed  the 
most contemptible ignorance of eastern  
history and manners1 and  indeed of     
every thing4 ,his quarto edition of     
,milton's ,paradise ,lost1  with all its
 splendour1 is a deep disgrace to the   
,english press4 ,he  could not spell    
himself1 and knew not who could4 ,a     
,warwickshire country  schoolmaster1 of 
some parish charity school1 we presume1 
was employed  by him to correct this    
splendid edition1 and that dunce has    
spelt many  words in it according to the
 vulgar ,warwickshire pronunciation4    

,for  example1 many of the western      
vulgar clap an h to every word beginning
  with an open vowel1 or even the w1 as 
hood for wood1 my harm  for my arm1     
heggs for eggs1 c41 c41 and again as    
viciously  dropping the h in verbs1 as  
ave for have1 as for has1 c41  c4 ,many 
instances of this horrid ignorance we   
find in the ingenious  ,baskerville's   
splendid ,milton1 where as is often put 
for the verb  has1 and has for the      
conjunction as1 with several others of  
this worse than cockney family4 ,nor can
 ,i by any means agree with  ,mr4       
,hutton that #8it is to the lasting     
discredit of the ,british nation  that  
no purchaser could be found for his     
types4'--,what was the merit  of his    
printing8--,his paper was of a finer    
gloss1 and his ink of a  brighter black 
than ordinary2 his type was thicker than
 usual in the  thick strokes1 and finer 
in the fine1 and was sharpened at the   
angles  in a novel manner2 all these    
combined gave his editions a brilliant  

rich look1 when his pages were turned   
lightly over2 but when you sit  down to 
read them1 the eye is almost immediately
 fatigued with the  gloss of the paper  
and ink1 and the sharp angles of the    
type2 and it  is universally known that 
,baskerville's printing is not read2    
that  the better sort of the ,london    
printing is infinitely preferable for   
,,use1 and even for real sterling       
elegance4 ,the ,universities and ,london
  booksellers therefore are not to be   
blamed for declining the purchase  of   
,baskerville's types1 which we are told 
were bought by a ,society at  ,paris1   
where tawdry silk and tinsel is         
preferred to the finest ,english  broad 
cloth1 or even ,genoa velvet40#i        
,illustration    ,illustration    ,this 
spiteful story has thus been in type and
 reproduced in one form  and another for
 more than a hundred years4 ,nobody     
appears to have  questioned it1 and yet 
it is false1 and maliciously so4 ,an    
examination  of the quarto edition of   

,milton's 8,paradise ,lost0 shows that  
8as0  is never put for the verb 8has10  
and 8has0 is never put for the          
conjunction 8as40 ,there is no such word
 in the book as 8eggs10 and no  such    
combination of words as 8my arm40 ,it is
 impossible to find there  the mistakes 
which ,viator says are in this book and 
make it 8a deep  disgrace to the        
,english press40    ,for some reason1   
probably because he did better work than
 other  printers1 and produced books    
without so much regard to profit as they
  were obliged to consider1             
,baskerville's work was very much       
criticised  by other printers in his    
time4 ,dr4 ,bedford said3 8,by          
,baskerville's  specimen of his types   
you will perceive how much the elegance 
of  them is owing to the paper1 which he
 makes himself as well as the  types and
 the ink also2 ,i was informed that     
whenever they come to be  used by common
 pressmen and common materials they lose
 their beauty  considerably40 ,it is now

 certain that he did not make his paper4
  ,certainly he made it for no books    
except ,virgil and the ,milton4 ,rowe   
,mores1#aj in 8,english ,typographical  
,founders and ,founderies10 #aggh  7page
 #hf71 said3 8,mr4 ,baskerville of      
,birmingham1 that enterprizing  place1  
made some attempts at letter-cutting1   
but desisted and with good  reason4 ,the
 ,greek cut by him1 or his1 for the     
,university of ,oxford is  execrable4   
,indeed1 he can hardly claim a place    
amongst letter-cutters4  ,his           
typographical excellence lay more in his
 trim1 glossy paper to dim  the sight40 
,in a note upon this passage ,john      
,nichols said3 8,the idea  entertained  
by ,mr4 ,mores of the ingenious ,mr4    
,baskerville is certainly  a just one4  
,his glossy paper and too sharp type    
offend the patience of  a reader more   
sensibly than the innovations ,i have   
already censured40    ,nichols was a    
rival printer4 ,he was apprenticed to   
,william ,bowyer1 of  whom he was an    

executor and the residuary legatee4 ,all
 his prejudices  were against           
,baskerville and his work4 ,he wrote    
many books1 but they  were mostly by    
hirelings1 the blunders only being his  
own4 ,he reached  the summit of his     
ambition when he became ,master of the  
,stationers'  ,company in #ahjd4    ,the
 following letter from ,franklin        
explains the prejudice and ignorance    
with respect to ,baskerville's work3    
8,let me give you a pleasant  instance  
of the prejudice some have entertained  
against your work4  ,soon after ,i      
returned1 discoursing with a gentleman  
concerning the  artists of ,birmingham1 
he said you would be the means of       
blinding all  the readers of the nation1
 for the strokes of your letters being  
too  thin and narrow1 hurt the eye1 and 
he could never read a line of them      
without pain4 #8,i thought1' said ,i1   
#8you were going to complain of the     
gloss on the paper some object to4'     
#8,no1 no1' said he1 #8,i have heard    

that mentioned1 but it is not that2 it  
is in the form and cut of the  letters  
themselves1 they have not that height   
and thickness of the  stroke which makes
 the common printing so much more       
comfortable to the  eye4' ,you see this 
gentleman was a connoisseur4 ,in vain ,i
 endeavoured  to support your character 
against the charge2 he knew what he     
felt1  and could see the reason of it1  
and several other gentlemen among his   
friends had made the same observation1  
etc4 ,yesterday he called to  visit me1 
when1 mischievously bent to try his     
judgement1 ,i stepped into  my closet1  
tore off the top of ,mr4 ,caslon's      
,specimen1 and produced it  to him as   
yours1 brought with me from ,birmingham 
saying1 ,i had been  examining it1 since
 he spoke to me1 and could not for my   
life perceive  the disproportion he     
mentioned1 desiring him to point it out 
to me4  ,he readily undertook it1 and   
went over the several founts1 showing   
me everywhere what he thought instances 

of that disproportion2 and  declared    
that he could not then read the specimen
 without feeling very  strongly the pain
 he had mentioned to me4 ,i spared him  
that time the  confusion of being told1 
that these were the types he had been   
reading  all his life1 with so much ease
 to his eyes2 the types his adored      
,newton is printed with1 on which he has
 pored not a little2 nay the  very types
 his own book is printed with 7for he   
himself is an author71  and yet never   
discovered the painful disproportion in 
them1 till he  thought they were yours40
    ,burton says3 8,a collector1 with a 
taste for the inaccurate1 might  easily 
satiate it in the editions1 so          
attractive in their deceptive  beauty1  
of the great ,birmingham printer1       
,baskerville40#aa ,reed says3  8,despite
 the splendid appearance of his         
impressions1 the ordinary  ,english     
printers viewed with something like     
suspicion the meretricious  combination 
of sharp type and hot-pressed paper     

which lent to his  sheets their         
extraordinary brilliancy4 ,they objected
 to the dazzling  effect thus produced  
on the eye2 they found fault with the   
unevenness  of tone and colour in       
different parts of the same book1 and   
even  discovered an irregularity and    
lack of symmetry in some of his types1  
which his glossy paper and bright ink   
alike failed to disguise40#ab    ,both  
these statements are obviously untrue4  
,an examination of  ,baskerville's books
 shows that they are accurate1 or at    
least the  inaccuracies are only those  
of the editions from which they are     
reprinted1 and the combination of paper1
 ink1 and type is necessary to  make a  
really fine book4    8,in private life10
 ,reed remarks1 8he was a bundle of     
paradoxes4 ,he was  an exemplary son1   
and an affectionate1 judicious husband1 
but full of  personal animosities4444   
,in person he was a shrivelled old      
coxcomb1 but  in spirit he was a worker 
of unquenchable energy4 ,peevish in     

temper1  he was a charming host4444 ,the
 one thing that reconciled all was his  
strong personality4 ,whatever else he   
was he was never commonplace40    8,he  
was one of those men10 says a writer in 
the 8,secular ,review10  8who strove for
 excellence1 and was not satisfied until
 he obtained  it4 ,whatever he undertook
 to do he not only did well1 but better 
than  his predecessors1 and he was in   
truth a genuine national reformer40     
,the editor of the 8,beauties of        
,worcestershire0 calls ,baskerville 8a  
most useful and estimable character10   
and says he was of an 8ancient  family1 
as old as the ,conquest40 ,this may be  
taken with some salt4  ,perhaps the best
 evidence of the sort of man he was is  
found in the  impression that he made   
upon the most eminent men of his time1  
by the  thoroughness and energy of his  
life1 his originality of taste1 his fine
  pride in perfect work1 his stoutness  
of courage1 and his honorable           
impartiality in printing works with     

which he coincided1 and those which     
represented the religious views of his  
countrymen from which he himself        
dissented4#ac    ,dr4 ,carlyle thus     
speaks of a visit to him3 8,we passed   
the day in  seeing the ,baskerville     
press1 and ,baskerville himself1 who was
 a great  curiosity4444 ,baskerville was
 on hand with his folio ,bible at this  
time1 and ,garbett insisted on being    
allowed to subscribe for ,home and      
,robertson4 ,home's absence afflicted   
him1 for he had seen and heard  of the  
tragedy of ,douglas4 ,robertson hitherto
 had no name1 and the  printer said     
bluntly that he would rather have one   
subscription to  his work of a man like 
,mr4 ,home1 than an hundred ordinary    
men4 ,he  dined with us that day1 and   
acquitted himself so well that          
,robertson  pronounced him a man of     
genius1 while ,james ,adam and ,i       
thought him but  a prating pedant40#ad  
,kippis adds 8his own testimony         
concerning ,mr4  ,baskerville's         

politeness to strangers1 and the        
cheerful hospitality  with which he     
treated those who were introduced to    
him4 ,he was well  known to many        
ingenious men40    ,baskerville belonged
 to the literary club in ,birmingham1   
called the  8,luna ,club10 which used to
 meet on the nights of the full moon1 so
 that  the members might have a light to
 go home by4 ,hence the name of the     
members--8the ,lunaticks40 ,it had among
 its members many most famous  men4     
,wedgwood1 the potter2 ,dr4 ,erasmus    
,darwin1 the poet2 ,thomas ,day1  author
 of 8,sanford and ,merton20 ,sir        
,william ,herschel1 the astronomer2     
,sir ,joseph ,banks1 the naturalist2    
,samuel ,galton2 ,dr4 ,withering1 the   
botanist and physician to the ,general  
,hospital at ,birmingham2 and  others of
 like character were all members of it4 
,baskerville had his own taste about the
 printing and decoration of his  books4 
,when ,dodsley sent a plate to him to be
 included in a volume he  was printing1 

,baskerville told him that his own taste
 would not permit  him to use the plate4
 ,he said3 8,if you will accept my      
judgment and  skill1 it is at your      
service40#ae ,in fact1 ,baskerville     
always had his  own way1 and did things 
as he wished to do them1 and whatever   
credit  there is for his productions is 
due to him alone4 ,tedder says that     
8his social virtues were considerable--a
 good son1 an affectionate  father and  
kinsman1 polite and hospitable to       
strangers--he was entirely  without the 
jealousy commonly ascribed to the artist
 and inventor4  ,birmingham has         
contributed many distinguished men to   
the industrial  armies of ,england2 but 
there are few of whom she has more      
reason to  be proud than the skilful    
genius who was at once the ,british     
,aldus  ,manutius and the finest printer
 of modern times40#af    ,he was very   
intimate with ,dodsley1 the bookseller1 
a man of great  property and of         
irreproachable character1 who stayed    

with him when in  ,birmingham1 and with 
whom ,baskerville stayed when he was in 
,london4#ag  ,his correspondence with   
,shenstone is quite voluminous1 and with
  ,benjamin ,franklin he had very       
excellent relations4 ,franklin visited  
him in ,birmingham1 advised him in his  
printing affairs1 and in the  proposed  
sale of his type when he was about to   
give up business4 ,it is  not likely1 if
 he had been profane and ignorant1 that 
he would have  remained on such terms   
with such people4 ,the trouble seems to 
have  been that he refused to put       
himself on a par with other printers1   
and  insisted that he did much better   
work than anybody else2 this of course  
brought the whole clamjamfrie down on   
him4    ,baskerville had probably very  
little taste for letters as such4 ,he   
printed the books which1 in the         
estimation of the public1 were most     
important4 ,he was a type-founder and   
printer1 not a scholar4 ,he printed     
,bibles and ,prayer ,books not because  

he believed in ,christianity1 but       
because they were the books which       
everybody used and which he thought     
warranted the most effective treatment4 
,i think he can hardly be  said to have 
printed a book which represented his    
ideas1 unless it  be ,shaftesbury's     
8,characteristicks10 which was brought  
out in #aggc1  and is a beautiful       
specimen of his printing4 ,he admired   
the satire of  8,hudibras0 and was fond 
of quoting it1 and as ,shenstone says1  
8was  seized with a violent inclination 
to publish #8,hudibras1' his favorite   
poem1 in a pompous quarto in an entire  
new set of cuts40 ,he liked  ,voltaire1 
and is said to have quoted him          
constantly4 ,he sent copies of  the     
editions of ,virgil and ,milton to      
,voltaire at ,ferney1 and proposed  to  
him to print some work of his4 ,voltaire
 replied in ,english1 8,i  thank you    
earnestly for the honour you do me4 ,i  
send you an exemplary  by the way of    
,holland40 ,baskerville set up some     

sheets from the copy  which was sent him
 and returned them to ,voltaire1 who    
replied1 8,the old  scribbler to whom   
you have been so kind as to send your   
magnificent  editions of ,virgil and    
,milton thanks you heartily4 ,he will   
send you as  soon as possible his poor  
sheets duly corrected4 ,they stand in   
great  need of it40#ah ,beyond this     
fondness for 8,hudibras0 and admiration 
for ,voltaire1 we have nothing to show  
that ,baskerville cared anything  for   
letters4 ,he was artistic1 but at the   
same time mercenary and  vain4 ,he meant
 to print books such as had never been  
printed1 and he  expected that people   
would buy them and pay the expense4     
,when they did  not1 he became disgusted
 and gave up the work for two or three  
years4  ,then1 spurred into action by   
the attempt of ,boden1 a rival printer  
in  ,birmingham1 to print a ,bible1 he  
came again into the field and printed   
some of his finest works4 ,but all the  
time he was in bad temper because  his  

books cost him so much money and he got 
so little back4 ,he wrote  ,walpole that
 he should be obliged to sell his little
 patrimony1 that he  had borrowed #bjjj 
to print the ,cambridge ,bible4 ,he     
continually looked  out for little      
expenses4 ,in a letter to ,dodsley he   
says1 8,as you are in  the ,land of     
,franks1 half a ,doz would do me a      
peculiar pleasure1 as a  good many      
things not worth a ,groat might be      
communicated by1 c40 ,he  was           
excessively self-confident4 ,he         
considered himself different from       
others4 ,he thought that whatever was   
brought into being by ,baskerville  was 
therefore a fine thing1 and truth       
compels us to say he was probably       
right4 ,his japan work was better than  
that of any one else1 and his  printing 
was the finest that ,england had seen or
 has since seen4    ,so much for        
,baskerville the man4 ,we have now to   
see what he did as a  type-founder and  
printer4           99       99       99 

