12. ALEXANDER WILSON, 1742
[523] The History of the Art of Printing, containing an Account of its Invention and Progress in Europe, with the names of the famous Printers, the places of their birth and the works printed by them, and a Preface by the Publisher to the Printers in Scotland. Edinburgh, printed by James Watson. Sold at his shop opposite the Lucken Booths, and at the shops of David Scot in the Parliament Close, and George Stewart a little above the Cross, 1713, 12mo. Watson’s preface is stated to have been written by John Spotswood, Advocate. The historical portion is a condensed translation of De la Caille’s Histoire de l’Imprimerie, published at Paris in 1689.
[524] Specimen of Types in the Printing House of James Watson. 1713. 48 pp., of which 26 are devoted to Dutch “Bloomers” or Initials, and the remainder to Romans and Italics from French Canon to Nonpareil, with a fount of Greek, one of Black, and a few signs, etc.
[526] Typographia, p. 362.
[527] Ireland, during a portion of the eighteenth century appears to have been well supplied with type from native sources. Of the fortunes of Wilson’s branch foundry here alluded to, we have no further record, unless we are to connect the following statement with the enterprise of the Scotch typographers:—Boulter Grierson in 1764 petitioned the Lord Lieutenant for a renewal of the Patent granted to his distinguished father George Grierson by George II in 1731, for King’s printer in Ireland. Among other reasons in support of his prayer, he states: “That the art of making types for printing was unknown in Ireland until very lately, when your petitioner’s father encouraged it by laying out about One Thousand pounds in that article alone, in order to establish that art in the said kingdom, and there are now as good types made here as any imported, by which means there is a great saving to the public, and great part of the money that would be otherwise sent to foreign country’s is left in this kingdom.” (We are indebted to the kindness of a lady descendent of George Grierson for this interesting extract.) According to a note of Lemoine which we quote at p. [264n], Dublin printers in 1797 were getting their types either from Wilson of Glasgow, or from London. It is therefore probable that, whether George Grierson’s enterprise may have consisted in the encouragement of Wilson’s foundry or in the establishment of another foundry of his own, the art did not long hold its ground in Ireland, and was discontinued in the latter half of the century, only to be once revived, and that for a short period only, by Dr. Wilson’s grandsons in 1840. See p. [265].
[528] For an account of Baine’s subsequent career as a type-founder, see post, chap. xix.
[529] These eminent printers, the most elegant typographers of which Scotland can boast, produced in their day some of the finest editions ever printed. Robert was originally a barber, but began as a printer in 1740. In 1743 he was appointed printer to Glasgow University, one of his first productions being an edition of Demetrius Phalereus in that year. In 1744 he brought out his famous “immaculate” edition of Horace in 12mo at Glasgow. Shortly afterwards his brother Andrew, who had been a teacher of French at the University, joined him, and the two together, by great industry and excellent artistic taste, produced a large number of beautifully printed works, some of which will rank with the finest achievements of Bodoni, or Barbou, or even the Elzevirs. Their classics, both Greek and Latin, were as remarkable for their exactness as for their beauty, and it is recorded that the brothers, following the example of some of the old masters, were in the habit of publicly exhibiting their proof sheets and offering a reward for the detection of any error. Andrew Foulis died in 1775, and Robert in the following year. The business was carried on under the old name of R. & A. Foulis for some years by Andrew Foulis, son of Robert. This printer it was who was associated with Tilloch in his patent for stereotype in 1784. He died in 1829 in great poverty.
[530] Homeri Opera, Græce (ex edit. Sam. Clarke). Glasguæ; in Ædibus Academicis excudebant Robertus et Andreas Foulis, Academii Typographi 1756–8, 4 vols., fol. This work is one of the most splendid editions of Homer ever printed. Each sheet was corrected six times before being finally worked. Flaxman’s illustrations were designed for the work.
