The Ballantyne Press and its founders, 1796-1908

by Unknown

APPENDIX

A pleasant and memorable chapter in the history of the Ballantyne Press is its connection with the Edinburgh International Exhibition of 1886, held in the West Meadows. The position occupied by Paul’s Work relative to the literary history of Edinburgh since the beginning of last century, as well as other considerations, induced the firm to make an exhibit of ancient printing materials and of Early Bibles and other books in the Old Edinburgh buildings of that Exhibition; and to show a working model, so to speak, of an early printing-house. This was considered to be a very attractive feature of the Exhibition, and the following account of it appeared in the Scotsman of September 15, 1886.

“THE BALLANTYNE PRESS IN ‘OLD EDINBURGH’

“Passing through the Nether Bow Port, and keeping to the left, visitors to the Exhibition will come upon the reproduction of an old house in Dickson’s Close, now improved away, and supposed to have been originally the work of Robert Mylne, the builder of the modern portion of Holyrood, and peculiar from its upper storeys and open galleries projecting for several feet beyond the basement—a not uncommon feature of the architecture of olden times. This house, or a near neighbour to it in the same ‘land,’ was at one time the abode of David Allan, the Scottish Hogarth. Above the door is an old-fashioned swinging signboard showing ‘Ye Ballantyne Presse, 1796,’ while the windows are adorned with stained glass. Here Messrs. Ballantyne, Hanson & Co., Paul’s Work, have gathered together a goodly display of the old implements of the ‘prenters,’ ancient Bibles and other books, as well as a number of other curios.

“Prominent among the typographical antiquities is a venerable wooden hand-press, nearly two centuries old, and substantially identical with those used in the early stages of the art. This press is worked by a genial and chatty representative of Caxton, in a neat sixteenth-century costume. He is engaged printing off sundry jobs, using the old-fashioned hand-balls or ‘dabbers’ for putting the ink on the types, a method of inking which came in with the art, and which was superseded by the modern ‘roller’ only about fifty years ago. Within the cases on the counter of this old curiosity shop are to be seen ancient composing-sticks, type moulds, punches, matrices, &c., for casting types. In the cases are also a number of relative curiosities, lent for exhibition by the Oxford University Press, and originally the property of the celebrated Dr. Fell. Among these is a small quarto book, printed in 1700, containing the Lord’s Prayer in upwards of 200 languages. Here also is a parcel of Icelandic type, given to the Oxford Press by Francis Junius about 1677, and some music type of the seventeenth century.

“In one case is a proof-sheet of the ‘Life of Napoleon,’ by Sir Walter Scott, with the author’s corrections. One page of this proof-sheet, which is the property of the Earl of Rosebery, has a characteristic remark by James Ballantyne, the printer, in reference to one of Sir Walter’s footnotes. It was to be expected from the connection the Ballantynes had with Scott that some relics of the author of the Waverley Novels would be shown, and here are to be seen the chair and desk reserved for his use in Paul’s Work when he came to correct his proofs or transact business.

“Around the walls are also to be seen a number of pictures, among these being a copy by Maris of Raeburn’s portrait of Scott; a proof copy of the well-known engraving of Scott and his contemporaries; Caxton in Westminster Abbey; old views of Edinburgh, one of them dated 1579, &c. A remarkably fine etching shows the bookselling shop of Jacob van Liesvelt at Antwerp in the sixteenth century. Liesvelt was condemned and beheaded at Antwerp, because in the annotations of a Bible he had edited and printed, it was said that ‘the salvation of mankind proceeds from Christ alone!’ A number of old playbills also adorn the walls, some of these having portraits framed along with them, such as that of Mackay as Bailie Nicol Jarvie, Mrs. Siddons as Lady Randolph, and Mr. Liston as Dominie Sampson. One old playbill is shown of the Kelso Theatre, printed by Ballantyne at the Border Press, before Scott induced him to remove his printing-office to Paul’s Work, Edinburgh.

“There are here a number of old newspapers—the Kingdom’s Intelligencer, the Perfect Diurnal, the Courant, Caledonian Mercury, &c. One of the Diurnals contains a despatch of General Monk, dated from his headquarters at Dalkeith in August 1654; and a Caledonian Mercury of August 26, 1822, contains a subscription list for the National Monument on Calton Hill, and the menu for the banquet given by the municipality of Edinburgh to George IV. in Parliament House. There is also an early number of the Scotsman, of 1855, shown by way of contrast to the present issues of the journal.

