Section Three - The Bookseller-Publishers, London and Elsewhere

25.

An account of several late voyages and discoveries. . ., London, printed for D. Browne, without Temple Bar, J. Read in Exchange-Alley, W. Innys in St. Paul's Churchyard and T. Ward in Temple-Lane, 1711.

This anonymous collection of voyages is one of hundreds of similar eighteenth century productions showing the great interest in travel literature. It also demonstrates the tendency of London booksellers to form groups or "congers" to share the risk of publication. The volume is open at an engraving showing whale, narwhal and fin-whale fishing.

26. A vindication of the church and kingdom of Scotland from any accession to the murder of King Charles I, Edinburgh, printed for James Forrest, Bookseller in the Parliament House, 1718.

This 8vo pamphlet reflects the strong emphasis on politico-theological themes in early eighteenth century Scottish publishing. The Parliament House on Edinburgh High Street was a centre of Scottish bookselling for over a hundred years.
27. The works of Virgil. . .translated into English verse by Mr. Dryden, London, 1721.

This is the three-volume 12mo fifth edition of Dryden's Virgil, characterized by Pope as "the most able and spirited translation I know in any language". It was published by Jacob Tonson, Dryden's chief publisher, often called "the Prince of Publishers".
Ref. Papali, F.G., Jacob Tonson, publisher, his life and work, Auckland, 1968.
28. John Dryden, Fables ancient and modem; translated into verse, from Homer, Ovid, Boccace & Chaucer: with original poems, London, printed for Jacob Tonson, at Shakespeare's Head, over-against Katherine Street in the Strand, 1721.

An early eighteenth century edition of Dryden's last book, first published in 1700.
29. An act for encouraging the Greenland fishery. . ., London, printed by John Baskett, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, 1732.

The printing, in small folio, of the Acts of Parliament was a profitable part of the monopoly of the King's Printer. The family of John Baskett lived off the profits of the printing patents for a substantial part of the century. Charles Eyre acquired Mark Baskett's rights in 1770. Mark was the grandson of John Baskett.
30. Thomas Sanderson, Three odes: The royal hero; The royal nuptials; Religion and liberty triumphant, Cambridge, printed, and sold by J. Wilford, behind the Chapter House in St. Paul's Churchyard, London, 1733.

This 4to pamphlet was printed by the University printer for Sanderson, a fellow of Emmanuel College. It was the first and only edition. Ref. Foxon, D., English verse, 1701-.50, Cambridge, 1975, S32.
31. The Harleian miscellany, London, 1744.

Tom Osborne was the bookseller whom Johnson knocked down with a folio. His success in buying Harley's books in 1742, and in preparing a catalogue of them for which Johnson wrote the Proposals, brought him the emnity of the London book-trade who thought he charged too much for Harley's books, when he re-sold them. The volume on display is open at the list of the country booksellers who sold the Harleian miscellany.
32. Mark Akenside, The pleasures of imagination: a poem, in three books, London, printed for R. Dodsley, 1744.

A classic example of Dodsley's support of the popular poets of the time. Dodsley's authors included Akenside, William Whitehead, Christopher Pitt, Joseph Warton, Thomas Percy and William Shenstone. This is one of the three issues of the first edition of Pleasures of imagination issued in 1744. (The printer was Samuel Richardson). The title page is enhanced by an attractive drawing in the neoclassical style engraved by Boitard.
Ref. Foxon, A139, Book Collector, 1956.
33. Mark Akenside, Odes on several subjects, London, printed for R. Dodsley at Tully's Head in Pall-Mall, and sold by M. Cooper in the Strand, 1745.
Ref. Foxon. p. 13, A132.
34. Arthur Dobbs, An account of the countries adjoining to Hudson's Bay, in the northwest part of America, London, printed for J. Robinson, at the Golden Lion in Ludgate St. , 1744.

This 4to item contains an important piece of Canadiana: "His Majesty's Royal Charter to the Governor and Company of Hudson's Bay" (p.171). Jacob Robinson was at Ludgate St. to 1758. He was succeeded in business by Kearsley.
35. Hans Egede, A description of Greenland. . ., London, 1745.

This 8vo travel book, translated from the Danish of the Bishop of Greenland was printed for C. Hitch who dealt largely in novels and travel books. He was one of the numerous tribe of bookseller-publishers who had their premises in Paternoster Row, and he was Master of the Stationers' Company in 1758.
36. (John Townley) Samuel Butler, Hudibras, London, 1757.

This handsome 8vo translation of Hudibras, generally credited to John Townley, was published in London. The plates are after the designs by Hogarth.
37. (James Grieve) The history of Kamtschatka, and the Kunilski islands, with the countries adjacent . . . , Glocester, printed by R. Raikes for T. Jeffreys, Geographer to His Majesty. 1764.

