CHAPTER VII.
Publishing Societies.
A large amount of important information is to be found in the publications of the numerous Societies formed for the purpose of supplying to their subscribers valuable works which are but little likely to find publishers. These publications have in a large number of instances added to our knowledge of history and literature considerably. The Societies have much increased of late years, but no record of the publications is easily to be obtained, since the full account given in Bohn's Supplement to Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual.
The earliest of Publishing Societies was the Dilettanti Society, instituted in London in 1734, which issued some fine illustrated volumes of classical travel. A long period of time elapsed without any societies of a similar character being formed.
The Roxburghe Club formed in the year 1812 in commemoration of the sale of the magnificent library of John third Duke of Roxburghe (died March 19, 1804). It was chiefly intended as a Social Club, and a long list of bibliographical toasts was run through at the banquets. The publications were not at first of any great literary value, although some of them were curious and interesting. After a time competent editors were employed, and some important works produced. Sir Frederick Madden's editions of "Havelok the Dane" was issued in 1828, of the Romance of "William and the Werwolf" in 1832, and of the old English version of "Gesta Romanorum" in 1838. The valuable "Manners and Household Expenses of England in the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Centuries," edited by T. Hudson Turner, was presented to the Club by Beriah Botfield in 1841; Payne Collier's edition of the "Household Books of John Duke of Norfolk, and Thomas Earl of Surrey, 1481-1490," was issued in 1844, and his "Five Old Plays illustrative of the Early Progress of the English Drama" in 1851; the Rev. Joseph Stevenson's edition of "The Owl and the Nightingale, a Poem of the Twelfth Century," was issued in 1838, and his edition of "The Ayenbite of Inwyt" in 1855; John Gough Nichols's edition of the "Literary Remains of King Edward the Sixth" appeared in 1857 and 1858 (2 vols.), and Dr. Furnivall's edition of Henry Lonelich's "Seynt Graal" in 1863-1864.
Several years elapsed before the second great Printing Club was founded. In 1823 The Bannatyne Club was started in Edinburgh, chiefly by Sir Walter Scott, for the purpose of printing works illustrative of the History, Antiquities and Literature of Scotland. It derives its names from George Bannatyne (born Feb. 22, 1545, died 1607). A long series of books have been issued by the Club to its members, many of which are of great interest. The Catalogue of the Abbotsford Library was presented in 1839 to the members "by Major Sir Walter Scott, Bart., as a slight return for their liberality and kindness in agreeing to continue to that Library the various valuable works printed under their superintendence." In the same year appeared Sir Frederick Madden's edition of Sir Gawayne. Bishop Gawin Douglas's "Palace of Honour" was printed in 1827, and his translation of Virgil's "Æneid" in 1839 (2 vols.). The Club was closed in 1867.
The Maitland Club, which derived its name from Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington (born in 1496, died March 20, 1586), was instituted in Glasgow in 1828. A volume containing "The Burgh Records of the City of Glasgow, 1573 to 1581," was presented to the Club in 1832-34; the Poems of Drummond of Hawthornden in 1832; Robert Wodrow's "Collection upon the Lives of the Reformers and most eminent Ministers of the Church of Scotland" in 1834-45 (2 vols.). Dauncey's Ancient Scottish Melodies in 1838. Sir Bevis of Hamtoun in the same year, the Metrical Romance of Lancelot du Lak in 1839; Wodrow's Analecta, or Materials for a History of Remarkable Providences, in 1842-3 (4 vols.). Henry Laing's Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Seals, in 1850. The Club was closed in 1859.