CHAPTER XIX.

MINOR FOUNDERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

SKINNER, _circ._ 1710.

This founder is mentioned by Mores as a contemporary of Robert Andrews and Head. Nothing, however, is known of his types.

DUMMERS, _circ._ 1734.

Mores says he was a Dutchman who founded in this country, where he cut the fount of Pica Samaritan which appears in Caslon’s Specimen of 1734.[719] He subsequently returned to his native country. Smith, in his _Printers’ Grammar_, after referring to the genius of Van Dijk, mentions Voskin and Dommer (_sic_) as having “been considered as two Worthies, for their abilities in their profession.” We append a specimen of the Samaritan fount:―

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JALLESON, _circ._ 1734.

This man appears to have served, in 1733, as punch cutter to Mr. R. Wetstein of Amsterdam, for whom he produced, amongst other founts, the accented Roman with which the Dutch East India Company printed their Malay Edition of the _Bible_ in that year. He came to London, and lived in the Old Bailey, where he attempted an economical way of multiplying founts by casting six different bodies of letter from three sets of punches, viz., Brevier and Long Primer from one set, Pica and English from another, Great Primer and Double Pica from a third. “Accordingly,” says Smith, “he charged his Brevier, Pica, and Great Primer with as full a face as their respective bodies would admit of, and, in order to make some alteration in the advancing founts, he designed to cut the ascending and descending letters to such a length as should show the extent of their different bodies. But though he had cast founts of the three minor sorts of letters, he did not bring the rest here to perfection.”[720]

While in England, “he printed the greatest part of a Hebrew _Bible_ with letter of his own casting; but was, by adverse fortune, obliged to finish the said work in Holland.” Jalleson’s system, though apparently unsuccessful at the time, was eventually adopted, to a certain extent, by English founders.

JACOB ILIVE, _circ._ 1730.

This eccentric individual was a connection of the James’s, his mother, Elizabeth, being the daughter of Thomas James, the printer, and consequently cousin to Thomas James, the founder.[721] His father was a printer resident in Aldersgate Street,[722] and his two brothers, Abraham and Isaac, also followed the same calling.

About the year 1730, he applied himself to letter-founding, and carried on a foundry and printing house together in Aldersgate Street over against Aldersgate Coffee-house, where he was resident in 1734.

“But, afterwards,” says Mores, “when _Calasio_[723] was to be reprinted under the inspection of Mr. Romaine, or of Mr. Lutzena, a Portuguese Jew who corrected the {347} Hebrew—as we ourselves did sometimes another part of the work—he removed to London House (the habitation of the late Dr. Rawlinson) on the opposite side of the way, where he was employed by the publishers of that work. This was in the year 1746.”

His foundry was only a small one, and does not appear to have received much patronage or to have issued a specimen. The following is Mores’ summary of its contents:―

“MR. ILIVE’S FOUNDERY, 1734.

OCCIDENTALS:

_Greek._— Nonpareil, 200; another, 80 lb.

_Roman._— 2-line English, the small letters only, 27; Pica, similiter, 27; Brevier broadface, 54; Small Pica, 70; another, the small letters and double only, 39; Nonpareil cap. 27.

_Roman and Italic._— Double Pica, 154; Great Primer, 212; English, 236; Pica, 214; Long Primer, 230; Brevier, 255; Sm. Pica, 248.

_Figures._— Pica fractions, 20; Mercantile marks, Pica, 17.

_Braces, Rules and Flowers_, 30.”

In 1740 (July 3) the foundry was purchased by John James, in whose premises, says Mores, it lay in the boxes named _Jugge_, and underwent very little alteration. With regard to the sets of Greek matrices, Mores also states that though James paid for these they never came to his hands.

Although abandoning type-founding early, Ilive continued to print until the time of his death in 1763. Mores says he was an expeditious compositor and knew the letters by touch. He was, however, less noted for his typography than for his opinions.