[531] After stating that it was the ambition of the publishers of this work to rival the finest productions of the Stephani of Paris, the preface continues (p. viii):—“Omnes quidem tres regios Stephanorum characteres græcos expresserat jam apud nos, atque imitatione accuratissimâ repræsentaverat Alexander Wilson, A.M., egregius ille Typorum artifex, quem et hoc nomine adscripserat sibi Alma Mater. In his autem grandioris formæ characteribus Stephanianis id unum desiderari quodammodo videbatur, scilicet, si res ita ferre posset, ut, salvâ tamen ilia solidæ magnitudinis specie quâ delectantur omnes, existeret una simul elegantiæ quiddam, magis atque venustatis. Rogatus est igitur ille artifex, ut, in hoc assequendo solertiam suam, quâ quidem pollet maximâ, strenue exercet. Quod et lubenter aggresus est, et ad votum usque videtur consecutus vir ad varias ingenuas artes augendas natus.”
[532] Poems of Mr. Gray. Glasgow, printed by Robert and Andrew Foulis, Printers to the University. 1768. 4to. This edition was published simultaneously with Dodsley’s first collected edition of Gray’s Poems, in London; and far exceeded it in beauty of typography and execution. Writing to Beattie in 1768, Gray says, “I rejoice to be in the hands of Mr. Foulis (the famous printer of Glasgow) who has the laudable ambition of excelling the Etiennes and the Elzevirs as well in literature as in the proper art of his profession.”
[533] “This is the first work in the Roman character which they (A. and R. Foulis) have printed with so large a type, and they are obliged to DOCTOR WILSON for preparing so expeditiously, and with so much attention, characters of so beautiful a form.”
[534] A View of the Various Editions of the Greek and Roman Classics. London, 1775. 12mo. Improved editions in 1778, 1782, and 1790.
[535] Renouard, speaking of the twenty volume edition of Cicero printed by the Foulis in 1749, prefers its type to that of the Elzevirs. Catalogue de la Bibliothèque d’un Amateur. Paris, 1819. 4 vols. 8vo. ii, 75.
[536] Hansard states that the Long Primer Greek matrices of the foundry were “from the type cast in which the Elzevirs printed some of their editions”—(Typographia, 404).
[537] In a later specimen is shown a “New Small Pica Italic” cut for the King’s printer in Edinburgh, 1807.
[538] Lemoine, Typographical Antiquities, 1797, says, “Ireland, by its connection with London and Scotland, produces some very neat printing; Wilson’s types are much approved of at Dublin. Alderman George Faulkner may be considered as the first printer in Ireland in his time; but it must be remembered his letter was all cast in London.” p. 99.
[539] This fount (according to Savage, Dict. of Printing, p. 320) was cut after the classical and elegant type of Athias, for Mr. Jno. Wertheimer, of Leman Street, and was used in printing the Rev. D. A. De Sola’s edition of the Prayers of the Sphardim.
[540] “In conformity,” says the preface, “with ancient immemorial usage, we have in Part I displayed our Founts in the Roman Garb—the venerable Quousque tandem—but lest it should be supposed we had adopted the flowing drapery of Rome for the purpose of shading or concealing defects, we have in Part II shown off our founts in a dress entirely English.” Mr. Figgins was the first to introduce this practice in his Specimens.
[541] The following extract from the preface to the 1834 Specimen, announces the removal: “We had the honour some time ago of announcing the removing of the Glasgow Letter Foundry to London, and we beg leave to inform you that we have now carried our intentions into execution, and are prepared to receive your commands in our establishment in Great New Street, Gough Square, London. The operative department will be conducted by Mr. John Sinclair, whose integrity of conduct and thorough knowledge of his profession we now reward by making him a partner in our business.” London, Aug. 1, 1834. The London Foundry was carried on under the old name of Alex. Wilson & Sons, or occasionally Wilsons and Sinclair; the Edinbro’ branch, and that subsequently started in Dublin, being styled A. & P. Wilson.
[542] See post, chap. xxi.