99       99    ,at the beginning of the 
century there was no real type foundry  
in  ,england4 ,nearly all the type used 
was imported from ,holland1 but  in     
#agcg ,samuel ,caslon1 who was a        
gunsmith's apprentice1 issued a         
specimen sheet of his founts of type1   
and after that ,england could  depend   
upon her own resources for types4       
,william ,caslon1 brother to  ,samuel1  
afterward lived with a ,birmingham      
type-maker named ,william  ,anderton1   
who printed a little specimen of ,great 
,primer1 ,roman and  ,italic4           
,baskerville probably became acquainted 
with ,anderton4 ,at any  rate1 there is 
here an explanation of the way in which 
the japanner's  interest became aroused 
in the designing and making of founts of
 type  for purposes of printing4 ,much  
of the beauty of type depends upon  the 
printer1 and therefore ,baskerville soon
 came to see that he must  print with   
the types which he cut4 ,from the very  
commencement of his  experiments in     

type-founding he was determined to      
occupy himself both  with type-founding 
and printing4 ,it also occurred to him  
to introduce  a new kind of paper which 
had been finished in a certain way4 ,in 
a  word1 he wished to use processes for 
books very similar to those which  he   
had used for his japanned goods4 ,his   
proposals1 therefore1 took  the         
following shape4 ,there was to be a new 
typography1 and for its  introduction   
four points were to be considered3      
,first1 the character of  the types     
themselves2 secondly1 the press2        
thirdly1 the paper and ink2  and lastly1
 the actual mode of printing4    ,it is 
fortunate that in the preface to the    
second book which  ,baskerville         
printed--,milton's 8,paradise ,lost0--he
 took the world  into his confidence4   
,it is the only preface written by him4 
,he said3  8,,amongst the several       
mechanic ,arts that have engaged my     
attention1  there is no one which ,i    
have pursued with so much steadiness and

  pleasure1 as that of                  
,letter-,founding4 ,having been an early
 admirer of  the beauty of ,letters1 ,i 
became insensibly desirous of           
contributing to  the perfection of them4
 ,i formed to my self ,ideas of greater 
accuracy  than had yet appeared1 and    
have endeavoured to produce a ,sett of  
,types according to what ,i conceived to
 be their true proportion4    8,mr4     
,caslon is an ,artist1 to whom the      
,republic of ,learning has great        
obligations2 his ingenuity has left a   
fairer copy for my emulation1  than any 
other master4 ,in his great variety of  
,characters ,i intend  not to follow    
him2 the ,roman and ,italic are all ,i  
have hitherto  attempted2 if in these he
 has left room for improvement1 it is   
probably  more owing to that variety    
which divided his attention1 than to any
  other cause4 ,i honor his merit1 and  
only wish to derive some small  share of
 ,reputation1 from an ,art which proves 
accidentally to have been  the object of

 our mutual pursuit4    8,after having  
spent many years1 and not a little of my
 fortune in  my endeavours to advance   
this art2 ,i must own it gives me great 
,satisfaction1 to find that my ,edition 
of ,virgil has been so favorably        
received4 ,the improvement in the       
,manufacture of the ,paper1 the         
,colour1 and ,firmness of the ,ink were 
not overlooked2 nor did  the accuracy of
 the workmanship in general1 pass       
unregarded4 ,if the  judicious found    
some imperfections in the first attempt1
 ,i hope  the present work will shew    
that a proper use has been made of their
  ,criticisms3 ,i am conscious of this  
at least1 that ,i received them as ,i   
ever shall1 with that degree of         
deference which every private man owes  
to the ,opinion of the public4    8,it  
is not my desire to print many books2   
but such only1 as are books  of         
,consequence1 of intrinsic merit1 or    
established ,reputation1  and which the 
public may be pleased to see in an      

elegant dress1 and  to purchase at such 
a price1 as will repay the extraordinary
 care  and expence that must necessarily
 be bestowed upon them4 ,hence ,i was   
desirous of making an experiment upon   
some one of our best ,english  ,authors1
 among those ,milton appeared the most  
eligible4 ,and ,i  embrace with pleasure
 the opportunity of acknowledging in    
this public  manner the generosity of   
,mr4 ,tonson2 who with singular         
politeness  complimented me with the    
privilege of printing an entire ,edition
 of  that ,writers ,poetical ,works4    
8,in the execution of this design1 if ,i
 have followed with exactness  the ,text
 of ,dr4 ,newton1 it is all the merit of
 that kind which  ,i pretend to claim4  
,but if this performance shall appear to
 persons  of judgment and penetration1  
in the ,paper1 ,letter1 ,ink and        
,workmanship to excel2 ,i hope their    
approbation may contribute to  procure  
for me what would indeed be the extent  
of my ,ambition1 a power  to print an   

,octavo ,common-,prayer ,book1 and a    
,,folio ,,bible4    8,should it be my   
good fortune to meet with this          
indulgence1 ,i wou'd  use my utmost     
efforts to perfect an ,edition of them  
with the greatest  ,elegance and        
,correctness2 a work which ,i hope might
 do some honor to  the ,english ,press1 
and contribute to improve the pleasure1 
which men of  true taste will always    
have in the perusal of those sacred     
,volumes40    ,this preface shows       
clearly the purpose with which          
,baskerville entered  upon type-founding
 and printing4 ,he desired to advance   
this art1 not  by printing many books1  
but only books of consequence or        
established  reputation1 which the      
public would be pleased to see in an    
elegant  dress1 and would1 as he        
thought1 be glad to purchase at such a  
price as  would repay the 8extraordinary
 care and expence that must necessarily 
be bestowed upon them40 ,he did not     
print for the many1 but only for the    

few1 and he was sanguine enough to      
believe that the few would pay for  the 
books which he printed a price          
sufficient to reimburse him for his     
expense4    ,fortunately he obtained an 
artist for cutting the punches--,john   
,handy--who worked well with him1 and   
yet with ,handy to help him1 days1      
months1 and years passed before a single
 fount was completed4 ,it was  not until
 #ageb that he was able to report       
progress with a fount of  ,great        
,primer4    ,about this time            
,baskerville became acquainted with the 
poet ,shenstone1  and also met with the 
,london publisher and playwright1       
,robert ,dodsley1  who became a great   
admirer of ,baskerville's work4         
,during #agej and until about the autumn
 of #ageb1 ,baskerville quietly         
proceeded with his type foundry1 and in 
this time the apparatus for  printing   
was being set up in his house4 ,he spent
 some six or eight  hundred pounds upon 
the types4 ,of these he said in a letter

 to ,dodsley3  8,they please me1 as ,i  
can make nothing more correct4 ,you will
 observe  they strike the eye much more 
sensibly than the smaller characters4   
,the  ,r wants a few slight touches1 and
 the ,y half an hour's correction4 ,we  
have resolutely set about #ac of the    
same sized italic capitals1 which  will 
not be inferior to the ,roman1 and ,i   
doubt not to complete them in  a        
fortnight40 ,then he adds1 indicating   
that the time for publishing the        
,virgil had been already set3 8,you need
 be in no pain about our being  ready by
 the time appointed40 ,baskerville was  
not to be hurried4 ,he did  his work    
regardless of time and1 to an extent1 of
 money4 ,in a later  letter1 in #agec1  
he said3 8,you may depend upon my being 
ready by your  time 7,christmas71 but if
 more time could be allowed ,i should   
make use  of it all in correcting and   
justifying4 ,so much depends on         
appearing  perfect on first starting40  
,of course1 the initial labor in        

preparing type was immense3 8,he had  at
 first to design his model alphabet     
letter by letter1 so that each  letter  
should bear its due relation to the     
other letters1 on a scale  of absolute  
proportion4 ,the design fixed1 the next 
step was to decide  the particular size 
on which he would begin4444 ,then came  
the critical  manual operation of       
cutting each letter separately in       
relief1 on steel1  to form the punch4444
 ,each punch would then have to be      
hardened and  struck into copper to form
 the matrix1 and each matrix would need 
to  be justified and adjusted to the    
type mould1 so as to produce a type  not
 only an xact counterpart of the punch1 
but absolutely square with  every other 
letter of the fount4444 ,the moulds for 
casting the type  444 would have to be  
constructed each of a large number of   
separate  pieces of iron and wood1      
fitted together with the most delicate  
precision1 so that every type would come
 out uniform in height and  body4 ,when 

matrixes and moulds were ready the      
operation of casting  would ensue4444   
,the types would require dressing before
 they could be  used3 a delicate        
operation1 consisting in the smoothing  
away of every  chance irregularity left 
by the casting1 without interfering with
 the  mathematical height and squareness
 of the letter40#ai ,then there were    
the press and the ink4    ,baskerville  
constructed his own presses4 ,from the  
beginning1 even as  early as #ageb1 he  
had a press in operation on which he    
printed his  specimens4 ,he wrote to    
,dodsley3 8,i have with great pains     
justified the  plate for the ,platten   
,stone on which it falls1 so that they  
are as  perfect planes as it will ever  
be in my ,power to procure1 for         
instance1  if you ,rest one ,end of yr  
plate in the ,stone  let the other fall 
the  height of an inch2 it falls soft as
 if you dropped it on feathers or       
several folds of silk1 and when you     
raise it1 you manifestly feel it  such  

7if you'll excuse so unphilosophical a  
term74 ,wet the two and  either would   
support the other with a couple of #ejj 
weights added to  it1 if held           
perpendicularly4 ,to as perfect a plane 
,i will endeavour to  bring the faces of
 the type if ,i have time4 ,nor do ,i   
despair of better  ink  printing 7the   
character must speak for itself7 than   
has hitherto  been seen40    ,he said in
 a letter to ,france1 that the presses  
were exactly of the  same construction  
as other people's1 but that he had made 
them better1  especially in the stone   
and the platen1 all of which could be   
done with  a person who gave attention  
to it2 and that in printing he used but 
one double of finest flannel1 other     
people used two or three double of      
thick swanskin2 and for a description   
and drawing of his presses he  referred 
to ,palmer's 8,history of ,printing10   
and 8,the ,history and ,art  of         
,printing10 by ,luckombe1 in which he   
said there was a print of every  part of

 the press4    ,illustration3           
,,hand-,,press ,,such ,,as ,,was ,,used 
,,by ,,baskerville    ,from ,luckombe's 
8,history and ,art of ,printing0        
,baskerville appears to have kept a     
large number 8of hot plates of  copper  
ready1 between which1 as soon as printed
 7aye1 as they were  discharged from the
 tympan7 the sheets were inserted2 the  
wet was  thus expelled1 the ink set1 and
 the trim glossy surface put on all     
simultaneously40#bj ,the peculiar gloss 
which characterizes the  productions of 
the ,baskerville ,press is to be found  
in no other books  of the eighteenth    
century4    ,again1 as to ink1 a black  
in an impure state had been used by     
printers  for nearly two hundred years1 
and it was not until ,baskerville that  
any  attention was turned to this most  
essential article4 ,it was reserved  for
 him to discover a superior kind of     
black for the purpose required4         
,hansard thinks that to this success may
 be attributed1 in a great  measure1 the

 excellence of his printing4    ,hansard
 gives the recipe of ,baskerville's ink3
 8,he took of the  finest and oldest    
linseed oil three gallons1 this was put 
into a  vessel capable of holding four  
times the quantity1 and boiled with a   
long-continued fire till it acquired a  
certain thickness or tenacity1          
according to the quality of the work it 
was intended to print1 and  which was   
judged of by putting small quantities   
upon a stone to cool1  and then taking  
it up between the finger and thumb2 on  
opening which1  if it drew into a thread
 an inch long or more1 it was considered
  sufficiently boiled4 ,this mode of    
boiling can only be acquired by long    
practice1 and requires particular skill 
and care in the person who  superintends
 the operation1 as1 for want of this1   
the most serious  consequences 444 have 
very frequently occurred2 the oil thus  
prepared  was suffered to cool1 and had 
then a small quantity of black or amber 
rosin dissolved in it1 after which it   

was allowed some months to  subside2 it 
was then mixed with the fine black1     
before named1 to a  proper thickness1   
and ground for use40#ba    ,the         
lamp-black of commerce is crude and     
impure1 but for two hundred  years it   
satisfied the makers of printing-ink1   
who made no improvement  in their ink4  
8,it was not until the days of the      
celebrated ,baskerville  444 that any   
attention was turned to this most       
essential article4444  ,it was reserved 
for him to discover 444 a superior kind 
of black1 444  and to this success it is
 said that the superiority of his       
printing may  be attributed40#bb        
,certain it is that it stimulated       
rivalry in the  trade1 and a few out of 
many other attempts to improve were     
partially  successful4    ,finally there
 was the text4 ,baskerville wrote       
,dodsley his scheme for  obtaining      
absolutely correct texts of the works he
 was about to print1  as follows3 8',tis
 this4 ,two people must be concerned2   

the one must  name every letter1        
capital1 point1 reference1 accent1 etc41
 that is1  in ,english1 must spell every
 part of every word distinctly1 and note
  down every difference in a book       
prepared on purpose4 ,pray oblige me  in
 making the experiment with ,mr4 ,james 
,dodsley in four or five lines  of any  
two editions of an author1 and you'll be
 convinced that it's  scarcely possible 
for the least difference1 even of a     
point1 to escape  notice4 ,i would      
recommend and practise the same method  
in an ,english  author1 where most      
people imagine themselves capable of    
correcting4  ,here's another great      
advantage to me in this humble scheme2  
at the  same time that a proof sheet is 
correcting1 ,i shall find out the least 
imperfection in any of the ,types that  
has escaped the founder's notice40      
8,meanwhile he had laboured assiduously 
to complete his promised series  of the 
,roman and ,italic faces4 ,at the time  
of the publication of the  ,virgil1 he  

put forward a quarto sheet containing   
specimens of the ,great  ,primer1       
,english1 ,pica1 and ,brevier ,roman1   
and ,great ,primer and ,pica  ,italic1  
beautifully printed4 ,this sheet1 which 
is noted by ,renouard1  and which is    
occasionally found bound up with copies 
of the ,virgil1 was  very shortly       
followed1 about the end of the year     
#ageh1 by a larger and  more general    
specimen1 consisting entirely of ,roman 
and ,italic letter  in eight sizes1     
viz43--,double ,pica1 ,great ,primer1   
,english1 ,pica1 ,small  ,pica1 ,long   
,primer1 ,bourgeois1 and ,brevier4 ,of  
the last two1 ,roman only  is shown4    
,the whole is arranged in two columns on
 a broadside sheet1  with appropriate   
titlings1 and forms a beautiful display4
 ,although the  only copy we have seen  
is printed on a greenish paper1 somewhat
 coarse1  the specimen exceeds in       
elegance and uniformity most1 if not    
all1 the  productions of contemporary   
founders40#bc    ,the ,virgil was then  

advertised as follows3 8,john           
,baskerville proposes1  by the advice   
and assistance of several learned men1  
to print from the  ,cambridge ,edition1 
corrected with all possible care1 an    
elegant edition  of ,virgil4 ,the work  
will be printed in quarto1 on a very    
fine writing  ,royal paper1 and with the
 above letter4 ,the price of the ,volume
 in  sheets will be one guinea1 no part 
of which will be required till the      
,book is delivered4 ,it will be put to  
press as soon as the number of          
subscribers shall amount to five        
hundred1 whose names will be prefixt  to
 the work40    ,finally1 after many     
delays caused by the desire of          
,baskerville to have  the book perfect1 
the ,virgil went to press in #ageg1     
after seven years  of careful1 patient1 
persistent work upon it4 ,it was a      
surprise to the  literary world4 ,it was
 the first fine book printed in         
,england1--the  first of those          
magnificent editions which1 as ,macaulay