Nichols tells us he was somewhat disordered in his mind. In 1733 he published an _Oration_ proving the plurality of worlds, that this earth is hell, that the souls of men are apostate angels, and that the fire to punish those confined to this world at the day of judgment will be immaterial. This discourse was composed in 1729, and spoken at Joiners’ Hall pursuant to the will of his mother, who died in 1733 and held the same singular opinions in divinity as her son.[724] A second pamphlet, entitled _A Dialogue between a Doctor of the Church of England and Mr. Jacob Ilive upon the Subject of the Oration_, also appeared in 1733. This strange _Oration_ is highly praised in Holwell’s third part of _Interesting Events relating to Bengal_.[725]

In 1751 Ilive perpetrated a famous literary forgery in a pretended {348} translation of the _Book of Jasher_,[726] said to have been made by one Alcuin of Britain. “The account given of the translation,” says Mores, “is full of glaring absurdities, but of the publication, this we can say, from the information of the Only-One who is capable of informing us, because the business was a secret between the Two: Mr. Ilive in the night-time had constantly an Hebrew _Bible_ before him (_sed qu. de hoc_) and cases in his closet. He produced the copy for _Jasher_, and it was composed in private, and the forms worked off in the night-time in a private press-room by these Two, after the men of the Printing-house had left their work. Mr. Ilive was an expeditious compositor, though he worked in a nightgown and swept the cases to _pye_ with the sleeves.”[727]

In 1756, for publishing _Modest Remarks on the late Bishop Sherlock’s Sermons_, Ilive was imprisoned in Clerkenwell Bridewell, where he remained for two years, improving the occasion by writing and publishing _Reasons offered for the Reformation of the House of Correction in Clerkenwell_, in 1757. He also projected several other reforming works.[728]

In the last year of his life, 1762, he once more became notorious as the ringleader of a schism among the members of the Stationers’ Company, of which the following narrative (communicated by Mr. Bowyer) is given by Gough:―

“He called a meeting of the Company for Monday the 31st of May, being Whit-Monday, at the Dog Tavern, on Garlick Hill, ‘to rescue their liberties,’ and choose Master and Wardens. Ilive was chosen chairman for the day; and, standing on the upper table in the hall, he thanked the freemen for the honour they had done him—laid before them several clauses of their two charters—and proposed Mr. Christopher Norris and some one else to them for Master; the choice falling upon Mr. Norris. He then proposed, in like manner, John Lenthall, Esq., and John Wilcox, Gent., with two others for Wardens; when the two first nominated were elected. A Committee was then appointed by the votes of the Common Hall to meet the first Tuesday in each month at the Horn Tavern, in Doctors’ Commons, to inquire into the state of the Company, which Committee consisted of twenty-one persons, five of whom (provided the Master and Wardens were of the number), were empowered to act as fully as if the whole of the Committee were present. July the 6th being the first Tuesday in the month, the newly-elected Master, about twelve o’clock, came into the Hall, and being seated at the upper end of it, the Clerk of the Hall was sent for and desired to swear Mr. Norris into his office; but he declined, and Mr. Ilive officiated as the Clerk in {349} administering the oath. A boy then offered himself to be bound; but no Warden being present, he was desired to defer until next month, when several were bound; some freemen made; and others admitted on the livery; one of whom, at least, has frequently polled at Guildhall in contested elections.”[729]

No particular notice appears to have been taken of the proceedings, and the rebellion was short lived. Previous to its outbreak, Ilive had published a pamphlet on _The Charter and Grants of the Company of Stationers; with Observations and Remarks thereon_, in which he recited various grievances and stated the opinion of counsel upon several points. “I have a copy of this pamphlet,” says Mr. Hansard, “now lying before me, the twentieth page of which concludes with the line, ‘Excudebat, edebat, donabat, Jacob Ilive, Anno 1762.’ ” Ilive died in the following year.

THE WESTONS.

Some founders of this name are mentioned by Ames; but Mores supposes that Ames, “who,” he adds, “was an arrant blunderer,” has made Englishmen of the Wetsteins of Amsterdam, who founded in that city about 1733–43. The Wetsteins, though they doubtless had considerable type dealings with this country, are not known at any time to have practised type-founding in England.

JOHN BAINE, 1749.

