How to Form a Library, 2nd ed

by Henry B. Wheatley

The Spottiswoode Society was founded at Edinburgh in 1843, for the revival and publication of the acknowledged works of the Bishops, Clergy, and Laity of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, and rare, authentic, and curious MSS., Pamphlets and other Works illustrative of the Civil and Ecclesiastical State of Scotland. It takes its name from John Spottiswoode, the first duly consecrated Scottish Archbishop after the Reformation (born 1566, died 1639.) The late Mr. Hill Burton gives an amusing account of the foundation of this Society in his delightful Book-Hunter. He writes: "When it was proposed to establish an institution for reprinting the works of the fathers of the Episcopal Church in Scotland, it was naturally deemed that no more worthy or characteristic name could be attached to it than that of the venerable prelate, who by his learning and virtues had so long adorned the Episcopal Chair of Moray and Ross [Robert Jolly], and who had shown a special interest in the department of literature to which the institution was to be devoted. Hence it came to pass that, through a perfectly natural process, the Association for the purpose of reprinting the works of certain old divines was to be ushered into the world by the style and title of the Jolly Club. There happened to be amongst those concerned, however, certain persons so corrupted with the wisdom of this world, as to apprehend that the miscellaneous public might fail to trace this designation to its true origin, and might indeed totally mistake the nature and object of the institution, attributing to it aims neither consistent with the ascetic life of the departed prelate, nor with the pious and intellectual object of its founders. The counsels of these worldly-minded persons prevailed. The Jolly Club was never instituted,—at least as an association for the reprinting of old books of divinity,—though I am not prepared to say that institutions, more than one so designed may not exist for other purposes. The object, however, was not entirely abandoned. A body of gentlemen united themselves together under the name of another Scottish prelate, whose fate had been more distinguished, if not more fortunate, and the Spottiswoode Society was established. Here, it will be observed, there was a passing to the opposite extreme, and so intense seems to have been the anxiety to escape from all excuse for indecorous jokes or taint of joviality, that the word Club, wisely adopted by other bodies of the same kind, was abandoned, and this one called itself a Society." The publications were discontinued about 1851.

The Calvin Translation Society was established at Edinburgh in 1843, and its work was completed in 1855, by the publication of twenty-two Commentaries, etc., of the great reformer in fifty-two volumes.

The Ray Society was founded in 1844 for the publication of works on Natural History (Zoology and Botany), and a large number of valuable books, fully illustrated, have been produced, many of them translations from foreign works. Many of the later publications are more elaborately coloured than the earlier ones.

The Wernerian Club was instituted in 1844 for the republication of standard works of Scientific Authors of old date.

The Handel Society was founded at London in 1844, for the purpose of printing the Works of Handel in full score. Sixteen volumes were issued, and in 1858 the Society was dissolved, the German Handel Society resuming the publication.

The Hanserd Knollys Society was instituted in 1845 for the publication of the works of early English and other Baptist writers, and one of these was an edition of Bunyan's Pilgrim Progress from the text of the first edition. The Society was dissolved about 1851.

The Caxton Society was instituted in 1845 for the publication of Chronicles and other writings hitherto unpublished, illustrative of the history and miscellaneous literature of the middle ages. This Society was formed on a somewhat original basis. The members were to pay no annual subscription, but they engaged to purchase one copy of all books published by the Society. The expense of printing and publishing to be defrayed out of the proceeds of the sale, and the money remaining over to be paid to the editors.

The Cavendish Society was instituted in 1846 for the promotion of Chemical Science by the translation and publication of valuable works and papers on Chemistry not likely to be undertaken by ordinary publishers. During its last years the Society existed for the publication of Gmelin's voluminous "Handbook of Chemistry," and when this work was completed, with a general Index, the Society ceased to exist.

The Ecclesiastical History Society was instituted in 1846, and one of its early publications was the first volume of Wood's "Athenæ Oxoniensis," edited by Dr. Bliss, but this only contained the life of Anthony Wood himself. The Society was dissolved in 1854, after publishing the Book of Common Prayer according to a MS. in the Rolls Office, Dublin (3 vols.), and sundry other works.

The Hakluyt Society, named after Richard Hakluyt (born 1553, died 1616), was founded at the end of 1846 for the purpose of printing the most rare and valuable Voyages, Travels and Geographical Records, from an early period of exploratory enterprise to the circumnavigation of Dampier. The first two volumes ("Sir Richard Hawkins's Voyage into the South Sea, 1593," and "Select Letters of Columbus") were issued in 1847, and the Society still flourishes. Between 1847 and 1885 the Society has presented to its members an important series of books of travel, at the rate of about two volumes a year for an annual subscription of one guinea.