 said1 8went  forth to astonish all the 
librarians of ,europe40#bd ,every part  
of the volume was in harmony with every 
other part4 ,there was no               
disproportion4 ,the book has been well  
said to be a landmark in the  history of
 typography4 ,in looking at it to-day we
 wonder how it was  done when it was    
done4 ,it seems as though the           
,birmingham artist had  come before his 
time4    ,the list of subscribers       
printed in the book comprises #eac      
names1 and it  is a wonderful list4     
,scholars and libraries throughout the  
country are  upon it4 ,there is one     
subscriber from ,copenhagen1 another    
from ,berlin1  and another from the     
,island of ,barbadoes4 ,dr4 ,samuel     
,johnson ordered  one copy for his old  
,oxford ,college4 ,it is interesting for
 us to see  that the ,public ,library1  
,philadelphia1 subscribed for a copy1   
and that  8,the ,library ,company at    
,charles-,town1 ,south ,carolina10 and  
8,mr4 ,isaac  ,mazyck of ,charles-,town 

in ,south ,carolina10 took each a copy1 
while  ,benjamin ,franklin of           
,philadelphia subscribed for six4 ,the  
conservatism  of the ,english           
bookseller1 however1 was such that no   
bookseller  subscribed for more than one
 copy except ,dodsley1 who was concerned
 in  the making of the book1 and took   
twenty copies4    ,this first issue of  
,virgil was in royal quarto1 and it was 
the first  book printed on wove paper2  
that is1 as ,i understand it1 on paper  
laid on flannel or flats1 and showing no
 marks of wires4 ,the critical  ,harwood
 pronounced it 8the best printed book   
that the typographical  art ever        
produced40#be ,dibdin said of it3 8,i   
have always considered  this beautiful  
production as one of the most finished  
specimens of  typography4 ,it was the   
earliest publication of ,baskerville1   
and all the  care and attention of that 
ingenious printer were devoted to render
 it  unrivalled4 ,he secured his        
reputation by it1 and though it has a   

few  typographical errors1 yet it is    
esteemed by all collectors40    ,the    
original issue is distinguished from the
 subsequent issues of #ageg  by the fact
 that in the original the supplementary 
names in the list  of subscribers       
numbered four only1 while in the        
re-impressions they  numbered           
twenty-four4 ,in the original the titles
 on pages #cdb and  #cgb are 8,liber    
,decimus ,aeneidos1 ,liber ,undecimus   
,aeneidos40 ,in the  re-impressions they
 are uniform with the other titles1     
8,aeneidos1 ,liber  ,decimus2 ,aeneidos1
 ,liber ,undecimus40 ,it may also be    
noticed that on the  running-title of   
page #cc1 in the original edition1 there
 is a space  between the ,i and ,r in   
,,virgilii4    ,encouraged by the       
success of his ,virgil1 ,baskerville    
sought another  book of importance to   
print with his types4 ,tonson1 the      
,london  bookseller1 had the copyright  
of ,milton1 and he finally employed     
,baskerville to print an edition4 ,this 

was issued in #ageh1 and is of  signal  
merit and beauty4 ,reed says that 8as a 
work of fine printing  it equals1 if it 
does not excel1 the ,virgil40 ,it is    
worthy of note  that the very high gloss
 on the paper which characterized most  
of  ,baskerville's later work is not    
found either in the ,virgil of #ageg1 or
  the ,milton of #ageh4 ,in the list of 
subscribers for ,milton we again find   
,baskerville's friend1 8,benjamin       
,franklin1 ,esquire1 ,philadelphia20 and
  also 8,isaac ,norris1 ,esq41 ,speaker 
of the ,assembly of ,pennsylvania40     
,there are subscribers from ,leipsic1   
,dublin1 ,berlin1 etc41 and it is       
interesting to note that the ,british   
bookseller subscribed for #aei  copies  
out of #aaac1 the total list of         
subscribers4 ,the first edition of  this
 book was #aejj copies1 the second #gjj 
on large paper1 and it was  reprinted   
three times in the next two years4      
,hansard says3 8,this work will1 in my  
opinion1 bear a comparison1  even to its

 advantage1 with those subsequently     
executed by the  first typographer of   
our age4444 ,there is a clearness1 a    
soberness1  a softness1 and at the same 
time a spirit1 altogether harmonizing   
in ,baskerville's book1 that neither of 
the others1 with which ,i am  comparing 
it1 can1 ,i think1 fairly claim40#bf    
,dibdin says3 8,these  lovely           
impressions of ,baskerville appeared    
twice in octavo1 #ageh and  #agfj--;and 
once in #dto4 #agei4 ,but the octavos   
have a quarto aspect4 ,i  find that a   
delicious copy bound in the morocco of  
the day1 is priced  at #c4aj4 ,i know of
 no parlour-reading like that of ,milton
 in one of  the editions of             
,baskerville40#bg    ,the folio edition 
of the ,bible1 printed at ,cambridge    
under the  patronage of the university1 
was really ,baskerville's magnum opus4  
,it  was the most ambitious of his      
undertakings1 and ,i think one of the   
most  artistic of his productions1 but  
it was a financial failure4 ,in his     

proposal for it he said3 8,the great    
expence1 with which this ,work will     
necessarily be attended1 renders it not 
only imprudent1 but absolutely          
impossible for the ,editor to venture on
 it1 without the assistance  of a       
,subscription4 ,and he is encouraged to 
hope1 as he has already  received the   
public approbation of his ,labours1 that
 they will continue  to favour his      
ambition1 and to enable him to make this
 one ,work as  correct1 elegant1 and    
perfect as the ,importance of it        
demands4 ,to this  end he is determined 
to spare no ,expence1 no ,care1 nor     
,attention4 ,he  builds his ,reputation 
upon the happy ,execution of the        
,undertaking2 and  begs it may not be   
imputed to him as a boast1 that he hopes
 to give his  country a more correct and
 beautiful ,edition of the ,sacred      
,writings1  than has hitherto appeared40
    ,a specimen of this ,bible was      
printed before the end of #agei1 and was
  followed by another specimen dated    

,january #a1 #agfj4 ,the price was  four
 guineas1 in sheets1 and the ,bible was 
to be published in three  years4 ,some  
copies are said to have been printed    
with a border1 but  ,i do not think this
 was so4 ,in his specimen title-page of 
#agfj there  is a border1 and he said it
 was his ambition to print with such a  
border1 which would appear 8more        
agreeable0 to every eye than the  coarse
 red lines commonly used4 ,i think that1
 finally1 ,baskerville  concluded wisely
 to print the book with plain margins1  
and did so4 ,at  any rate1 so far as is 
known1 no copy was ever printed with a  
border4  ,the proposal for the          
subscription stipulated that two guineas
 should be  paid at the time of         
subscription1 but in a subsequent notice
 in #agfa  it was announced that no     
money would be required until the volume
 was  delivered4 ,in spite of all this1 
the number of subscribers was only      
#bfd1 and ,baskerville was forced to    
borrow money to proceed with the  book4 

,in #agfb he said the work 8is pretty   
far advanced at ,cambridge1  which will 
cost me near #bjjj1 all hired at five   
per cent40 ,the book  was ultimately    
published in #agfc4 ,a few more names   
came in and a new  list of subscribers  
was printed1 but he could not sell half 
the edition  of #abej copies1 and in    
#agfh he sold the remaining copies1     
#eef1 at #cf  shillings1 to ,r4         
,baldwin1 a bookseller in ,london1 and  
even then he  had to bring a suit       
against ,baldwin to get his pay4 ,the   
expense of  this edition was doubtless  
increased by the fact that he was       
required  to print it at ,cambridge1 and
 to send his press and workmen there    
for that purpose4 ,the book itself is   
one of the most remarkable that         
,baskerville printed4 ,dibdin calls it  
8one of the most beautiful printed      
books in the world10 and says its       
title-page1 8as a piece of printing1  is
 unrivalled1 having all the power and   
brilliancy of copperplate40  ,cotton1 in

 his 8,editions of the ,bible10 says    
that the beauty of this  book has caused
 it to find its way into almost every   
public library  where fine and curious  
books are appreciated2 ,lowndes also    
pronounces  it one of the most beautiful
 books ever printed4    ,in the meantime
 ,baskerville was pushing forward the   
printing of a  ,prayer ,book1 8as       
perfect as ,i can make it40 ,he said    
that he would make  a size 8calculated  
for people who begin to want spectacles1
 but are  ashamed to use them in        
,church40 ,perhaps this was the reason  
for the  old ,oxfordshire ,squire       
refusing to use a ,prayer ,book which   
was not a  ,baskerville4    ,baskerville
 obtained leave from the ,university of 
,cambridge to print  the ,bible in royal
 folio1 and two editions of the ,book of
 ,common  ,prayer4 ,but that learned    
body appear to have had a stronger      
inclination  for making their privilege 
conducive to their worldly gain than for
  earning fame by the encouragement of  

printing4 ,the university exacted  from 
,mr4 ,baskerville #bj per thousand for  
the octavo1 and #ab4aj  per thousand for
 the duodecimo editions of the ,prayer  
,book2 and the  ,stationers' ,company1  
which had a monopoly of printing1 with  
like  liberality took #cb for their     
permission to print one edition of the  
,psalms in metre1 which was necessary to
 make the ,prayer ,book complete4    ,in
 a letter in #ageg ,baskerville says3   
8,i have pursued the scheme of  printing
 and letter founding for seven years1   
with the most intense  application to   
the great prejudice of my eyes by the   
daily use of  microscopes1 and at the   
expense of about a thousand pounds1     
which  really makes me short of money40 
,in #agei ,baskerville was ready to     
begin the ,prayer ,book printing at     
,cambridge4 ,he writes to the           
,vice-,chancellor of the ,university1   
saying  he was taking great pains in    
order to produce a striking title-page  
and also a specimen of the ,bible which 

he hoped would be ready in  about six   
weeks4 ,he adds that 8the importance of 
the work demands all  my attention1 not 
only for my own reputation1 but also to 
convince  the world that the ,university
 in the honour done me have not entirely
  misplaced their favours40 ,in this    
letter he asks the ,chancellor if he    
could make 8an interest to a few        
gentlemen1 to whom the work would not   
be disagreeable1 to survey the sheets   
after my people have corrected  them as 
accurately as they are able1 that ,i    
might1 if possible1 be free  from every 
error of the press1 for which ,i would  
gladly make suitable  acknowledgments40 
,i suppose he means payment4    ,he says
 he procured 8a sealed copy of the      
,common ,prayer with much  trouble and  
expense from the ,cathedral of          
,litchfield1 but found it the  most     
inaccurate and ill printed work ,i ever 
saw1 and returned it with  thanks40 ,all
 ,baskerville's ,prayer ,books are said 
by ,dibdin to have been  lovely         

specimens of press-work4 ,all the copies
 that remained when he  died1 together  
with a considerable number of the       
,horace of #agfb1 were  purchased of his
 widow by ,mr4 ,smart1 the bookseller at
 ,worcester1 for  #ajj4 ,but in a few   
years after that1 not a copy remained   
unsold4#bh  ,smart built a house and    
called it 8,baskerville ,house40        
,dibdin says that 8the prayer books of  
,baskerville are probably more          
frequently seen within the pews of a    
church than any other1 at least  they   
were so within these dozen years past2  
they are of two forms or  sizes1 royal  
octavo and crown octavo4 ,the crown     
octavo impression1  which is the rarer  
of the two1 is executed in a small      
character1 in  double columns1 upon thin
 paper1 but of a close and durable      
texture4 ,i  do not remember to have    
seen more than one copy of the royal    
octavo in  an uncut state1 and of the   
crown octavo not a single copy1 so      
popular  were these impressions upon a  

first appearance40    ,the ,addison was 
issued in #agfa1 and is a wonderful     
specimen of the  art of ,baskerville4   
,speaking of this book1 ,dibdin almost  
goes into  ecstasies4 ,he says3 8,he who
 hath the ,baskerville edition1 #agfj1  
#dto1 #d vols41 hath a good and even a  
glorious performance4 ,it is  pleasant  
7and of course profitable7 to turn over 
the pages of these  lovely tomes1 at    
one's ,tusculum villa1 on a day of      
oppression from  heat1 or of confinement
 from rain--and if the copy be in goodly
 calf1  full charged1 gilt binding--with
 marble edges to the leaves--such as    
,posthumus discards1 but which ,atticus 
dearly doats on--why1 so much  the      
better3 so therefore hasten1 gallant    
young ,bibliomaniac1 with six           
sovereigns and six shillings to boot1 to
 make yourself master of such  a        
copy40#bi ,dibdin was a true            
bibliophile4    8,aesop's ,fables0 were 
printed for ,dodsley1 who appears to    
have  prepared them1 perhaps in         

collaboration with ,shenstone4 ,this    
edition  was ultimately published on    
,february #i1 #agfa1 and is a very      
beautiful  little production4 ,the book 
is much marred by the cuts which        
,dodsley  insisted on putting in4       
,however1 it sold very well1 and there  
was talk  of second and third editions4 
,speaking of it ,warren says3 8,that    
book of  ,baskerville's is the most     
charming thing that ,i have ever        
touched40    ,dodsley found ,baskerville
 too expensive4 ,he maintained the      
warmest  interest in ,baskerville's     
work1 but found his charges excessive   
for  ordinary purposes of trade4 ,he    
never allowed him to print anything for 
him except his 8,selected ,fables10 and 
he fussed very much about these4  ,he   
went to ,baskerville's house1 where he  
stayed while the last sheets  of the    
8,fables0 were passing through the      
press1 and then he printed a  ,london   
edition in a cheaper form4 ,he          
complained that he should lose  #cj by  

,baskerville's impression1 and that he  
should not be more than  #aj gainer on  
the whole1 taking the ,birmingham and   
,london editions  together4 ,in #ageh   
,rev4 ,john ,huckell's poem 8,avon0 was 
printed by  ,baskerville and sold by    
,dodsley1 but at the printer's expense  
and risk4  ,by the persuasion of        
,shenstone he was induced to permit     
,baskerville  to print another edition  
of the 8,fables0 in #agfd4cj ,the truth 
was  that ,baskerville did not print    
commercially1 while ,dodsley published  
commercially4    ,the prices charged by 
,baskerville were very high for the     
times4 ,he  wrote to a man who inquired 
about prices3 8,my price for printing   
your friend's poem is ,two ,guineas a   
sheet without pressing1 and ,two  pounds
 ,seven to be pressed as other books    
which ,i have printed are  pressed40 ,at
 this price the printing of the poem    
would have cost twenty  guineas4 ,it is 
needless to say that ,baskerville did   
not print it4 ,it  appears that the     

expense of printing a sheet at a common 
press was #ah  shillings1 and the       
expense at ,baskerville's ,press about  
#c4aj4 ,this is  quite sufficient to    
explain the disinclination of           
booksellers to give  orders to          
,baskerville for printing4    ,the      
reasons why ,baskerville's printing was 
a financial failure are  obvious to us1 
although they were not to him4 ,in the  
first place1 he  did something new1 and 
that is always a great shock to the     
,british  public4 ,he produced type     
different from any which had been used1 
and  better1 but the man whose office   
was stuffed with ,caslon type and       
,dutch type did not think so4 ,he was   
not likely to throw away type  which    
printed his books well enough for sale1 
and buy new type which  this gentleman  
from ,birmingham had cut4 ,he said3     
8,let him cut type1  and get a new ink  
and a new kind of paper and print in a  
new way4 ,the  old type1 the old ink1   
the old paper1 and the old way are good 

enough  for me40 ,baskerville was       
artistic1 the ,english public was not4  
,in the  second place ,baskerville's    
books were so expensively produced that 
the  man who bought one of them as a    
specimen of ,baskerville's work did not 
wish to buy another4 ,it was the same   
thing that happens with every  printer  
who does artistic work1--each production
 of his press exhausts  his clientage   
more or less4 ,and lastly1 his books    
were reprints1 and  they were brought   
out at a time when the press was        
overloaded with  productions of very    
brilliant men4 ,dr4 ,johnson's          
,dictionary1 in two  volumes1 was issued
 in #agee4 ,oliver ,goldsmith1 ,pope1   
,chesterfield1  ,horace ,walpole1       
,akenside1 ,colley ,cibber1 ,gray1 ,dr4 
,young1 ,burke1 and a  host of others   
were then producing books for the       
printer4    ,baskerville cut a fount of 
,greek type for the ,university of      
,oxford1  and cast #cjj weight of type  
at two hundred guineas for the whole4   