DESK USED BY SIR WALTER SCOTT IN PAUL’S WORK

“To many visitors, however, the interest in the Ballantyne Press exhibits will centre in the fine collection of Ancient Bibles and other books which have been gathered together. The gem of this collection is a copy of the very rare ‘Mentelin’ Bible, printed about 1466—one of the earliest printed by the aid of movable type, in fine condition, with initial letters filled in by the hand, of beautiful design and colouring. The table of contents extends to eighteen pages, and is all in MS. of various colours. Another rare Bible is the Hans Lufft, or first edition of Luther’s Bible in two volumes, printed in 1534. This Bible is in its original binding of wood with brass mountings, and has a great number of woodcuts printed along with the text, which in this copy were afterwards coloured by hand expressly for the Prince Protector. The existence of this Bible was frequently denied by learned men of Germany, owing to its great rarity, caused by the destruction of most copies by the Roman Catholics. John George of Saxony was unable to obtain it for himself, and was obliged to be contented with the sight of one, then supposed to be unique. A copy of this work sold at a very high price at Lord Holland’s sale in 1860. The engravings throughout the work, and especially in the Revelation of St. John, are curious and full of anachronisms—the patriarchs and prophets being clad in the German costume of the sixteenth century. Another Lutheran Bible here is one printed at Nurnberg, in 1720, by Andrea Enolters. This is said to be one of the finest of all the ancient German Bibles, and has, besides a number of beautiful engravings of Biblical scenes, several portraits of well-known German princes. It is also in its original binding with metal ornaments. A copy of the first edition of the Paris printer Robert Stephens’ valuable Greek Testament, in two volumes, published in 1546, may also be seen. A former possessor has enriched the margins of this copy with a copious supply of Latin notes and comments in very small MS. There were other editions of this book published in 1549, 1550, and 1551. That of 1551, published at Geneva, was divided into verses as we have the Bible now, a plan which the printer Stephens was the first to put into actual use.

SIR WALTER SCOTT’S CHAIR IN PAUL’S WORK

“Of a more purely local interest, however, is a copy of another Bible we find here, that of the first one printed in Scotland, with the date of 1576. This work, printed by Alexander Arbuthnot and Thomas Bassendyne, has a history of its own. It was put in type from the Genevan version, and has the well-known ‘breeches’ translation of Genesis iii. 7, and contains also the side-notes, to which King James is said afterwards to have strongly objected as ‘partial, untrue, and seditious,’ when arrangements were being made for the Authorised translation of 1611. Besides being connected with the first Bible printed in Scotland, Bassendyne’s printing-office, which was situated in a close nearly opposite John Knox’s house, is repeatedly referred to in the evidence of the accomplices of the Earl of Bothwell in the murder of Darnley, an event which took place in the lifetime of the old printer. In the deposition of George Dalgleish, one of those who were executed for their share in that crime, it is stated that, ‘efter thay enterit within the Nether Bow Port, thai zeid up abone Bassyntine’s house, on the south side of the gait, and knockit at ane dur beneth the sword slippers, and callit for the Laird of Ormestounes, and one within answerit he was not thare; and thai passit down a cloiss beneth Frier Wynd, and enterit in at the zet of the Black Friers.’ This reference clearly indicates that Bassendyne’s workshop was situated near the Nether Bow, whence was issued the folio Bible which is here shown.

“Another Genevan or ‘breeches’ version, printed by Christopher Barker in 1586, is also in the collection, this one having the Book of Common Prayer at the beginning. There is here, too, King James’s own copy of the first edition of the Authorised Version of 1611, printed by Robert Barker in black letter. It is in fine condition, with the Royal arms on the massive outside boards, and contains the well-known and curiously elaborate genealogical tables by John Speed. Taking thought for the common people, King James is said to have given orders that a smaller and cheaper edition of the Authorised Version in Roman type should be prepared in quarto size. This was also printed by Robert Barker, and published in 1614, and is to be seen here, along with many other Bibles, some with curious bindings, and others with music to the Psalms. Several of the more important of the Bibles above mentioned have been lent for exhibition by the Rev. Dr. Ginsburg of London.

“One of the most curious black-letter books in the Ballantyne collection, and with an interesting history, is a copy of the first complete Concordance to the English Bible, written by John Marbek (or Merbecke), and printed by Richard Grafton, in 1550. This John Marbek was organist to the Royal Chapel at Windsor, and his book bears the following title: ‘A Concordance, that is to saie a worke wherein by the ordere of the letters A. B. C. ye maie redely finde any worde conteigned in the whole Bible, so often as it is there expressed or mentioned.’ Marbek, after various difficulties, had gone on with his Concordance as far as the letter L, when all his papers were seized, and he was apprehended and imprisoned. ‘He was arraigned, for that he had with his own hand gathered out of divers men’s writings certain things that were expressly against both the mass and the sacrament of the altar. He was arraigned and condemned with three others—namely, Anthony Persone, priest; Robert Testwood, singing-man; and Henry Filmer, tailor; on account of the Six Articles in the year 1544; the three last were burned at Windsor, but the innocence of Marbek gained him the King’s pardon.’

“When he was set at liberty, as his papers were not restored to him, he had his Concordance to begin again; and this, when completed, he showed to a friend, who promised to assist him in having it presented to the King, in order to have it published by his authority; but Henry VIII. died before that could be brought about, and it was accordingly dedicated to Edward VI. This folio black-letter Concordance gives a good specimen of the printer Grafton’s rebus or monogram, a graft inserted into a tun.

“A number of other interesting curiosities, and a library of ancient books, too numerous to be detailed here, are in various cabinets and bookcases in this shop of Old Edinburgh. Many of the volumes are over 300 years old; several are in their original bindings; and all are in fair condition. Classics from the printing-presses of the Elzevirs, Stephens, Gryphius, Foulis, Ruddiman, and other printers whose names are now historical, are all to be seen, besides a goodly array of fine art and other books, the more recent productions of Messrs. Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.”—W. T. D.

THE END

NEW PAUL’S WORK, EDINBURGH