After the dissolution of partnership between Wilson and Baine in 1749,[730] the latter appears to have come to London, where, Rowe Mores informs us, “he published a specimen (very pretty) without a date. It exhibits Great Primer and Pica Greek and (we take no notice of title letters) the Roman and Italic regulars beginning at Great Primer; and the bastard Small Pica. Mr. Baine left England and is now (1778), we think, alive in Scotland.” He appears to have carried his foundry with him, for we find in a specimen of types belonging to a printer, John Reid, in Edinburgh, in 1768,[731] two founts, a Small Pica and a Minion marked as having been supplied by him. In 1787 was published a _Specimen by John Baine and Grandson in Co._ at Edinburgh, a copy of which is in the Library of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts. {350}

About the same date they established a foundry in Philadelphia, the grandson having probably taken charge of the new venture before being joined by his relative. Isaiah Thomas[732] speaks in high praise of the mechanical ability of the elder Baine, and adds that his knowledge of type-founding was the effect of his own industry; for he was self-taught. Both, he says, were good workmen and had full employment. They appear to have been moderately successful in America.[733] The elder Baine died in 1790, aged 77. His grandson relinquished the business soon after, and, says Mr. Thomas, died at Augusta in Georgia about the year 1799.

SPECIMENS.

No date. Specimen by John Baine, London, 1756 (?). (Noted by Mores.) . . . . (_Lost._)

1787. A Specimen of Printing Types by John Baine & Grandson in Co., Letter Founders, Edinburgh, 1787. . . . . (Amer. Ant. Soc.)

GEORGE ANDERTON, 1753.

George Anderton, of Birmingham, appears to have been one of the earliest of English provincial letter founders. Mores says he “attempted” letter founding, and in the year 1753 printed a little specimen of Great Primer Roman and Italic. Samuel Caslon, brother to Caslon I, worked as a mould maker in this foundry after having left the latter on account of some dispute.

SPECIMEN.

1753. A Specimen of Great Primer by George Anderton, Birmingham, 1753. (Noted by Mores.) . . . . (_Lost._)

HENRY FOUGT, _circ._ 1766.

This man, a German, lived in St. Martin’s Lane about the year 1766, and, in the following year, took out a patent for “Certain new and curious types by me invented for the printing of music notes as neatly and as well, in every respect, as hath usually been done by engraving.” The Invention consisted in the use of sectional types “in many respects similar to what in former ages was used in printing-offices and known by the name of choral type.” An explanatory note, {351} setting forth the details of his scheme, accompanies the specification.[734] Fougt issued a specimen of his new type in 1768, and is said to have been the only printer of music from type of his day who produced any good work. Mores says that he returned to Germany, after selling his patent to one Falconer, a disappointed harpsichord maker.

SPECIMEN.

1768. Specimen of a New Type for Music by H. Fougt. In Six Sonatas by Uttini. 3 vols. London, 1768. Folio. . . . . (Bibl. Pr. i, 226.)

JOSEPH FENWICK, _circ._ 1770.

Mores’ quaint account of this unlucky person is as follows:—“Mr. Joseph Fenwick was a locksmith, and worked as a journeyman in David Street in Oxford Road. Invited by an advertisement from Mr. Caslon for a smith who could file smooth and make a good screw, he applied, and is now mould-mender in ordinary to Mr. Caslon. But his ingenuity hath prompted him to greater things than a good screw. He hath cut a fount of Two-line Pica Scriptorial for a divine, the planner of the Statute at Plaisterers’ Hall for demising and to farm letting servants of both sexes and all services. Of him Mr. Caslon required an enormous sum when he thought that nobody could do the work but himself. Mr. Fenwick succeeded at a very moderate expence; for he has not been paid for his labour. The plausible design of the fount was the relief and ease of our rural vineyarders, and the service of those churches in which the galleries overlook the pulpit.” In the synopsis of founts given at the end of Mores’ book, Fenwick’s Scriptorial, or Cursive, is mentioned as being at that time (1778) obtainable.

T. RICHARDS, 1778.

Mores says he lived near Hungerford Bridge, and called himself letter founder and toyman; but appeared to be an instrument maker for marking the shirts of soldiers “to prevent plunder in times of peace.” “But we have seen no specimen,” he adds, “either on paper or on rags.”

McPHAIL, 1778.