,he delivered the types in ,march1      
#agfa1 and was paid the two hundred     
guineas4 ,his connection with the types 
ceased here4 ,he did not print  the     
editions of the ,greek ,testament which 
appeared at ,oxford in #agfc4  ,he never
 visited ,oxford1 and there is nothing  
to show that he was ever  consulted     
about the types after they had been     
delivered4 ,they were said  to be 8not  
good ones40 ,william ,bowyer1 the       
printer1 said that there  were two or   
three quarto editions on foot1 8one at  
,oxford1 far advanced  on new types by  
,baskerville--by the way1 not good      
ones40 ,reed says that  8the appearance 
of the book justified to some extent the
 criticism40  ,regular as the ,greek    
type is1 it is stiff and cramped1 and1  
as ,dibdin  says1 8like no ,greek       
characters ,i have ever seen40 ,at      
another time  ,dibdin calls the letters 
large and distinct4 ,the type was       
certainly  more ,english than the ,greek
 types then in use1 and was the         

precursor of  numerous types cut in     
,england during the next century4 ,to   
the student  of to-day ,baskerville's   
,greek type is far easier to read than  
any of  its contemporaries4 ,the letters
 are far from being execrable1 as ,mores
  called them4 ,they are in effect      
cursive1 well formed1 and probably      
modelled1 like those invented by ,aldus1
 upon some calligraphy of the  day4 ,at 
the time they were condemned as hybrid1 
and were used for no  other books4 ,the 
story is very plain4 ,oxford wanted a   
better ,greek type  than then existed1  
and employed ,baskerville to cut it4 ,he
 did so1 and  produced a type infinitely
 better than any in existence4          
,therefore the  ,english printers1 of   
whom ,bowyer was one1 rejected it4 ,the 
old type was  good enough for them4 ,but
 ,baskerville's type held the field and 
gave us  a finer ,greek type than we had
 before4    ,dibdin wrote the following 
appreciative and discriminating notice  
of  ,baskerville3 8,with the business of

 a japanner he united that of a         
printer1 to which latter he was led from
 a pure love of letters1 and  an        
ambition to distinguish himself in an   
art1 which he justly thought  superior  
to every other1 and which has           
perpetuated his name1 while the         
perishable materials of his japan ware  
have mouldered into dust4 ,it  is said  
he was fastidiously nice in his attempts
 at a perfect letter1  that he did not  
attain the #8eureka' till he had        
expended nearly #hjj of  his fortune4   
,finally when tired of printing1 he     
tried every expedient  to dispose of his
 printing materials1 but the caprice or 
inattention  of our booksellers induced 
them coldly to reject every overture on 
the  subject4 ,four years after the     
death of ,baskerville1 in #agge1 these  
types were purchased by a literary      
society at ,paris1 for #cgjj4ca         
8,baskerville is said to have been small
 in stature1 and fond of making  the    
most of his figure by costly dress1 and 

a stately deportment4  ,he was cheerful 
and benevolent2 at times extremely idle1
 but of an  inventive turn1 and prompt  
to patronize ingenuity in others2 he    
retained the traces of a handsome man   
even during the last twenty-five  years 
of his life2 and his civility to        
strangers gained him the esteem  of all 
who came to inspect his office4         
,although he printed a sumptuous        
,english ,bible and ,greek ,testament1  
he is supposed to have entertained  an  
aversion to ,christianity2 and with this
 view he directed his remains  to be    
interred in a mausoleum in his own      
grounds4 ,the typography of             
,baskerville is eminently beautiful--his
 letters are in general of a  slender   
and delicate form1 calculated for an    
octavo or even quarto1 but  not         
sufficiently bold to fill the space of  
an imperial folio1 as is  evident from a
 view of his great ,bible4 ,he united in
 a singularly happy  manner the elegance
 of ,plantin with the clearness of the  

,elzevirs3 his  #dto and #abmo ,virgil1 
and small ,prayer-book1 or #abmo ,horace
 of #agfb1  sufficiently confirm the    
truth of this remark4 ,he seems to have 
been  extremely curious in the choice of
 his paper and ink3 the former being  in
 general the fruit of ,dutch            
manufacture1 and the latter partaking of
  a peculiarly soft lustre bordering on 
purple4 ,in his ,italic letter1  whether
 capital or small1 ,i think he stands   
unrivalled2 such elegance1  freedom1 and
 perfect symmetry being in vain to be   
looked for among the  specimens of      
,aldus and ,colinaeus4 ,in erudition1   
correctness1 or in  the multiplicity of 
valuable publications1 he is not to be  
compared  with ,bowyer3 there are some  
even who indiscriminately despise all   
his  editions of the classics2 but his  
#dto and #abmo editions of ,virgil and  
,horace defend him from the severity of 
this censure4 ,upon the whole1          
,baskerville was a truly original       
artist2 he struck out a new method of   

printing in this country1 and may be    
considered as the founder of that       
luxuriant style of typography which at  
present so generally prevails2  and     
which seems to have nearly attained     
perfection in the neatness of           
,whittingham1 the elegance of ,bulmer1  
and the splendor of ,bensley40#cb       
,the quarto editions by ,baskerville of 
,virgil1 ,horace1 ,terence1  ,lucretius1
 ,juvenal and ,persius1 and ,catullus1  
etc41 ,sallust and ,florus1  in seven   
volumes1 were valued in #ahbe at        
#bi4ah4f4 ,the ,virgil had proof        
impressions of the plates of ,hollar and
 ,ponce2 and the ,horace contained  the 
engravings of ,pine1 with a head of the 
poet from ,worlidge's 8,gems40    ,in   
the specimen of the folio ,bible dated  
in #agfj1 ,baskerville said3  8,many    
gentlemen have wished to see a sett of  
the ,classicks from the  ,louvre        
,edition in the ,manner1 ,letter1 and   
,paper1 of the ,virgil1  already        
published1 if they could be purchased at

 a moderate price2 ,j4  ,baskerville    
therefore proposes to print the same1 if
 he finds proper  encouragement2 and to 
proceed with the ,poetical ,classicks   
first2 and as  ,juvenal and ,persius in 
one volume is wanting to complete the   
,cambridge  ,sett1 he intends publishing
 that first1 at sixteen shillings in    
sheets40    ,the first of these1        
,juvenal and ,persius1 appeared in      
#agfa1 but the  publication of the      
others was delayed by the printing of   
,congreve1  ,addison1 the ,book of      
,common ,prayer1 and the ,bible4 ,in    
fact1 nothing  appears to have been done
 about the edition of the ,classics     
until  #aggj1 when there was issued an  
edition of ,horace1 with four plates  by
 ,gravelot inserted4 ,i think it is the 
finest of all ,baskerville's  books4 ,it
 is certainly the most rare1 and is the 
only volume issued  by ,baskerville     
which has plates4 ,the others1          
,lucretius1 ,catullus  with ,tibullus   
and ,propertius1 and ,terence1 were     

issued in #aggb1 and  ,sallustius et    
,florus was issued in #aggc4 ,these1    
with the ,virgil1 are  the ,latin       
,classics in quarto printed by          
,baskerville4 ,they are all  wonderful  
books1 clear and perfect4 ,they were    
printed in ,baskerville's  declining    
years1 but they stamped him as the first
 printer of his time4    ,catullus1     
,terence1 and ,horace were also issued  
in #aggb1 and ,lucretius  in #aggc1 in  
#abmo4 ,a #abmo ,horace was issued in   
#agfb4 ,it is said to be  the most      
correct1 and is thought by some to be   
the most beautiful1 of  all the books   
that ,baskerville printed4 ,with the    
exception of ,sternhold  and ,hopkins's 
,psalms in metre1 and ,tate and ,brady's
 ,psalms1 which were  printed in the    
same year1 this ,horace was the first   
#abmo book that  ,baskerville printed4  
,the text was chosen by a ,scotchman by 
the name of  ,john ,livie1 whom         
,baskerville employed to edit the book4 
,he took as a  basis for his work a     

little edition printed at ,hamburg4     
,shenstone1 who  always wanted his      
finger in every pie1 said of this book3 
8,it is really  a beauty1 and upon the  
whole as good a text as any we have     
yet--but  excuse my vanity1 who think ,i
 could have rendered it better1 if they 
had suffered me to have the final       
determination of it40 ,in another       
letter he said3 8,there may be fifty or 
more preferable readings to  what are   
received in this new ,horace1 yet you   
will find a better text  there1 upon the
 whole1 than in any one edition extant4 
,as to the beauty  of type and          
press-work1 it is too obvious to need   
vindication4 ,the  accuracy of the      
latter almost exceeds what was ever     
found in any other  book40    ,there was
 a good deal of fuss between ,dodsley1  
who appears to have sold  the book in   
,london1 and ,baskerville and           
,shenstone1 about plates for  this book4
 ,baskerville did not accept any of the 
designs which were  drawn for them1 but 

caused ,wale and ,grignion to execute a 
frontispiece  and vignette4 ,the book   
was dedicated to ,lord ,bute1 and the   
,king's  drawing-master presented a     
drawing of the ,bute arms1 which figure 
on  the dedication page4    ,dr4        
,harwood says that the first edition of 
,horace1 printed in #agfb1 8is  the most
 beautiful little book1 both in regard  
to type and paper1 ,i  ever beheld4 ,it 
is also the most correct of all         
,baskerville's editions  of the         
classics2 for every sheet was carefully 
revised by ,mr4 ,livie1  who was an     
elegant scholar40 ,he also adds1 8the   
,quarto edition of  #aggj is a very     
beautiful and extremely scarce work1 the
 rarest of all  ,baskerville's editions4
 ,a good copy1 with ,gravelot's plates  
inserted1  is valued at #b4b40cc    ,in 
#aggb the ,brothers ,molini1 who had    
branches in ,london and ,paris and  in  
,florence1 entrusted to ,baskerville the
 task of printing ,ariosto4  ,the       
prospectus that he printed for them in  

#aggb states3 8,the ,brothers  ,molini  
have undertaken to present an ,edition  
which will satisfy the  desires of the  
,public1 and correspond with the        
reputation of this  great man4 ,they    
have used the presses of the famous     
,baskerville1 whose  master-pieces of   
printing all the world knows and        
admires40 ,the work  was issued in      
#aggc1 with #dg plates by the most      
eminent artists of the  time4 ,there    
were #dia subscribers to this book1 of  
whom #bcj were in  ,london1 #aba in     
,paris1 #h in ,madrid1 #ad in ,holland1 
,russia1 and ,germany1  and #aah in     
,italy4 ,it was a great success4        
,dibdin says3 8,the ,baskerville edition
 of ,orlando ,furioso with the cuts  of 
,bartolozzi is more exquisite than the  
splendid edition of ,zatta4  ,i never   
see1 or even think of1 the lovely       
edition of ,baskerville1 of  #aggc1     
#hvo1 #d vols41 without the most unmixed
 satisfaction4 ,paper1  printing1       
drawing1 plates--all delight the eye1   

and gratify the heart1  of the          
thorough-bred bibliomaniacal ,virtuoso4 
,this edition has hardly  its equal1 and
 certainly not its superior1 in any     
publication with  which ,i am           
acquainted4 ,look well to the proofs of 
the plates1 which  ,brunet tells us are 
sometimes more brilliant in the first   
two volumes  of the octavo1 than in     
those of the quarto1 or ,,large ,,paper 
form4 ,but  for a drawing-room table1 or
 satinwood book-case1 aspire to the     
quarto3  for a companion in green       
fields1 or along quiet lanes1 select the
  octavo40 ,a copy of the quarto        
impression1 bound in green morocco1 was 
sold for #ba4cd 8,the engraver          
,bartolozzi grew weary of the delays  of
 the publisher of these beautiful       
volumes1 who one day in a passion       
called him an ass1 a poltroon1 an       
animal4 ,the artist made no reply2  he  
was working at the moment on the plate  
of the #dc;d ,chant2 without  turning   
from his task1 he lightly traced these  

three words upon the  tomb which was    
engraved upon that plate1--d'asino1 de  
poltrone1  d'animale40    ,did          
,baskerville make the paper on which his
 books were printed8    ,his latest     
biographers1 ,straus and ,dent1 say3    
8,there is no place1  so far as is      
known1 where the printer himself        
acknowledges that the  paper used for   
his book is of his own manufacture40    
,derrick says3  8,he manufactures his   
own paper40 ,he states in several places
 that he  bought paper for the ,bible   
and for other books2 that he has it not 
in  his power to furnish paper which is 
required for the book1 etc4 ,but in  his
 introduction to ,milton he said that it
 gave him great satisfaction  to find   
that his edition of ,virgil had been so 
favorably received1  and then he adds1  
8,the improvement in the manufacture of 
the paper1  the colour and firmness of  
the ink were not overlooked40 ,this     
clearly  indicates that he had improved 
the manufacture of the paper4    ,he    

advertised superfine post paper1 gilt or
 plain1 glazed or unglazed1  of his own 
manufacture1 etc4 ,he was a competitor  
for the prize at  ,birmingham in #aggb1 
8for making paper from waste silk40 ,his
 paper  was placed upon the market by   
,dodsley himself1 and went by the name  
of 8,vellum paper40 ,baskerville is     
frequently spoken of as having  invented
 that kind of paper4 ,a vellum paper    
still bears his name4 ,in  the          
8,dictionary of ,inventions0 there is   
this reference to ,baskerville  in the  
article1 8,papier ,velin30 8,this paper 
is ,english1 at least we  presume it to 
be1 and we believe that ,baskerville is 
the inventor  of it2 the first edition  
of his ,virgil1 which appeared in #ageg1
 was  printed in great part on that kind
 of paper40 ,augustin ,blanch1 in his   
essay upon the 8,history of ,paper and  
of its ,manufacture0 7,paris1 #aijj1    
page #acg71 states that at the time of  
the ,french ,exposition of #ahea1  the  
paper manufactured in ,england was in   

great part wrapping-paper1 but  he says3
 8,in #agej1 ,baskerville invented the  
method needed to prepare  wove paper1 on
 which he printed his famous edition of 
,virgil40    ,this view is confirmed by 
the following from ,mores1 page #ih1    
note  7,nichols73 8,when ,baskerville   
came to ,cambridge1 we told him that the
  exceeding sharpness of his letter1 and
 the glossy whiteness of his  paper1    
both beyond any thing that we had been  
used to1 would certainly  offend2 and we
 spoke much in praise of1 and shewed    
him1 the paper with  an yellow cast1 on 
which ,h4 ,stephen's capital editions   
are printed4  ,this1 he told us1 he     
could easily imitate1 and accordingly   
executed  some sheets2 but they were by 
no means the thing1 the colouring not   
being uniformly dispersed but clouded or
 waved like a quire of paper  stained   
with rain40    ,the paper on which      
,virgil and ,milton were printed has no 
watermark1  and is of a thicker texture1
 more yellow in color and less glossy in

