Be this as it may, Baskerville made no further excursions into the foreign and learned languages, and, fortunately (as we consider) for his reputation, confined his talents to the execution of the characters of his native tongue, a branch of the art in which he had no rival.

The punches, matrices and some of the types of this interesting fount are still preserved at Oxford,[556] and are the only relics in this country of Baskerville’s letter-foundry. We are particularly glad, therefore, to be able to present here, in addition to the annexed facsimile from the Specimen of 1768–70, a line printed from the actual type cast by Baskerville in 1761:—

[Μ] 71. Baskerville’s Greek. (From the Oxford Specimen of 1768–70.)

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Among the other important works which, says Mr. Nichols, “Baskerville printed with more satisfaction to the literary world than emolument to himself,” his Paradise Lost, in 4to, printed in 1758,[557] is of signal merit and beauty. As a work of fine printing, it equals, if it does not excel, the Virgil. “The type”, observes Hansard (who speaks of it as a Pica instead of an English) “is manifestly an improvement on the ‘slender and delicate’ mentioned by Mr. Dibdin; I should think it, on the contrary, approaching to the embonpoint, and admirably calculated by extending the size (if in exact proportion), for works of the largest dimensions. The Italic possesses much room for admiration. . . . This work will, in my opinion, bear a comparison, even to its advantage, with those subsequently executed by the first typographer of our age. There is a clearness, a soberness, a softness, and at the same time a spirit, altogether harmonising, in Baskerville’s book, that neither of the others with which I am comparing it, can, I think, fairly claim.”[558]

In his preface to the Paradise Lost, Baskerville gives an interesting account of his own labours and ambitions as a letter-founder. He says:—

“Amongst the several mechanic Arts that have engaged my attention, there is no one which I have pursued with so much steadiness and pleasure as that of Letter Founding. Having been an early admirer of the beauty of Letters, I became insensibly desirous of contributing to the perfection of them. I formed to myself ideas of greater accuracy than had yet appeared, and have endeavoured to produce a Sett of Types according to what I conceived to be their true proportion.

“Mr. Caslon is an artist to whom the Republic of Learning has great obligations; his ingenuity has left a fairer copy for my emulation than any other master. In his great variety of Characters I intend not to follow him; the Roman and Italic are all I have hitherto attempted: if in these he has left room for improvement it is probably more owing to that variety which divided his attention, than to any other cause. I honour his merit and only wish to derive some small share of Reputation from an Art which proves accidentally to have been the object of our mutual pursuit.

“After having spent many years, and not a little of my fortune, in my endeavours to advance this art; I must own it gives me great satisfaction to find that my edition of Virgil has been so favorably received . . .

“It is not my desire to print many books; but such only as are books of Consequence, of intrinsic merit, or established Reputation, and which the public may be pleased to see in an elegant dress, and to purchase at such a price as will repay the extraordinary care and expence that must necessarily be bestowed upon them . . . If {276} this performance (i.e., the Milton) shall appear to persons of judgment and penetration in the Paper, Letter, Ink, and Workmanship to excel, I hope their approbation may contribute to procure for me, what would indeed be the extent of my Ambition, a power to print an Octavo Prayer Book, and a FOLIO BIBLE.”

Both these ambitions were in due time fulfilled. In 1758 Baskerville had applied for the post of Printer to the University of Cambridge, an office which he obtained, with permission to print the folio Bible, and two editions of the Common Prayer in three sizes. This learned body, however, appear to have been influenced in the transaction more by a wish to fill their own coffers than by a desire to promote the interests of the Art; and the heavy premiums exacted from Baskerville for the privilege thus accorded effectually deprived him of any advantage whatever in the undertaking. He continued to hold this unsatisfactory office till 1766.