In spite of their failure from the commercial point of view, Baskerville's prayer-books and bible were recognised as something finer than, or at any rate as something different in kind from, what had been produced before. Dibdin called the bible "one of the most beautifully printed books in the world" and called special attention to the title-page as having "all the power and brilliancy of copper-plate." The contrast, too, between the dignified design of Baskerville's title-pages and the conventionally crowded title-page of the period has also been duly emphasised[115].
On the other hand, Baskerville's type has been criticised as being modelled too closely upon his own mastery of penmanship—the upstrokes very thin, the downstrokes very thick, the serifs very fine[116]. Controversy apart, Baskerville's is without doubt the most distinguished typographical work associated with the University Press in the eighteenth century.
Depressed by the financial failure of his bible, Baskerville printed no more in Cambridge after 1763[117]; when he died twelve years later, a French society bought his types and used them for an edition of Voltaire and other works.
Bentham continued to hold the office of printer until 1766. On 13 December of that year he resigned and John Archdeacon, an Irishman, was elected in his place, his salary being fixed two years later at £140 a year. Archdeacon had been appointed Inspector of the Press two months before, and, as appears from certain passages in Nichols's Literary Anecdotes[118], had been associated with a scheme by which Bowyer had contemplated taking over the management of the University Press:
In consequence (writes Nichols) of overtures from a few respectable friends at Cambridge, Mr Bowyer had some inclination, towards the latter end of 1765, to have undertaken the management of the University Press, by purchasing a lease and their exclusive privileges, by which for several years they had cleared a considerable sum. To accomplish this he took a journey to Cambridge; and afterwards sent the Compiler of these Anecdotes to negotiate with the Vice-Chancellor. The treaty was fruitless; but he did not much regret the disappointment.
Evidently it was intended that Archdeacon should be the printer under Bowyer's management, since Nichols wrote to Bowyer in September, 1765:
I write to you now from the house of Mr Labutte[119], with whom I have dined, and who has most obligingly shewn me all in his power. Mr Archdeacon is not at home. I have opened to Mr Labutte my plan, who is of opinion something may be done. I have talked also with a Compositor, who is sensible, and who now works in the house. Six hundred a year I believe may carry it. They talk of ten having been offered. For 7 years last past the University have cleared one-thousand-three-hundred pounds annually; besides farming the Almanack (200 l. more). This might at least be doubled by opening the trade in new channels. If any bookseller of reputation would enter into a scheme with you, an immense fortune would certainly be raised....
and Bowyer, in his reply, wrote:
Mr Archdeacon, as you observe, must be a leading person, and there is some delicacy necessary to be shewn to him.
This proposal, however, came to nothing, and no university documents relating to it have been preserved.