  appearance1 than the paper on which he
 subsequently printed4 ,i think  he     
manufactured this paper1 but that1      
finding it more expensive to            
manufacture it than to buy ,dutch paper1
 he abandoned making paper for  printing
 books1 but continued making ornamented 
post paper for some  time4 ,the paper   
upon which most of ,baskerville's books 
were printed  was made in ,holland1 and 
it bears four watermarks4 ,these consist
 of  a fleur-de-lis 7cf4 8,edwin and    
,emma10 #agfj1 and ,congreve1 #agfa71   
and in another part of the sheet a star 
and shield with a bar dexter1           
surmounting the letters ,l4 ,v4 ,g4     
,this was a ,dutch-made paper4 ,another 
watermark is found in some sheets of    
,baskerville's paper4 ,it consists  of a
 crown1 a shield bearing a horn1 and    
certain letters of the maker4  ,this is 
very clearly seen in the end papers of  
the copy of ,addison  in the original   
boards4 ,a slight modification of this  
watermark is  found in a very finely    

laid paper used only in the second      
edition of  8,aesop's ,fables0 7#agfd74 
,the first edition of ,aesop was printed
 on wove  paper furnished by ,dodsley4  
,franklin wrote ,baskerville in #aggc1  
acknowledging the receipt of some       
specimens1 and said3 8,the ,specimen ,i 
shall distribute by the first ship      
among the printers of ,america1 and ,i  
hope to your advantage4 ,i suppose  no  
orders will come unaccompanied by bills 
or money1 and ,i would  not advise you  
to give credit1 especially as ,i do not 
think it will  be necessary4 ,the ,sheet
 of ,chinese paper1 from its size1 is a 
great  curiosity4 ,i see the marks of   
the mould in it4 ,one side is smooth1   
that1 ,i imagine1 is the side that was  
applied to the smooth side of the  kiln 
on which it was dried4 ,the little      
ridges on the other side ,i take  to be 
marks of a brush passed over it to press
 it against that face in  places where  
it might be kept off by air between1    
which would otherwise  prevent it       

receiving the smoothness40              
,baskerville delivered most of his books
 in sheets1 as was the custom  of his   
day1 but one or two were issued in blue 
paper covers1 i4e41  8,avon10 and       
8,edwin and ,emma20 and others in boards
 covered with marbled  paper4 ,i do not 
think he issued any books in morocco    
bindings4 ,they  were expensive volumes1
 and were probably bound up to please   
themselves  by persons who bought them4 
,all of ,baskerville's printing was done
 in about sixteen years4  ,during this  
period he printed1 as near as can be    
ascertained1 about  sixty-seven books4  
,this number is reduced by reprints of  
the ,virgil1  the ,prayer ,books1 and   
some others1 so that in reality only    
between  fifty and sixty original books 
were printed by him4 ,they are not all  
of equal merit1 and ,i think his        
reputation as a great printer must      
ultimately rest upon not more than      
twelve4 ,these1 ,i take it1 will  be    
found to be1 ,virgil1 of #ageg2 ,milton1

 of #ageh2 the ,book of ,common         
,prayer1 of #agfj2 ,folio ,bible1 of    
#agfc2 ,aesop's ,fables1 of #agfa2      
,addison1 of #agfa2 ,horace1 duodecimo1 
of #agfb2 ,horace1 octavo1 of #aggj2    
his editions of the ,latin ,classics1 in
 #aggb1 comprising ,lucretius1          
,catullus1 ,terence1 and ,sallust and   
,florus1 octavo1 in #aggd2 and ,terence 
and ,lucretius1 duodecimo2 and ,orlando 
,furioso in #aggc4    ,kippis1 in       
8,biographia ,britannica0 7#aggh71 page 
#fga1 has an article  upon ,baskerville4
 ,he says3 8,these publications rank the
 name of  ,baskerville with those       
persons who have the most contributed1  
at least  in modern times1 to the beauty
 and improvement of the art of printing4
  ,indeed1 it is needless to say to what
 perfection he has brought this         
excellent art4 ,the paper1 the type1 and
 the whole execution of the  works      
performed by him are the best           
testimonies of their merit40            
,baskerville certainly brought the art  

of printing to a degree of  perfection  
till then unknown in ,england4 ,he      
trusted nothing to the  manufacture of  
others4 8,he was at once his own        
manufacturer of ink1  presses1 chases1  
moulds for casting1 and all the         
apparatus for  printing1 and he also    
made some of the paper upon which he    
printed his  books4 ,the means by which 
he produced these masterpieces of       
printing  are excluded from the province
 of printing in these days1 by the      
triple  incongruities of fine as        
possible--quick as possible--cheap  as  
possible10 and as has before been said1 
his trade of japanning  book-work was   
conducted as follows3 8,he had a        
constant succession of  hot plates of   
copper ready1 between which1 as soon as 
printed 444 the  sheets were inserted4  
,the wet was thus expelled1 the ink set1
 and a  glossy surface put on all       
simultaneously40#ce    ,reed says that  
8,however well the method of hot        
pressing may have  answered at the time1

 the discoloration of his books still   
preserved  in the ,british ,museum and  
elsewhere1 shows that the brilliance    
thus  imparted was most tawdry and      
ephemeral40 ,this is not true1 as is    
shown  by the specimens ,i have4 ,they  
are nearly all in perfect condition4 ,of
  course some of them are foxed1 or     
spotted1 but no more than other books   
of the time1 while the most of them are 
in absolutely perfect condition4        
8,baskerville first introduced into     
,england what is generally termed       
#8fine printing1' by producing a type of
 superior elegance1 and an  ink which   
gave additional beauty to the type4 ,the
 peculiar excellence  attached to his   
types and the celebrity he consequently 
attained gave  a stimulus to the        
exertions and called forth the emulation
 of ,british  printers40#cf ,fine work  
has therefore been progressively        
improving4    ,in the 8,bibliography of 
,printing10 published in #ahhj1         
,baskerville is  termed a celebrated    

printer4 ,it is said his type is        
8admired for its  elegance even at the  
present day1 and books printed by him   
now bear  a very high value4 ,he        
introduced great improvements in nearly 
every  branch of printing1 and produced 
many masterpieces of typography40#cg    
8,baskerville is the only ,english      
printer who1 up to his time1 had        
received the stamp of foreign reputation
 or approbation4 ,he was an  artistic   
printer1 for to secure beauty in        
typography1 art must be  applied to the 
paper1 and tone of the paper1 margin1   
ink1 spacing1 size  of type1 c4 ,the    
secret is a finding out an elegant      
proportion in all1  i4e41 in a small    
book the type should not be thick or too
 black1 nay1  even in the shape1 cutting
 of a letter1 quality and fitness is    
evoked4  ,it should harmonise with the  
mass of letters1 and yet be             
distinct40#ch    ,in #agfb ,baskerville 
found that he was carrying his          
type-founding and  printing at the      

expense of his japanning business2 as he
 wrote to  ,franklin1 8,had ,i no other 
dependence than type-founding and       
printing1  ,i must starve40 ,apparently 
he became tired of his typographic work1
  considering it too expensive and too  
much unappreciated1 and desired to  sell
 it4 ,one of his friends suggested that 
he apply to the government  for aid1 the
 result of which was that he wrote the  
following letter  to ,horace ,walpole1  
then a member of ,parliament1 and an    
author of high  repute3                 
,to the ,honble ,horace ,walpole1 ,esq4 
,member                     of          
,parliament3 in ,arlington ,street      
,london                                 
this                      ,easy ,hill1  
,birmingham1 #b ,nov4 #agfb             
,s     ,as the ,patron and ,encourager  
of ,arts1 and particularly of that of   
,printing1 ,i have taken the ,liberty of
 sending you a ,specimen of   mine1     
begun ten years ago at the age of forty 
seven1 and prosecuted   ever since with 

the utmost ,care and ,attention1 on the 
strongest   ,presumption1 that if ,i    
could fairly excel in this divine ,art1 
it   would make my ,affairs easy or at  
least give me bread4 ,but alas6 in      
both ,i was mistaken4 ,the ,book-sellers
 do not chuse to encourage me1   tho ,i 
have offered them as low terms as ,i    
could possibly live by2 nor   dare ,i   
attempt an old ,copy1 till a ,lawsuit   
relating to that affair is   determined4
     ,the ,university of ,cambridge has 
given me a ,grant to print there #hvo4  
#abmo4 ,common prayer ,books2 but under 
such ,shackles as greatly hurt   me4 ,i 
pay them for the former twenty1  for the
 latter twelve pound   ten shillings the
 thousand1  to the ,stationers ,company 
thirty two   pound for their permission 
to print one ,edition of the ,psalms in 
,metre   to the small prayer book3 add  
to this the great ,expence of double and
   treble ,carriage1  the inconvenience 
of a ,printing ,house an hundred        
,miles off4 ,all this ,summer ,i have   

had nothing to print at ,home4 ,my      
folio ,bible is pretty far advanced at  
,cambridge1 which will cost me   near   
#bjjj4 all hired at #e p ,cent4 ,if this
 does not sell1 ,i shall be   obliged to
 sacrifice a small ,patrimony which     
brings me in #gd a ,year   to this      
,business of ,printing2 which ,i am     
heartily tired of  repent ,i   ever     
attempted4 ,it is surely a particular   
hardship that ,i should not   get ,bread
 in my own ,country 7and it is too late 
to go abroad7 after   having acquired   
the ,reputation excelling in the most   
useful ,art known   to ,mankind2 while  
every one who excels as a ,player1      
,fidler1 ,dancer1   c not only lives in 
,affluence1 but has it in their power to
 save a   ,fortune4     ,i have sent a  
few ,specimens 7same as the enclosed7 to
 the ,courts of   ,russia and ,denmark1 
and shall endeavour to do the same to   
most of the   ,courts of ,europe2 in    
hopes of finding in some one of them a  
purchaser   of the whole ,scheme1 on the

 ,condition of my never attempting      
another   ,type4 ,i was saying this to a
 particular ,friend1 who reproached me  
with   not giving my own ,country the   
,preference1 as it would 7he was pleased
   to say7 be a national ,reproach to   
lose it4 ,i told him1 nothing but the   
greatest ,necessity would put me upon   
it2 and even then ,i should resign   it 
with the utmost ,reluctance4 ,he        
observed1 the ,parliament had given a   
handsome ,premium for a quack ,medecine2
  he doubted not1 if my ,affair   was   
properly brought before the ,house of   
,commons1 but some ,regard   would be   
paid to it2 ,i replyed1 ,i durst not    
presume to petition the   ,house1 unless
 encouraged by some of the ,members1 who
 might do me the   ,honor to promote it1
 of which ,i saw not the least hopes or 
,probability4     ,thus ,s ,i have taken
 the ,liberty of laying before ,you my  
,affairs1   without the least           
,aggravation2  humbly hope ,your        
,patronage2 ,to whom   can ,i apply for 

protection but the ,great1 who alone    
have it in their   ,power to serve me8  
,i rely on your ,candor as a ,lover of  
the ,arts2 to excuse this   ,presumption
 in                                     
,y most obedient                        
and most humble ,servant                
,,john ,,baskerville     ,,ps4 ,the     
folding of the ,specimens will be taken 
out by laying them a   short time       
between damped ,papers4 ,,nb4 the ,ink1 
,presses1 ,chases1 ,moulds   for casting
  all the apparatus for printing were   
made in my own ,shops4    ,this letter  
is interesting as showing not only the  
embarrassments under  which ,baskerville
 labored1 but the relation which existed
 between the  type-founder and printer  
and the member of ,parliament at that   
time4  ,baskerville was a ,british      
tradesman1 and dearly loved anybody that
 was  in power4 ,nothing came of this   
letter4 ,i cannot ascertain that        
,walpole  paid any attention to it4     
,baskerville then went to ,paris to     

endeavor  to sell his letter-founding   
and printing establishment4 ,he asked   
#hjjj1 which was declined as being too  
much4 ,negotiations were again  renewed1
 in #agfe1 through the medium of        
,franklin1 who was in ,paris1  and the  
price was reduced to #fjjj4 ,but        
,franklin wrote that the ,french        
government was too poor to buy it2 that 
they had not money enough  to keep their
 public buildings in repair1 and so     
nothing came of the  attempt to sell    
during ,baskerville's life4 ,upon his   
death his widow  advertised the business
 for sale1 and stated at the same time  
that she  continued the business of     
letter-founding in all parts4           
,apparently she  received no offer1 and 
on ,december #aa1 #agge1 she advertised 
all the  printing material for sale at  
auction on the third of ,january1 #aggf1
  saying that it consisted of 8,four    
accurate improved ,printing ,presses2   
several large ,founts of ,type1         
different ,sizes2 with ,cases1 ,frames1 

screwed ,chases1 and every other useful 
,apparatus in that ,branch of  ,trade40 
,for some reason this auction was       
postponed until ,april #a1 when  a few  
founts of type were sold4 ,apparently   
the printers were afraid of  the popular
 prejudice against ,baskerville's type4 
,it was then suggested by ,dr4 ,harwood1
 the distinguished bibliographer1  that 
the nation should purchase the types as 
a nucleus of a national  typography1    
which he wished to see established4     
,unfortunately his  efforts came to     
nothing1 and then ,mrs4 ,baskerville    
advertised the types  for sale again1   
saying that she would 8conform to sell  
them at the same  ,prices with other    
,letter founders40 ,only one purchaser  
appears to have  embraced this offer1   
,mr4 ,james ,bridgewater1 who printed an
 edition  of ,hervey's 8,meditations0   
8with a new type cast on purpose by     
,mrs4  ,baskerville40 ,having exhausted 
all efforts to sell the type in         
,england1  ,sarah ,baskerville1 in      

#aggi1 sold it for #cgjj to a ,french   
society1  which was founded by          
,beaumarchais for the purpose of buying 
the type  and printing a complete       
edition of ,voltaire4 ,as1 however1     
nearly  half of ,voltaire's works were  
prohibited in ,france at that time1 and 
frequently editions were burned1 and men
 who bought and read them were  sent to 
prison1 it was found necessary to       
establish the printing-press  at ,kehl1 
near ,strassburg1 in a deserted fort4   
,toward the end of #aghj  proposals     
appeared and were secretly circulated   
through ,france1 and two  years later   
proposals in ,english were distributed  
openly in ,england4  ,finally1 after    
repeated delays from various causes1 the
 edition of  #ae1jjj copies was printed 
in #aghi4 ,of these only #bjjj copies   
found  subscribers1 and the entire      
enterprise was a financial disaster4    
,perhaps the greatest compliment paid to
 the memory of ,baskerville was  this   
edition of the works of ,voltaire4 ,the 

,kehl ,press was finally  broken up     
about #ahaj1 although before that time  
some of the type was  sent to ,paris and
 sold4 ,this is shown by the fact that  
certain books  printed in ,paris between
 #agij and #ahjf were printed with      
,baskerville's  type1 and an            
advertisement of the sale of            
,baskerville type1 printed  with the    
types themselves in black and red1 which
 is in the possession  of the           
,merrymount ,press1 ,boston1 was issued 
early in the nineteenth  century4 ,this 
begins3 8,the store-room of the ,foundry
 of ,baskerville1  which presents to    
printers a new resource in this art1    
contains the  types hereafter           
mentioned10 and closes as follows3 8,we 
will send out  a sample of proofs of    
said types1 with their price1 while we  
are  completing a ,specimen or ,book of 
,proofs of all that the ,foundry of     
,baskerville contains40    ,reed also   
calls attention to four works of        
,alfieri1 all bearing the  imprint1     

dalla ,tipografia di ,kehl1 co'         
caratteri di ,baskerville1 and  dated   
severally #aghf1 #agie1 #ahjj1 and      
#ahji4 ,these trace the survival  of the
 ,baskerville types to a date twenty    
years later than that at  which they are
 commonly supposed to have perished4    
8,it is to be  hoped10 says ,reed1 8that
 their discovery may in due time reward 
the  patience of those whose ambition it
 is to recover for their native  land   
these precious relics of the most       
brilliant of all the ,english           
letter-founders40#ci ,it is impossible  
to say precisely what became  of the    
,baskerville founts which had gone to   
,france1 but so late as  #ahia1 a book  
appeared in ,france professedly printed 
en ,caractre  ,baskerville du xviii     
sicle4 ,this may be a contemporary      
,french copy  of ,baskerville's work4   
,the last book printed in ,england with 
the  ,baskerville imprint and with his  
types was a reprint of ,berners's       
8,treatyse of ,fysshinge wyth an        