Mores describes him as a Scotchman without address. “It is said that he hath cut two full-faced founts, one of Two-line English, the other of Two-line Small Pica; hath made the moulds, and casts the letter his self. If this be true {352} (and we have reason to believe it is not altogether false) he must travel like the circumforanean printers of names from door to door soon after the invention of the art, with all the apparatus in a pack upon his shoulders; for he is a _nullibiquarian_, and we cannot find his founding house.” To this account Hansard adds in 1825:—“I have reason to believe that, some years ago, the foundry of McPhail, which Mores has commemorated by a most humorous paragraph, was carried on either by the same individual or a descendant; but it continues to be screened from observation by the same cloud which obscured it from the curiosity of that illustrious typographical historian.”

IMISSON, 1785.

Lemoine mentions an ingenious person of this name, “who, among other pursuits, made some progress in the art of Letter Founding, and actually printed several small popular novels at Manchester with wood-cuts cut by himself. But other mechanical pursuits took him off, and death removed him in 1791.”[735]

MYLES SWINNEY, 1785.

This provincial typographer was printer and proprietor of the _Birmingham Chronicle_ in 1774, and appears to have commenced a letter foundry shortly after the breaking up of Baskerville’s establishment. His shops were in the High Street, Birmingham; and in Bisset’s _Magnificent Directory_ (1800) a view of his premises is given, including the Type Foundry. He is styled Letter Founder, Bookseller and Printer, in the Directories of 1785, and subsequently added to his other pursuits that of Medicine Vendor. In 1793 he was a member of the Association of Founders at that time in existence; and, about the year 1803, issued a neat Specimen Book of twenty pages, comprising a series of Roman and Italic and a few Ornamented and Shaded letters. The notice accorded to him in the _Magnificent Directory_ is very complimentary:—“This useful Branch of the Typographic Art, immediately on the demise of the late celebrated Baskerville, was resumed and is now continued, with persevering industry and success, by Mr. Swinney, whose elegant Specimens of Printing add celebrity to the other manufactures of this Emporium of the Arts.” {353}

The _Poetic Survey round Birmingham_ accompanying the Directory, immortalizes our founder in the following couplet:

“The Gods at Swinney’s Foundry stood amaz’d, And at each curious Type and Letter gaz’d.”

Among his workmen was John Handy, a former punch cutter for Baskerville.[736] Mr. Swinney died in 1812, aged 74; having been printer and proprietor of the _Birmingham Chronicle_ for nearly fifty years.

SPECIMEN.

No date. Specimen of part of the Printing Types cast by Myles Swinney, of Birmingham. Swinney and Hawkins, Printers, Birmingham. (1802?) 8vo. . . . . (S.T.)

SIMEON & CHARLES STEPHENSON, 1789.

This short-lived foundry was established in the Savoy prior to 1789, in which year it appears to have been known as Bell and Stephenson’s British Letter Foundry, and to have issued a specimen. In 1793 the style was altered to Simeon Stephenson & Co., and subsequently to Simeon and Charles Stephenson, who removed the foundry to Bream’s Buildings, Chancery Lane. Both the partners were members of the Association of Founders existing at that time.

Of their foundry little is known beyond what may be gathered from their elegant Specimen Book of Types and Ornaments issued in 1796. The title-page of this volume states that their punches were cut by Richard Austin; and the address to the trade[737] (which is dated 1797) refers to the flattering encouragement hitherto received by the proprietors from the public. The specimen exhibits ten pages of large titling letters, fourteen pages of Roman and Italic, from Double Pica to Minion, and the remainder chiefly ornaments. The types, especially in the larger sizes as well as some of the ornaments, are very good. {354}

Despite the merit of its productions the British Foundry was not successful, and in 1797 was put up for auction. Whether it was purchased as a whole by some other founder, or whether it was dispersed, we cannot say. It seems probable, however, that Austin recovered some of the punches cut by him, and used them when starting his own foundry in Worship Street.

SPECIMENS.

1789. A Specimen of Printing Types cast at Bell & Stephenson’s British Letter Foundry in the Savoy. London, 1789. 8vo. . . . . (Bodleian.)

1796. First part of a specimen of Printing Types cast at the Foundry of S. & C. Stephenson, Bream’s Buildings, Chancery Lane. The punches cut by R. Austin. London, 1796. 8vo. . . . . (W. B.)

1797. Catalogue of the Stock in Trade of S. & C. Stephenson, which will be sold by Auction by Mr. C. Heydinger. 1797. 8vo. . . . . (W. B.)

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