“On the decease of Mrs. Caslon,” writes Hansard, in 1825, “the management of the Foundry devolved on Mrs. Henry Caslon, who, possessing an excellent understanding, and being seconded by servants of zeal and ability, was enabled, though suffering severely under ill-health, in a great measure to retrieve its credit. Finding the renown of William Caslon no longer efficacious in securing the sale of his types, she resolved to have new founts cut. She commenced the work of renovation with a new Canon, Double Pica and Pica, having the good fortune to secure the services of Mr. John Isaac Drury, a very able engraver, since deceased. The Pica, an improvement on the style of Bodoni,[509] was particularly admired, and had a most extensive sale. Finding {252} herself, however, from the impaired state of her health, which suffered from pulmonary attacks, unable to sustain the exertions required in conducting so extensive a concern, she resolved, after the purchase of the Foundry, to take as an active partner Mr. Nathaniel Catherwood, (a distant relation), who by his energy and knowledge of business fully equalled her expectations. This connection gave a new impetus to the improvements of the Foundry, which did not cease during the lives of the partners, and their exertions were duly appreciated and encouraged by the printers. In 1808 the character of the Foundry may be considered as completely retrieved, but the proprietors did not long live to enjoy their well-merited success. In 1799, Mrs. Henry Caslon had married Mr. Strong, a medical gentleman, who died in 1802. In the spring of 1808 she was afflicted with a serious renewal of her pulmonary attack, in consequence of which she was advised to try the effect of the air of Bristol Hotwells, which probably protracted her life during a twelvemonth of extreme suffering, but could not eradicate the fatal disease. Her fortitude and resignation under this long continued, and helpless affliction could not be surpassed, and were truly admirable. Her sufferings were terminated in March 1809, when she was buried in the Cathedral of Bristol. The worthy and active Mr. Nathaniel Catherwood did not long survive his associate, being seized with a typhus fever which baffled the medical art. He died on the 6th of June, ætat. 45, very generally regretted.”[510] A portrait of Mrs. Strong is preserved at Chiswell Street.

In 1805 was published the first Specimen containing the new Romans of Messrs. Caslon and Catherwood, among which, however, the Canon and Double Pica referred to by Hansard are not included. The dates affixed to the various specimens[511] show that most of them were completed between 1802 and 1805, the {253} earliest being the Great Primer, dated May 1802. The Specimen also contained the Caslon Orientals. In 1808 a further Specimen of the Romans, including a few additional founts, appeared as a supplement to Stower’s Printers’ Grammar.[512]

These two Specimens, which are the only ones known to have been issued during twenty-three years, indicate clearly the important revolution through which the Chiswell Street Foundry, in common with all the other foundries of the day, had passed in respect of the model of its characters. All the once admired founts of the originator of the Foundry have been discarded, and between the Specimen of 1785 and that of 1808 there is absolutely no feature in common.[513]

On the death of his mother and her partner, Henry Caslon II assumed the management of the business, and fully maintained its reputation. The former name of the firm was retained, and a fresh specimen of Roman letters and modern Blacks was issued about the year 1812.

In 1814 Mr. Caslon took into partnership Mr. John James Catherwood,[514] brother to Mr. Nathaniel Catherwood, and in this association proceeded vigorously with the improvement of the foundry. The partnership continued until 1821, during which period, says Hansard, “the additions and varieties made to the stock of the Foundry have been immense. Nothing that perseverance in labour and unsparing effort could effect, either to meet the fashion and evanescent whim of the day, or with the superior view of permanent improvement, has been wanted to keep the concern up to its long-established eminence, and to enable it to rank high among the many able competitors of the present age. The ancient stock can never be equalled—the modern never excelled.”[515]

Among the more important accessions to the stock of the Foundry may {254} be mentioned the acquisition in 1817 of the Foundry of Mr. William Martin of Duke Street, St. James’s, which, as elsewhere stated,[516] included several good Roman and Oriental letters.

The partnership between Mr. Caslon and Mr. Catherwood being dissolved in 1821 by the withdrawal of the latter,[517] Mr. Caslon admitted to a share of the business Mr. Martin William Livermore, “who for many years,” says Hansard, “had evinced ample talent, indefatigable zeal, and obliging attention, as active foreman and manager of the mechanical department.”

It is to be regretted that the absence of any specimen book between 1812 and 1830, prevents us from forming any accurate idea of the development of the Foundry during that period. It may be interesting, however, to quote the list given by Hansard, of matrices of the “learned” languages in the Foundry at the time when he wrote, i.e. 1825:

Messrs. Caslon and Livermore issued specimens in 1830 and 1834, the latter appearing exactly one hundred years after the first broadside published by William Caslon I.