,angle10 published by ,pickering in     
#ahbg4    ,william ,martin1 who cut the 
types for the famous ,shakespeare ,press
  of ,boydell and ,nicol1 acquired his  
first knowledge of the art of           
type-founding at the ,baskerville1      
,birmingham1 ,foundry4 ,he produced  the
 founts of type from which the works of 
the ,shakespeare ,press were  printed1  
and1 regarded simply as type-specimens1 
the productions of  the ,shakespeare    
,press justify his reputation as a      
worthy disciple of  his great master1   
,baskerville4 ,his ,roman and ,italic   
types were cut in  decided imitation of 
the famous ,birmingham models2 although 
,hansard  points out with disapproval   
that in certain particulars he attempted
  unwisely to vary the design4 8,as to  
the type10 he says1 8the modern  artist1
 ,mr4 ,martin1 has made an effort to cut
 the ceriphs and hair  strokes          
excessively sharp and fine2 the long  is
 discarded1 and some  trifling changes  
are introduced2 but the letter does not 

stand so true  or well in line as       
,baskerville's1 and1 as to the ,italic1 
the ,birmingham  artist will be found to
 far excel40#dj    ,when1 on the #beth  
day of ,march1 #aggi1 ,charles          
,whittingham was  apprenticed to learn  
8the art and mysteries of printing1     
bookbinding  and stationery10 the 8art  
and mysteries of printing0 had very much
  fallen into decay in ,england4 ,only  
one man1 ,john ,baskerville1 seemed to  
have had the ambition1 the skill1 or the
 courage to make the business  anything 
better than a plain trade4 ,even he1    
with money at his command1  after six   
years of experiment and ten years of    
production1 abandoned  his attempt to   
create an ,english taste for fine       
printing4 ,he produced  books that      
astonished people who were sufficiently 
interested to  examine them1 and        
delighted the smaller number who        
purchased them1  but when one went into 
the manufacture of paper1 type1 and all 
the  apparatus of printing1 it was not  

enough that he should be called one  of 
the best printers of the world1 he      
needed profit4 ,the fact was  that      
,english people did not concern         
themselves with ,baskerville's          
enterprise in printing because they knew
 little1 and cared less1 about  fine    
printing4 ,the young ,whittingham1 who  
was learning his trade at  ,coventry as 
an apprentice1 undoubtedly heard of     
,baskerville's strange  hazard at       
,birmingham1 which was only a few miles 
away4 ,a tradition  survives that he saw
 some of ,baskerville's admirable       
volumes and  conceived an ambition to   
excel in the same direction4 ,it is     
probable  that ,whittingham went from   
,coventry to ,birmingham when he was    
free of  his apprenticeship1 and studied
 at the famous ,baskerville ,press1     
which  was then in existence4 ,however  
that may be1 he went to ,london and set 
up a press in a garret in ,dean ,street1
 ,fetter ,lane1 hence the ,chiswick     
,press and the productions of           

,pickering4    ,baskerville considered  
the title-page to be a part of the book 
which  required the most painstaking    
care1 and he certainly produced a series
  of title-pages that have never been   
excelled4 ,it had been the custom  to   
crowd as much information about the book
 as possible upon the  title-page4 ,on  
the other hand1 ,baskerville endeavored 
to make his  title-pages as concise as  
possible1 and wherever a long title was 
necessary1 as it was in the ,prayer     
,books1 he so chose the type and  spaced
 the lines that there was no fault to be
 found4 ,the title-page  to his ,bible  
is probably the most beautiful of them  
all1 although the  title-page to the    
,new ,testament is even more simple than
 the title-page  to the book itself4 ,it
 is a beautiful page and fine printing1 
without  a superfluous line or an       
irritating decoration4 ,it is a relief  
to turn  from the crowded and rubricated
 red-line title-pages of the period to  
the restful simplicity of the           

title-pages of ,baskerville4    ,and yet
 the master of the art of printing in   
the twentieth century  wrote of         
,baskerville's title-pages as follows3  
8,there was then and  there is now a    
rule obeyed by many printers that the   
main display line  of a title must      
always be a full line4 ,if the letters  
are too few  the type must be widely    
spaced and one or more of these lines   
must  fill the measure4 ,no printer     
observed this rule more rigidly than    
,baskerville4 ,not only in his edition  
of ,catullus1 but in his quarto         
editions of ,virgil1 ,juvenal1 and      
,persius1 the letters of the titles  are
 spread over the page as if they had    
been dislocated by explosion4  ,even in 
the title-page of his ,book of ,common  
,prayer1 for which he  laid out more    
lines of display than could be          
gracefully put upon the  page with a    
needed relief of white space1 the       
letters in some lines  are wedged widely
 apart in a useless attempt to give the 

lines the  desired prominence4 ,it is a 
handbill1 not a title40#da ,he should   
have  reproduced the title-page of the  
,new ,testament as an answer to this    
harsh criticism4    ,in the early days1 
a printer's type was his own4 ,he made  
it and used  it4 ,he did not sell it4   
,english-cast types did not become a    
marketable  ware for more than a century
 after printing was introduced into     
,england4 ,as late as #agii1 it was the 
statute law in ,england that no  one    
should be allowed to possess or use a   
printing-press or types for  printing   
without giving notice to a justice of   
the peace and obtaining  a certificate1 
and any justice of the peace might issue
 a warrant to  search any premises and  
seize any press or printing-types not   
thus  certificated4 ,this remained the  
law with regard to type-founding  until 
#ahfi2 but happily the law was not      
enforced1 except for a few  years after 
it was passed4 ,printers received       
patents and monopolies  for printing    

certain books4 ,the result was great    
degeneracy in the  quality of printing4 
,a privileged printer1 sure of his      
monopoly1 had  no inducement to execute 
good work at more cost or pains than was
  necessary4 ,old type would do as well 
as new1 and bad type as well  as good4  
,the typography of the whole ,stuart    
period is a disgrace to  ,english       
art4#db    ,printing in ,england in the 
early part of the eighteenth century was
  in a sorry state4 ,official           
broadsides1 political pamphlets1 works  
of  literature1 and even ,bibles show a 
depression and degeneration so  marked  
that one is tempted to believe the art  
of printing was rapidly  becoming lost  
in a wilderness of what may be termed   
8,brown sheets and  sorry letter40 ,no  
foundry was contributing anything       
towards the revival  of good printing1  
with the exception of the ,oxford       
,university1 and  ,oxford owed its      
founts to gifts procured mainly from    
abroad4 ,scarcely  one good piece of    

printing was the impression of ,english 
type1 and  even the ,scotch printers    
were rebuked for not stocking their     
cases  with ,dutch type4 ,tonson1 the   
foremost ,english printer1 is said on   
one  occasion to have lodged in         
,amsterdam while a founder there was    
casting  him #cjj worth of type4 ,james1
 the only ,english founder who showed   
any  vitality1 owed his success chiefly1
 if not entirely1 to the fact that  all 
his letters were the product of ,dutch  
matrices1 and even these1 in  his hands1
 were so indifferently cast as to be    
often as bad as ,english  type4 ,how far
 this decline was due to the printer or 
the founder1 or  how far both were the  
result of that system of ,star ,chamber 
decrees1  monopolies1 patents1          
restraints1 and privileges which        
characterized the  illiberal days of the
 ,stuarts1 it is impossible to say1 but 
the fact is  that ,english typography   
was in a very bad way4    ,william      
,caslon1 a gunsmith's apprentice1 made  

the first attempt1 about  #agbj1 to     
found ,english type1 and in #agcj his   
types were very much used4  ,but the    
condition of printing was still anything
 but satisfactory2  and although under  
the influence of ,caslon's genius the   
press was  recovering from the reproach 
under which it lay at the beginning of  
the century1 ,england was still very far
 behind her neighbors both in           
typographical enterprise and            
achievement4 ,fine printing was unknown4
  ,once more it was left to an outsider 
to initiate a new departure2 and  in    
#agej the art of printing found its     
deliverer in the person of an  eccentric
 ,birmingham japanner1 ,baskerville4 ,to
 him is due the honor of  the first real
 stride towards a higher level of       
national typography2 an  example which  
became the incentive to that outburst of
 enthusiasm--that  8matrix and puncheon 
mania10 as ,dibdin terms it--8which     
brought forth  the series of splendid   
typographical productions with which the

  eighteenth century closed and the     
nineteenth century opened40    ,the     
magnificent works which between #agei   
and #aggb continued to issue  from his  
press not only confirmed him in his     
reputation1 but raised  his name to a   
unique position among the modern        
improvers of the art4  ,the paper1 the  
type1 and the general execution of his  
works were such  as ,english readers had
 not been accustomed to1 while the      
disinterested  enthusiasm with which1   
regardless of profit1 he pursued his    
ideal1  fully merited the eulogy of the 
printer-poet who wrote3        8,o      
,,baskerville6 the anxious wish was     
thine      ,utility with beauty to      
combine2      ,to bid the o'erweening   
thirst of gain subside2                 
,improvement all thy care and all thy   
pride2      ,when ,,birmingham--for     
riots and for crimes      ,shall meet   
the long reproach of future times1      
,then shall she find amongst our honor'd
 race1      ,one name to save her entire

 disgrace40    ,straus and ,dent say of 
him3 8,baskerville is the ,english      
representative  of that ,renaissance of 
printing which in a measure helps to    
distinguish  the second half of the     
eighteenth century4 ,it needs but small 
bias to  place him above that trio of   
artists--,didot in ,paris1 ,bodoni at   
,parma1  ,ibarra at ,madrid4            
,baskerville has been called the        
,english ,bodoni1  but it would perhaps 
be fairer to say that ,bodoni is the    
,italian  ,baskerville4 ,his work cannot
 compare in bulk with that of the other 
masters1 but we have his reasons for    
confining his efforts to so small  an   
outlay4 ,the subtle splendor of his work
 grants it a corner by itself  in the   
world's book-shelf2 his own peculiar    
genius is stamped upon  almost every one
 of his productions4 ,the types         
themselves were cut  upon principles    
which might well be followed to-day by  
those who would  introduce into their   
making a geometrical exactitude4        

,whatever may  have been the popular    
dislike of his work in ,england at the  
time1 there  can be no question that he 
has had a lasting influence upon all    
work of  the kind after his day4        
,printers and type-founders alike are   
indebted  to his inventive genius40     
99       99       99       99       99  
,baskerville made his will ,january #f1 
#aggc1 writing it with his own  hand4   
,as near as can be ascertained1 it      
disposed of about #ab1jjj4  ,he gave    
#bjjj to discharge a settlement made    
before marriage to his  wife4 ,he also  
gave her #bjjj to be paid out of his    
book accounts1  stock in trade1 etc4 ,he
 gave #ejj to his 8little favorite10    
being the  granddaughter of his wife1 if
 she lived to be twenty-one years old2  
if not1 the #ejj to his wife4 ,he gave  
#adjj in trust to pay to the  children  
of his nieces1 8to become payable on the
 day of my wife's  future marriage1     
which if she choose ,i wish her happy   
equal to her  merit1 but if she         

continues a widow the last mentioned    
legacies are  entirely void40 ,he gave  
#ejj to the ,protestant ,dissenting     
,charity  ,school in ,birmingham towards
 erecting a commodious building4        
,then follows that portion of the will  
which ,dr4 ,chalmers deemed too         
indecent to print3 8,my further will    
pleasure is and ,i ,hearby ,declare     
that the ,device of ,goods  ,chattles as
 ,above is upon this ,express           
,condition that my ,wife in ,concert    
with my ,ex do ,cause my ,body to be    
,buried in a ,conical ,building in my   
own premises1 ,heartofore used as  a    
mill which ,i have lately ,raised       
,higher and painted and in a vault      
which ,i have prepared for ,it4 ,this   
,doubtless to many may appear a ,whim   
perhaps ,it is so--,but is a whim for   
many years ,resolve'd upon as ,i  have a
 ,hearty ,contempt of all ,superstition 
the ,farce of a ,consecrated  ,ground   
the ,irish ,barbarism of ,sure and      
,certain ,hopes c4 ,i also  consider    

,revelation as ,it is call'd ,exclusive 
of the ,scraps of ,morality  casually   
,intermixt with ,it to be the most      
,impudent ,abuse of ,common  ,sense     
which ,ever was ,invented to ,befool    
,mankind4 ,i ,expect some srewd  ,remark
 will be made on this my ,declaration by
 the ,ignorant  ,bigotted  who cannot   
,distinguish between ,religion          
,superstition and are ,taught  to       
,believe that morality 7by which ,i     
understand all the ,duties a man  ows to
 ,god and his fellow ,creatures7 is not 
,sufficient to entitle him  to ,divine  
favour with professing to believe as    
they ,call ,it ,ceartain  ,absurd       
,doctrines  mysteries of which they have
 no more ,conception than  a ,horse4    
,this ,morality ,alone ,i profess to    
have been my ,religion and  the ,rule of
 my ,actions1 to which ,i appeal how far
 my profession and  practice have ,been 
,consistant40    ,and finally he gave to
 his executors each 8#f ,guineas to ,buy
 a ,ring  which ,i hope they will       

,consider as a ,keepsake40    ,some time
 before his death1 being consulted by   
friends1 who were aware  of his         
opinions1 as to how he would be buried1 
,baskerville said they  could 8bury him 
sitting1 standing or lying1 but he did  
not think they  could bury him          
flying40#dc    ,he was buried in the    
conical building1 previously used as a  
mill1 which  he had raised higher and   
painted1 and in a vault which he had    
prepared1  at ,easy ,hill4 ,the epitaph1
 written by himself1 runs as follows3   
,,stranger--              ,,beneath     
,,this ,,cone ,,in ,,unconscrated 7sic7 
,,ground                    ,a ,,friend 
,,to ,,the ,,liberties ,,of ,,mankind   
,,directed ,,his ,,body ,,to ,,be       
,,inhum',d             ,,may ,,the      
,,example ,,contribute ,,to ,,emancipate
 ,,thy ,,mind                    ,,from 
,,the ,,idle ,,fears ,,of ,,superstition
                     ,,and ,,the        
,,wicked ,,arts ,,of ,,priesthood       
,when ,baskerville ,house was sold to a 

,mr4 ,ryland in #aghi1 the owner  did   
not disturb the body1 and it remained   
for nearly fifty years in  comparative  
peace4 ,during the ,birmingham riots of 
#agia1 ,baskerville  ,house was stormed1
 sacked1 gutted1 and burned4 ,it was    
not1 however1  until alterations were   
made on the property for business       
purposes that  ,baskerville's coffin was
 removed1 and taken to a warehouse1     
where it  remained for some time subject
 to visits from the curious1 and even   
to scientific observations of the       
condition of the body4 ,mr4 ,ryland1    
ascertaining that a show was made of the
 remains1 insisted that they  should be 
suitably interred1 and ,mr4 ,marston1 in
 whose shop the coffin  had been placed1
 applied to the rector of ,st4 ,philip's
 for permission  to bury the body there4
 ,this was refused on account of        
,baskerville's  atheism1 when ,mr4      
,knott1 the bookseller1 said that he had
 a vault in  ,christ's ,church1 and     
should consider it an honor to have     

