Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/551

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

542

HISTORY OF PRINTING.

way to the loman. Beza's Bible, in small 4to. was one of the fiist which appeared in this let- ter, with small neat wooden cuts.

1664. From a newspaper printed in this year, we obtain an account of tiie extent of bookselling carried on in Little Britain, London. It says 460 pamphlets were published there within four years. Bookselling in Little Britain might have emanated from John Day, the eminent printer, who lived over Aldersgate, in the immediate vicinity. Little Britain was as remarkable for booksellers through the reigns of Charles I. Charles II. James II. and William and Mary, as Paternoster row is at present. The honour- able Mr. North, in the first volume of the Gen- tleman's Magazine, 1731, sajs, "the race of booksellers in Little Britain is now almost ex> tinct; honest Ballard, well known for his curious divinity catalogues, being their only genuine re- presentative." Again he says, " Liule Britain was, in the middle of the last century, aplentiful and learned emporium of learned authors ; and men went thither as to a market. This drew to the place a mighty trade ; the rather because the shops were spacious, and the learned gladly re- sorted to them, where they seldom failed to meet with agreeable conversation."

1665, Jan. Journal det Savani, par le Siear Hedouville (Denis Sallo) et continue par J. Otillois, de la Roque, L. Cousin, Dupin, Fon- tenelle, de Yertot, Terrasson, Burette, du Res- nel, des Fontaines, Trublct, Moncrif, de Guignes, Bonguer, Clairaut, Dupuy, Macquer, de La- lande, &c. Paris, 1665-1792, 111 vols. 4to.

The origin of many of the journals was the project of Denis de Sallo, a counsellor in the parliament of Paris. He published his Essay in the name of the sieur de Hedouville, his footman ! Was this a mere stroke of humour, or designed to insinuate that the freedom of his criticism would only be allowed in a footman? This work however, met with so favourable a reception, that Sallo had the satisfaction of see- ing It the following year, imitated throughout Europe, and his journal, at the same time, translated into various languages. But as most authors lay themselves open to an acute critic, the animadversions of Sallo were given with such asperity of criticism, and such malignity of wit, that this new journal excited loud murmurs, and the most heart-moving com- plaints. Denis de Sallo, after having published only his third volume, felt the wasps of litera- ture thronging so thick about him, Uiat he very gladly abdicated the throne of Criticism. Inti- midated by the fate of Sallo, his successor. Abbe Gallois, flourished in a milder reign. He contented himself with giving the titles of books accompanied with extracts ; and was more useful than interesting. • • This work was carried to a vast extent. A curious Index has been formed occupying several volumes in 4to. and may be considered as a very useful instru- ment to obtain the science and literature of this century. — Curiotitiei of Literature, vol. i. p. 22.

A re-impression of the Journal des Savans,

combined with the.Memoires de TretotBC, (fron Jan. 1754 to December, 1763) was pablished ai Amsterdam, in 79 vols. 12mo.; comprisiiig a volume of Index.

1665. The Philosophical Tramaetioiu was the first periodical work of Science published ii England, and continued for many yeazs in Bom- bers, monthly, quarterly, or annouly, as mate- rials were supplied.

1666. The reverend Thomas Tiupi.ktt gaie to the stationers' company £20 for the use of the poor; and in 1668, he further gave £100 to the same purpose. This gentleman was born in or near Oxford, and was beyond doubt in some way related to Robert Triplett, stationer or book- binder, at the sign of the Aqua Yits Still, neeit Olde Fish-street, whose name occurs in a bod without date, about the year 1587. Dr. Thomas Triplett obtained many church preferments, and died July 18, 1676.

1665, Oct. 27. The act of parliament received the royal assent which confirmed " the light <d the king's prerogative in printing."

Charles II. issued many proclamatiaiM fin various purposes, but the most remarkable, an those which concern the regulations of coSee- houses, and are for putting them down, on par- pose to restrain the spreading of false news aad licentious talking of state and government ; the speakers and the hearers were made alike punixh- aole. This was highly resented as an illegal act by the friMids of civil freedom, who succeeded in obtaining the freedom of the coffee-hooiics, under the proQiise of not sanctioning treasonaUe speeches. In this year was passed the Ftve-mile Act for the prevention of seditious preaching; within five miles of any town sending memben to parliament.

1665. Richard Carpenter, a poet and di- vine, who flourished at this period, published a work entitled. Experience, History, and Divimiiyi or the Downfall of Popery, in four volumes Snt, in which the following curious passage oocois in his list of errata, and will remind the reader of some passages quoted by Cervantes from the Spanisn romances : — " I humbly desire all deu hearted and right spirited people, who shall read this book, (which because the press was op- pressed, seems to have been su^-pressed, when it was by little and little wa-pressed, bat now at last truly pressed through the press into public) to correct the following errata," &c. Richard Carpenter was born early in this centurv, was first at Eton, and afterwards elected to King'S' college, Cambridge. He was the author of many singular tracts and sermons, one of whid was entitled, TTie Anabaptist Washed, ami Shrunk in the Washing. Quitting Engiasd, he became a convert to the church of Rome, in which he took orders, and became a monk of the order of St. Benedict; he was sent to Eiif- land as a missionary, when he recanted, asd obtained a vicarage in Sussex. On the rebellioa, returning to Paris, he once more declared him- self a Catholic, and at the restoration again set- tled himself as a zealous Protestant at Ai^esboiy,

VjOOQ IC