This was the second printer in Gloucester by the name of Robert Raikes. His father, Robert Raikes the elder, founded the Gloucester Journal in 1722. Robert Raikes the younger was the philanthropist and founder of Sunday schools.
38. D. Crantz, The history of Greenland including a description of the country and its inhabitants. . . , London. printed for the Brethrens' Society for the furtherance of the Gospel among the heathen, 1767. 2 vols. , 8vo.

This missionary work was sold at "all the Brethrens' Chapels"; it was also sold. presumably as an act of Christian charity, by a wide group of prominent London booksellers.
39. (Frances Brooke) The history of Emily Montague ...by the author of Lady Julia Mandeville, London, 1769. 4 vols., 12vo.

This was one of Dodsley's publications. It was the first significant work of English fiction to have its scene laid in Canada. Robert Dodsley had paid Frances Brooke 100 guineas for the copyright of Lady Julia Mandeville and Lady Catesby's Letters. It was James Dodsley who published The history of Emily Montague, in 1769.
Ref, Chalmers' ms. notes on Dodsley's copyrights.
40. James Boswell, An account of Corsica, the journal of a tour of that island, and memoirs of Pascal Paoli ...The third edition corrected, London, printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, 1769.

Dilly was Boswell's London publisher. The first edition of this work was printed by Foulis of Glasgow.
Ref. Pottle, F.A., The literary career of James Boswell, Esq., Oxford, 1929, no.26.
41. Samuel Johnson, A journey to the western islands of Scotland. London, printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell in the Strand. 1775.

This is the first edition, second issue, of Johnson's famous travel book. Johnson's relationships with William Strahan, the Anglo-Scottish printer and publisher, are detailed in J .A. Cochrane's Dr. Johnson's printer, the life of William Strahan, London, 1964.
42. Richard Savage, The works, London, 1777, 2 vols., 8vo.

This edition, printed for Thomas Evans in the Strand, is open at the engraved title-page, designed by Gravelot and engraved by Isaac Taylor. Johnson's Life of Savage, first published in 1744, appears in both the 1775 and the 1777 editions of The works.
43. Alexander Pope, An essay on man. ..with the notes of William, Lord Bishop of Gloucester, London, printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell in the Strand, 1777.

This reprint of Warburton's edition of An essay on man is open at the engraved frontispiece drawn by Pope himself, and engraved by A. Bannerman.
44. Andrew Kippis (ed.) Biographia Britannica, London, 1778. 5 vols., folio.

This copy is in a binding by Kalthoeber, and contains his ticket. The "conger" of London booksellers who published this expensive work was an extensive one.
45. Samuel Johnson, The lives of the most eminent English poets; with critical observations on their works, London, 1781. 4 vols., 8vo.

This is the second edition of Johnson's biographical masterpiece. The 36 firms named in the imprint had got together to produce "an elegant and accurate edition of all the English poets of reputation from Chaucer to the present time" and asked Johnson to supply a concise account of the life of each author. The plan to start with Chaucer was dropped and the series began with Cowley. The Lives came out between 1779 and 1781, and in the latter year , they were published on their own.
46. Hesler Lynch Piozzi, Letters to and from the late Samuel Johnson, LLD. To which are added some poems never before printed, London, printed for A. Strahan and T. Cadell in the Strand, 1788. 2 vols., 8vo.

This is the first edition. A pirated edition was published at Dublin in the same year. The next edition of Johnson's Letters, that of Birkbeck Hill , was not to appear until 1892.
47. John Fenn, Original letters written during the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard Ill, London, printed by C.G.J. & J. Robinson, in Paternoster Row, 1787. 2 vols., 4to.

A work of great scholarship. It was one of the first English books to deal with the watermarks in paper. (Vol. II, plate VIII)
48. James Thomson, The seasons, Perth, 1793, 4to.

Thomson's Seasons, first collected in 1730, remained one of the century's most popular long poems. Morison of Perth issued three editions; a 12mo edition in 1790; the 4to edition of 1793 shown here; and a single volume 12mo edition in 1794. Robert Heron's critique and memoir of Thomson were included in the 1793 edition. The attractive engraved title-page is by A. Kirkwood.
Ref, Carnie, R.H., Publishing in Perth before 1807, Dundee, 1960.
49. Stewart & Meikle's edition of The poems of Allan Ramsay, Glasgow, 1797. 12mo.

This elegant little volume was printed by R. Chapman at Glasgow for Stewart & Meikle, booksellers in the Trongate. The volume is open at an engraving powerfully depicting Lucky Spence's last advice. Robert Chapman had been an apprentice of Robert Foulis,
Ref. Maclehose, J., The Glasgow University Press 1638-1931, Glasgow, 1931.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Item 32.
The pleasures of imagination, 1744