,baskerville's  remains rest there1 and 
they were there placed about #ahbi4     
,even  here ,baskerville's body did not 
rest permanently1 for the necessary     
extension of ,birmingham caused         
,christ's ,church to be demolished1 and 
his remains1 which should have been     
placed in ,st4 ,philip's ,church  by the
 side of his wife1 being again refused  
interment there by the  rector1 were    
placed in one of the catacombs of the   
,church of ,england  ,cemetery at       
,warstone ,lane4 ,and so1 finally1 after
 being turned out  of the garden at     
,easy ,hill for a canal-wharf1 exposed  
to neglect and  ignominy in a plumber's 
warehouse1 interred by stealth in the   
vaults  of ,christ's ,church1 and then  
again removed by the march of business1 
,baskerville's bones at last found      
permanent rest in a quiet cemetery of   
the ,church of ,england4 ,it is in a    
spot remote1 not easily discoverable1   
and where few are likely to see the     
stone1 which has been transferred       

thither from ,christ's ,church4 ,the    
inscription upon it reads as follows3   
,,in ,,this ,,catacomb ,,rests ,,the    
,,remains ,,of                          
,,john ,,baskerville                    
,,the ,,famous ,,printer                
,,he ,,died ,,in #agge1 ,,but ,,the     
,,place ,,of ,,his ,,burial             
,,was ,,unknown ,,until                 
,,april #ab1 #ahic1 ,,when ,,the        
,,opening ,,of ,,the                    
,,unregistered ,,catacomb ,,no4 #eba    
,,discovered ,a ,,coffin1 ,,which ,,on  
,,further                 ,,examination 
,,was ,,found ,,to ,,contain ,,his      
,,body    ,what is it that makes the    
life and work of this middle-aged1 vain1
  and silly ,birmingham ,englishman     
interesting to us8 ,why do we collect   
his imprints1 and why do we talk about  
him8 ,i think it is because he  had the 
true artistic vision and courage4 ,he   
conceived the idea of a  perfect book1  
such as had not been printed in         
,england4 ,he did not grow  into it4 ,he

 did not make one book1 and then a      
better one1 and then a  better one1     
until at last he achieved the beautiful 
book4 ,he conceived  the book as an     
artist conceives a statue before he     
strikes a blow with  his chisel into the
 marble4 ,it was wonderful that he      
should have done  so4 ,he had grown up  
in a manufacturing and mercantile       
business1 making  japan work for sale1  
and profiting by its sale4 ,most men    
never get  out of the work and of the   
ideas of the work which they do until   
they  are fifty years of age4 ,he did4  
,why was it8 ,i think1 as ,i have said1 
it was because he had an artistic       
perception and conceived the thing      
which he was to do1 and adhered to his  
conception4 ,everything shows  that he  
wrought in the true artistic spirit3    
having conceived the thing  to be done1 
he proceeded to do it4 ,all his work was
 executed upon a  hand-press4 ,his      
printing-office was what we should call 
a private  printing-office in his house4

 ,he cut the type2 he made the ink and  
improved the press2 he devised the      
paper2 and from start to finish  the    
work was his4 ,everybody who will do    
better work than anybody else  must have
 this spirit and conception of the work 
he proposes1 and must  adhere to it1 or 
he will not produce perfect work4 ,it is
 this that  makes ,baskerville          
interesting to us1 and makes the        
productions of his  little private press
 treasures in the world of art4         
,,footnotes3    #a ,birmingham and the  
,midland ,hardware ,district1 pages     
#baa1 #bba4    #b ,autobiography of     
,alexander ,carlyle1 ,d4,d4    #c       
,hutton's ,history of ,birmingham       
7#aghc71 page #ij4    #d ,gough's       
,british ,topography 7#aghj71 volume ii1
 page #cjf4    #e ,hutton's ,history of 
,birmingham1 page #ij4    #f ,frivolous4
    #g ,testy4    #h ,mark ,noble1 who  
was born in ,birmingham in #aged4 ,his  
father  sold beads1 knives1 toys1 etc41 
to the slave traders4 ,in #agha he  was 

presented to two 8starvation livings10  
as he called them1 in  ,warwickshire4   
,he divided his interests then among his
 congregation1  his books1 and his farm4
 ,his writings were those of an         
imperfectly  educated1 vulgar-minded    
man4 ,his ignorance of ,english grammar 
and composition rendered his books hard 
to read and occasionally                
unintelligible1 while the moral         
reflections with which they abounded    
were puerile4 7,dictionary of ,national 
,biography47    #i ,chambers's          
,biographical ,illustrations4    #aj    
,edward ,rowe ,mores was a crusty1      
crabbed clergyman1 who collected        
different founts of types1 and obtained 
much information upon the  subject of   
type-founding4 ,he printed eighty copies
 of the book quoted  above1 and ,nichols
 bought the whole of them4 ,see         
,nichols's ,literary  ,anecdotes1 volume
 v1 page #chi4    #aa ,the ,bookhunter  
7#ahhe71 page #fg4    #ab ,reed's ,old  
,english ,letter ,foundries1 pages #bfi1

 #bga1 #bgg1 #bgi4    #ac ,dent and     
,straus1 ,john ,baskerville1 page #fd4  
#ad ,autobiography of ,alexander        
,carlyle1 ,d4,d4    #ae ,straus1 ,robert
 ,dodsley1 page #bgb4    #af ,dictionary
 of ,national ,biography4    #ag        
,straus1 ,robert ,dodsley1 pages #bai1  
#bgc4    #ah ,lettres indites de        
,voltaire 7#aheg71 page #bed4    #ai    
,reed's ,old ,english ,letter ,foundries
 7#ahhb74    #bj ,hansard's ,typographia
 7#ahbe71 page #caa4    #ba ,hansard's  
,typographia1 page #gbc4    #bb ,ibid41 
page #gag4    #bc ,reed's ,old ,english 
,letter ,foundries1 page #bgf4    #bd   
,macaulay's ,history of ,england1 volume
 ii4    #be ,harwood's ,classics1 page  
#agb4    #bf ,hansard's ,typographia1   
page #caa4    #bg ,dibdin's ,library    
,companion1 page #gaf4    #bh ,dibdin's 
,library ,companion 7#ahbe71 page #dg4  
#bi ,dibdin's ,library ,companion1 page 
#fac4    #cj ,straus1 ,robert ,dodsley1 
pages #bhi-bib4    #ca ,baskerville's   
work was greatly admired on the         

,continent1  especially in ,france4 ,he 
was paid several very handsome          
compliments in  ,pierre ,didot's 8ptre  
sur les ,progrs de l',imprimerie10      
published in  ,paris in #aghd2 and in   
the notes to the poem attention is given
 to his  method of printing and to his  
glossy paper1--8qui fatigue la vue40 ,to
  make such paper1 says ,didot rather   
loftily1 8is not a secret1 and if it    
ever becomes one1 will not be worth     
finding out40 ,this opinion did not1    
however1 prevent the ,didots from       
attempting to imitate it4    #cb        
,dibdin's ,greek and ,latin ,classics   
7#ahbg71 vol4 ii1 pages #eee et  seq4   
#cc ,harwood's ,classics1 page #agf4    
,see also ,dibdin's ,classics1 volume   
ii1 page #aaa4    #cd ,dibdin's ,library
 ,companion1 page #gff4    #ce          
,hansard's ,typographia1 page #caa4     
#cf ,horne's ,an ,introduction to the   
,study of ,bibliography1 vol4 i1  page  
#bec4    #cg ,bibliography of ,printing1
 page #cg4    #ch ,fitzgerald's ,the    

,book ,fancier1 page #gg4    #ci ,reed's
 ,old ,english ,letter ,foundries1 pages
 #bhf1 #bhg4    #dj ,ibid41 page #ccb4  
#da ,theodore ,low ,de ,vinne's         
,title-,pages as seen by a ,printer     
7#aija71  pages #aed1 #aee4    #db      
,reed's ,old ,english ,letter           
,foundries1 pages #acd1 #acf4    #dc    
,secular ,review1 ,september #h1 #ahgg4 
,,finis                                 
,,baskerville ,,editions                
,,in ,,the ,,collection ,,of ,j4 ,h4    
,,benton                                
,,collection                            
,,of ,j4 ,h4 ,,benton1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4      
,numbers refer to ,straus and ,dent's   
,bibliography                           
,,baskerville ,,editions     ,no4       
,date                     ,title        
#g4     #ageg4   ,,virgil4 ,opera4      
,royal #dto4 ,plates by ,hollar4        
,map inserted4       #h4     #ageg4     
,,virgil4 ,opera4 ,royal #dto4 ,extra   
illustrated4      #ae4     #ageh4       
,,milton4 ,paradise ,lost4 ,imperial    

#hvo4      #ag4     #ageh4   ,,milton4  
,paradise ,regain'd1 ,imperial #hvo4    
#bj4     #ageh4   ,,huckell4 ,avon4     
#dto4 ,sig4 ,k#b printed #b,k4      #bb4
     #agei4   ,,milton4 ,paradise ,lost4
 #dto4      #bc4     #agei4   ,,milton4 
,paradise ,regain'd4 #dto4      #ca4    
#agfj4   ,,book ,,of ,,common ,,prayer4 
,long lines without borders4            
,imperial #hvo4 ,finely executed        
painting on the                         
fore-edge4 ,price erased4      #cb4     
#agfj4   ,,book ,,of ,,common ,,prayer4 
,long lines with borders4               
,imperial #hvo4      #ch4     #agfj4    
,,mallet4 ,edwin and ,emma4 ,royal #dto4
      #dj4     #agfa4   ,,book ,,of     
,,common ,,prayer4 ,double column       
without                    borders4     
,imperial #hvo4      #dc4     #agfa4    
,,book ,,of ,,common ,,prayer4 ,long    
lines with borders4                     
,imperial #hvo4      #dd4     #agfa4    
,,sop4 ,fables4 #hvo4      #de4         
#agfa4   ,,juvenal ,,and ,,persius4     

,satyrae4 ,royal #dto4 ,two copies1     
#b;d copy has plates by ,hollar         
inserted4      #df4     #agfa4          
,,congreve4 ,works4 #c vols4 ,imperial  
#hvo4      #dh4     #agfa4   ,,addison4 
,works4 #d vols4 ,royal #dto4 ,two      
copies1 one                      not    
trimmed and in original boards4         
#eb4     #agfb4   ,,book ,,of ,,common  
,,prayer4 ,long lines without borders4  
,imperial #hvo4      #ed4     #agfb4    
,,book ,,of ,,common ,,prayer4 ,double  
column without                          
borders4 #abmo4 ,two copies1 each with  
,psalms                      bound in4  
,see ,nos4 #ee1 #ef4      #ee4          
#agfb4   ,,sternhold ,,and ,,hopkins4   
,psalms in ,metre4 #abmo4               
,bound at end of larger copy of ,no4    
#ed4      #ef4     #agfb4   ,,tate ,,and
 ,,brady4 ,psalms4 #abmo4 ,bound at end 
of                      smaller copy of 
,no4 #ed4      #ei4     #agfb4          
,,horace4 ,opera4 #abmo4      #fe4      
#agfc4   ,,holy ,,bible4 ,cambridge4    

,imperial folio4      #fi4     #agfd4   
,,jennings4 ,on ,medals4 #hvo4      #ga4
     #agfe4   ,,barclay4 ,apology4      
,royal #dto4      #ge4     #agff4       
,,virgil4 ,works4 ,by ,r4 ,andrews4 ,in 
,english4 ,imperial                     
#hvo4      #gh4     #agff4   ,,virgil4  
,opera4 #hvo4 ,no frontispiece4         
#hf4     #aggj4   ,,horace4 ,opera4     
,royal #dto4 ,manuscript errata         
inserted4      #ij4     #aggb4          
,,lucretius4 ,de rerum natura4 ,royal   
#dto4      #ia4     #aggb4   ,,catullus4
 ,opera4 ,royal #dto4      #ib4         
#aggb4   ,,catullus4 ,opera4 #abmo4     
#ic4     #aggb4   ,,terence4 ,comoediae4
 ,royal #dto4      #id4     #aggb4      
,,terence4 ,comoediae4 #abmo4      #ih4 
#aggc4   ,,ariosto4 ,orlando ,furioso4  
#d vols4 ,imperial #hvo4                
,errata in vol4 #d4      #ii4     #aggc4
   ,,ariosto4 ,orlando ,furioso4 #d     
vols4 ,imperial #hvo4                   
,corrections in text4     #ajb4         
#aggc4   ,,shaftesbury4                 

,characteristics4 #c vols4 ,imperial    
#hvo4     #ajd4     #aggc4              
,,lucretius4 ,de rerum natura4 #abmo4   
,two copies4     #aje4     #aggc4       
,,sallustius4 ,opera4 ,royal #dto4      
#aji4     #aggd4   ,,sallustius4 ,opera4
 #abmo4      ,,university ,,press1      
,,oxford     #aac4     #agfc4   ,,new   
,,testament1 ,,greek4 ,imperial #hvo4   
#fgf pages4      ,,sarah ,,baskerville  
#aaf4     #aggg4   ,,horace4 ,opera4    
#abmo4 ,no dedication4      ,,robert    
,,martin     #aag4     #agfg4           
,,somervile4 ,the ,chase4 ,imperial     
#hvo4 ,this copy reads                  
8chace0 on page #dc4          ,,index   
,a     ,adam1 ,james1 #af4     ,addison1
 ,joseph1 works of1 printed1 #cd1 #df4  
,aesop's ,fables1 edition of1 #cd1 #df4 
,akenside1 ,mark1 #cf4     ,aldus       
,manutius4 ,see ,manutius1 ,aldus4      
,alfieri1 ,vittorio1 ,conte1 works of1  
printed with ,baskerville types1 #eb4   
,anderton1 ,william1 type-maker1 #ai4   
,ariosto1 edition of1 for the ,brothers 

,molini1 #da-db4       ,b     ,baldwin1 
,r41 ,london bookseller1 buys remainder 
of edition of    ,baskerville's ,bible1 
#ca4     ,banks1 ,sir ,joseph1 #af4     
,bartolozzi1 ,francesco1 #db4           
,baskerville1 ,john1 birth and death1   
#a2     settles in ,birmingham1 teaches 
writing and practises stone-cutting1 #b2
     builds up great trade in japanned  
ware1 #c1 #d1 #e1 #f1 #ai2     his      
estate1 ,easy ,hill1 #d-f2     ,high    
,bailiff of ,birmingham1 #f2     his    
dress1 #f1 #h1 #i2     his connection   
with ,mrs4 ,eaves1 marriage1 death of   
son1 #g2     his private character and  
habits1 #h-i2     lack of education1 #i1
 #aj2     general remarks and quotations
 on his character and work1 #aa-ai2     
probable origin of his interest in      
printing1 #ai2     his statement of his 
purpose to improve the arts of          
type-founding and      printing1 #bj-bb2
     his tribute to ,caslon1 #bj2       
his type-making1 #bb-bd1 #bg2           
construction of presses1 #bd2     his   

improvement of printing-ink1 #be-bf2    
his edition of ,virgil1 #bg-bi2       of
 ,milton1 #bi-cj2       of the ,bible1  
#cj-cb2       of the ,book of ,common   
,prayer1 #cb-cd2       of ,addison1 #cd2
       of ,aesop's ,fables1 #cd-ce2     
of ,rev4 ,john ,huckell's ,avon1 #ce2   
his prices1 #ce2     reasons of the     
financial failure of his printing       
business1 #ce-cf2     his ,greek type1  
cut for the ,university of ,oxford1     
#cf-cg2     notice of1 by ,dibdin1      
#cg-ci2     his quarto editions of the  
classics1 #ci-da2     prints ,ariosto1  
for the ,brothers ,molini1 #da-db2      
his paper-making1 #dc-de2     does      
little binding1 #de2     duration of his
 printing business1 #de2     books upon 
which his fame rests1 #de-df2     his   
influence upon the art of printing1     
#df-dg1 #eg-eh2     his efforts to sell 
his business1 #dh-ej2     these efforts 
continued by his widow1 #ea2     sale to
 a ,french society1 #ea2                
printing-press restablished at ,kehl1   

for printing of ,voltaire's      works1 
#eb2     business broken up and type    
scattered1 #eb-ec2     ,baskerville's   
title-pages1 #ed-ee2     provisions of  
his will1 #ei-fj2     his tomb and      
epitaph1 #fj1 #fa2     successive       
removals of his remains1 #fa-fb2        
inscription over last grave1 #fb2       
his artistic vision1 #fb-fc2     list of
 his works in collection of ,j4 ,h4     
,benton1 #fg-fi4     ,baskerville1      
,sarah1 wife of ,john1 #g1 #i2          
advertises her late husband's business  
for sale1 #ea2     sells to a ,french   
society1 #ea4     ,baskerville ,house4  
,see ,easy ,hill2 also ,smart1 ,mr4     
,beaumarchais1 ,pierre ,augustin ,caron 
de1 forms society for printing          
,voltaire's works with ,baskerville's   
types1 #ea4     ,bedford1 ,dr4 ,john1   
quoted1 #ab4     ,bensley1 ,thomas1 #ci4
     ,berners1 ,juliana1 her ,treatyse  
of ,fysshinge wyth an ,angle printed    
with    ,baskerville's types1 #ec4      
,bible1 edition of1 #e1 #ba1 #cj-cb1    

#df1 #di1 #ee4     ,birmingham1 in the  
early eighteenth century1 #a2     noted 
for freedom in religion and in industry1
 #a1 #b4     ,blanch1 ,augustin1 quoted1
 on ,baskerville's improvement in       
paper-making1    #dc4     ,boden1       
,nicholas1 #ah4     ,bodoni1            
,giambattista1 #eh4     ,bowyer1        
,william1 #ac2     criticises           
,baskerville's ,greek type1 #cf-cg4     
,boydell and ,nicol1 press of1 #ec4     
,bridgewater1 ,james1 buys some of      
,baskerville's type1 #ea4     ,brunet1  
,jacques ,charles1 #db4     ,bulmer1    
,william1 #ci4     ,burke1 ,edmund1 #cf4
     ,burton1 ,john ,hill1 quoted1 #ad1 
#ae4     ,bute1 ,lord4 ,see ,stuart1    
,john1 #c;d ,earl of ,bute4       ,c    
,cambridge1 ,university of4 ,see        
,university of ,cambridge4     ,carlyle1
 ,alexander1 describes visit to         
,baskerville1 #d1 #ae-af4     ,caslon1  
,samuel1 type-founder1 #ac1 #ai4        
,caslon1 ,william1 type-founder1 #ai1   
#eg2     ,baskerville's tribute to1 #bj4

     ,catullus1 edition of1 #ci1 #dj1   
#df1 #ee4     ,chambers1 ,john1 quoted1 
#h1 #i1 #aj4     ,chesterfield1 #dth    
,earl of4 ,see ,stanhope1 ,philip       
,dormer1 #dth ,earl of    ,chesterfield4
     ,chiswick ,press1 #ed4     ,cibber1
 ,colley1 #cf4     ,classics1           
,baskerville's quarto editions of1      
#ci-dj1 #da1 #df1 #ee4     ,clive1      
,robert1 ,lord ,clive1 #a4              
,colinaeus1 ,simon de1 #ch4     ,common 
,prayer1 ,book of1 #e1 #ba1 #cb-cd1 #df1
 #dh1 #di4     ,cooper1 ,sir ,anthony   
,ashley1 #c;d ,earl of ,shaftesbury1    
,baskerville's    edition of his        
,characteristics1 #ag4     ,cotton1 ,h41
 on ,baskerville's ,bible1 #cb4         
,culloden1 battle of1 #a4       ,d      
,darwin1 ,dr4 ,erasmus1 #af4     ,day1  
,thomas1 #af4     ,de ,vinne1 ,theodore 
,low1 quoted1 on ,baskerville's         
title-pages1 #ee4     ,dent1 ,robert ,k4
 ,see ,straus1 ,ralph1 and ,robert ,k4  
,dent4     ,derrick1 ,samuel1 quoted1   
#e1 #dc4     ,dibdin1 ,thomas ,f41      

quoted1 #aj1 #bh1 #cj1 #cb1 #cc-cd1     
#cg-ci1 #db1 #eg4     ,didot1 ,franois  
,ambroise1 #eh4     ,didot1 ,pierre1    
quoted1 on ,baskerville1 #ch n4         
,divine right of kings1 collapse of1 #a4
     ,dodsley1 ,james1 #bf4             
,dodsley1 ,robert1 his edition of       
,aesop's ,fables printed by             
,baskerville1     #e1 #cd1 #ce2         
,baskerville's acquaintance and         
correspondence with1 #g1 #af1 #ag1 #ah1 
#bb1      #bd1 #bf1 #bh2     business   
relations with1 #ce1da4     ,douglas1   
tragedy of1 #ae4       ,e     ,easy     
,hill1 ,baskerville's residence1 #d-f1  
#fa1 #fb4     ,eaves1 ,richard1 #g4     
,eaves1 ,sarah1 wife of ,richard4 ,see  
,baskerville1 ,sarah1 wife of ,john4    
,elzevir family1 #ch4     ,enamel1      
invention of1 #c4     ,english power in 
the ,east and in the ,new ,world1 #a4   
,epitaph1 #fa4       ,f     ,fitzgerald1
 ,percy ,hethrington1 quoted1 #dh4      
,florus1 edition of1 #ci1 #dj1 #df4     
,franklin1 ,benjamin1 #g1 #ag1 #bh1 #bi1

 #dh2     letters of1 on ,baskerville's 
work1 #ac-ad1 #de2     undertakes       
negotiations for ,baskerville with      
,french government1 #ej4     ,frederick 
the ,great1 #a4       ,g     ,galton1   
,samuel1 #af4     ,garbett1 ,samuel1    
#ae4     ,german ,empire1 foundation of1
 #a4     ,gilt buttons1 boxes1 etc41 #c4
     ,goldsmith1 ,oliver1 #cf4          
,gravelot1 ,hubert ,franois             
,bourguignon1 #dj1 #da4     ,gray1      
,thomas1 #cf4     ,greek type1 cut by   
,baskerville1 #cf-cg4     ,grignion1    
,charles1 #da4       ,h     ,handy1     
,john1 works for ,baskerville1 #bb4     
,hansard1 ,thomas ,curson1 gives recipe 
of ,baskerville's ink1 #be-bf2          
quoted1 on ,baskerville's edition of    
,milton1 #cj2     on his processes of   
work1 #df2     his criticism of         
,martin's types1 #ec4     ,harwood1     
,edward1 quoted1 on ,baskerville's      
edition of ,virgil1 #bh2       of       
,horace1 #da2     suggests that ,english
 nation should purchase ,baskerville's  

types1 #ea4     ,herschel1 ,sir         
,william1 #af4     ,hervey1 ,james1 his 
,meditations printed in ,baskerville    
type1 #ea4     ,hollar1 ,wenzel1 #ci4   
,home1 ,john1 #ae4     ,horace1 edition 
of1 #cc1 #ci1 #dj1 #df2     ,dr4        
,harwood's remarks on1 #da4     ,horne1 
,thomas ,hartwell1 quoted1 #dg4         
,hot-pressing1 ,baskerville's process   
of1 #bd-be1 #df4     ,huckell1 ,rev4    
,john1 his ,avon printed1 #ce4          
,hudibras1 ,baskerville's admiration    
for1 #ag-ah4     ,hutton1 ,william1 #aj2
     quoted1 #f1 #h1 #aa4       ,i      
,ibarra1 ,joachim1 #eh4     ,ink1       
printers'1 #be-bf4       ,j     ,james1 
,thomas1 type-founder1 #eg4             
,japanned ware1 #c1 #ai4     ,johnson1  
,dr4 ,samuel1 #bh1 #cf4     ,juvenal1   
edition of1 #ci1 #ee4       ,k          
,kehl1 printing-press at1 #eb4          
,kippis1 ,andrew1 #af1 #df4     ,knott1 
,jonathan1 #fa4       ,l     ,livie1    
,john1 edits ,horace1 for ,baskerville1 
#dj1 #da4     ,lowndes1 ,william        

,thomas1 on ,baskerville's ,bible1 #cb4 
,luckombe1 ,philip1 #bd4     ,lucretius1
 edition of1 #ci1 #dj1 #df4     ,luna   
,club1 ,birmingham1 #af4       ,m       
,macaulay1 ,thomas ,babington1 ,baron1  
quoted1 #bh4     ,manutius1 ,aldus1 #cg2
     ,baskerville compared to1 #ag1 #ch4
     ,marston1 ,mr41 of ,birmingham1    
#fa4     ,martin1 ,william1 type-cutter1
 disciple of ,baskerville1 #ec4         
,mazyck1 ,isaac1 #bh4     ,merrymount   
,press1 #eb4     ,middle classes1 rise  
of influence of1 #a4     ,milton1 ,john1
 edition of his ,paradise ,lost1 #aj-ab1
 #bj1 #ba1 #dc1 #df4     ,minden1 battle
 of1 #a4     ,molini ,brothers1 ,ariosto
 printed for1 by ,baskerville1 #da-db4  
,montreal1 capture1 by ,english1 #a4    
,mores1 ,edward ,rowe1 his abuse of     
,baskerville1 #aj1 #cg2     quoted1 #ab1
 #dd2     note upon1 #ab n4       ,n    
,newton1 ,thomas1 ,bp4 of ,bristol1 #ba4
     ,nichols1 ,john1 quoted1 #ab2      
printer and author1 #ac4     ,noble1    
,mark1 his description of ,baskerville1 

#i2     sketch of1 #i n4     ,norris1   
,isaac1 #bi4       ,o     ,orlando      
,furioso1 #db1 #df4     ,oxford1        
,university of4 ,see ,university of     
,oxford4       ,p     ,palmer1 ,samuel1 
#bd4     ,paper1 ,baskerville's         
manufacture of1 #dc-de4     ,paradise   
,lost1 #aj-aa1 #bj4     ,paterson1      
,samuel1 #i4     ,persius1 edition of1  
#ci1 #ee4     ,pickering1 ,william1 #ed2
     prints last ,english book with     
,baskerville's types1 #ec4     ,pine1   
,john1 #ci4     ,pitt1 ,william1 #ast   
,earl of ,chatham1 #a4     ,plantin1    
,christophel1 #ch4     ,plassey1 battle 
of1 #a4     ,ponce1 ,nicolas1 #ci4      
,pope1 ,alexander1 #cf4     ,prayer     
,book4 ,see ,common ,prayer1 ,book of4  
,printing1 in ,england1 in seventeenth  
and early eighteenth centuries1    #ef1 
#eg4     ,propertius1 edition of1 #dj4  
,protestant ,dissenting ,charity        
,school1 ,birmingham1 bequest of        
,baskerville    to1 #ei4     ,psalms1   
versions of1 printed by ,baskerville1   

#cb1 #dj4       ,r     ,reed1 ,talbot   
,baines1 quoted1 on ,baskerville's work1
 #ad1 #bi1 #cg1   #dg2       on survival
 of his types1 #eb1 #ec2       on       
,martin's types1 #ec4     ,robertson1   
,james ,craigie1 #ae4     ,rossbach1    
battle of1 #a4     ,ryland1 ,john1 #fa4 
,s     ,sallust1 edition of1 #ci1 #dj1  
#df4     ,shaftesbury1 #c;d ,earl of4   
,see ,cooper1 ,sir ,anthony ,ashley4    
,shakespeare ,press1 types used in1 #ec4
     ,shenstone1 ,william1 #cd1 #ce2    
,baskerville's acquaintance with1 #ag1  
#ah1 #bb2     quoted1 on ,baskerville's 
edition of ,horace1 #dj-da4     ,smart1 
,william1 bookseller at ,worcester1 buys
 ,baskerville prayer books1    #cc2     
builds house called 8,baskerville       
,house10 #cc4     ,snuff-boxes1 #c4     
,stanhope1 ,philip ,dormer1 #dth ,earl  
of ,chesterfield1 #cf4     ,stationers' 
,company1 payment to1 for permission to 
print the ,psalms1 #cb1    #dh1 #di4    
,stephen1 ,h41 #dd4     ,sternhold and  
,hopkins1 their version of the ,psalms  

printed by    ,baskerville1 #dj4        
,straus1 ,ralph1 quotation from his     
,robert ,dodsley1 showing relations of  
,dodsley and ,baskerville1 #af4         
,straus1 ,ralph1 and ,robert ,k4 ,dent1 
their memoir of ,baskerville1 quoted1   
#dc1 #eh4     ,stuart1 ,john1 #c;d ,earl
 of ,bute1 #da4       ,t     ,tate and  
,brady1 their version of the ,psalms    
printed by ,baskerville1 #dj4           
,taylor1 ,john1 carries on large        
business in japanned ware1 #c1 #d4      
,tedder1 ,henry ,r41 quoted1 #af4       
,terence1 edition of1 #ci1 #dj1 #df4    
,tibullus1 edition of1 #dj4             
,title-pages1 #ed-ee4     ,tonson1      
,jacob1 ,london bookseller1 employs     
,baskerville to print an    edition of  
,milton1 #ba1 #bh2     procures type in 
,amsterdam1 #eg4     ,type1             
,baskerville's process of making1       
#bc-bd4       ,u     ,university of     
,cambridge1 dealings of1 with           
,baskerville1 concerning    printing of 
,bible and ,prayer ,book1 #cb1 #cc1 #dh1

 #di4     ,university of ,oxford1       
,baskerville makes ,greek type for1     
#cf-cg4       ,v     ,viator            
7pseudonym71 quoted1 #aj-aa4            
,virgil1 editions of1 #bj1 #bc1 #bg-bi1 
#ci1 #dj1 #dc1 #dd1 #de1 #ee2           
subscribers to1 #bh4     ,voltaire1     
,franois ,marie ,arouet de1 ,baskerville
 compared to1 #i2     ,baskerville's    
admiration for1 #ah2     edition of his 
works in ,baskerville's types1 #ea-eb4  
,w     ,wale1 ,samuel1 #da4             
,walpole1 ,horace1 #cf2     letter of   
,baskerville to1 #dh-ej4     ,walpole1  
,sir ,robert1 #ast ,earl of ,orford1 #a1
 #ah4     ,warren1 ,mr41 quoted1 on     
,baskerville's ,aesop1 #cd4             
,wedgwood1 ,josiah1 #af4     ,wesley1   
,rev4 ,john1 #a4     ,whitefield1 ,rev4 
,george1 #a4     ,whittingham1 ,charles1
 printer1 #ci1 #ed4     ,withering1 ,dr4
 ,william1 #af4     ,worlidge1 ,thomas1 
#ci4       ,y     ,young1 ,edward1 #cf4 
,z     ,zatta1 ,antonio1 #db4           
,transcriber's ,notes    ,page #aj3     

8creature a an artist0 changed to       
8creature as an artist0