A ^9BH(= A g^B^ S^^H m ^^a^= 3 =^^^ 3D ^^^^m m 1 3 ^SSB ^ :^ ^^B^M ^ 9 ^^■Sl as . 2 SBI^HI » - ^■^H -< 7 a^^^ :r ic ^■^^ I 9 ^Si^^ 4 "■^i fe \ "h ^ \) THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES EX LIBRIS • JOHN GRIBBEL ST- AUSTELL HALL /\.^<1A^ • *«■ Cv /de-^^i/^^yK /a V'^, <5^ y ,^^1i^y-V^ n~i-^ C^/C- -Xc^. V/(- ^ (1 Cut on Title-page .of " Instructions for Hussars." Catnach, 1803. AN ACCOUM OF THE ART OF TYPOGRAPHY, AS PRACTISED IN ALNWICK FROM I781 TO 1815, WITH BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES OF ALL THE PUBLICATIONS DURING THAT PERIOD. BY C. CLARK BURMAN, lr.c.p. & s., eo,n. ^Infoijci : Printed by the " Alnwick and County Gazette " and Steam Printing Co., Ltd. 21, Bondgate Within, Alnwick. 18%. ERRATA. Page 25, line 8. For 20th March, 1876, read 29th March, 1870. „ line II. For seventeen, read twenty-four. Page 69, line 6. For Gilbray read Gillray. P©RE\^©Ril). MY enthusiastic admiration of the marvellous powers of Thomas Bewick as an engraver on wood has induced me to illustrate a few special copies of this paper with examples of wood-cuts executed by him exclusively for Alnwick printers. I think I may state without fear of contradiction, that one of the reasons why the productions of the early Alnwick press are held in such high estimation by bibliophiles, is the fact that many of them contain representative examples of wood-engraving by Thomas Bewick. Such an admission need not in any way detract from the interest of these books in a typographical point of view ; rather, on the other hand, their excellence in this respect constitutes them most worthy settings for the reception of these gems of Bewick's genius. It is a pleasant duty to express my gratitude to several kind friends for stipplementing my own collection of Bewick blocks for the purpose of illustrating thispaper, and I trust the selection made will meet with the appreciation of all lovers of the work of Bewick. The choice cut of Catnach's trade-card is printed from tfte original block : while its adaptation to the purposes of a book-plate is from an excellent electrotype. For both of these I am indebted to Dr. Robt. Smith of Winterton, in the County of Durham, who is the fortunate possessor of a most valuable collection of these treasures. The cut on the title-page of " Instructions to Hussars " is also from the original block, kindly placed at my disposal by Mr. Henry Grey of Mr. Mark Smith's; one of Alnwick's worthy printers. The discovery of this block, will I think be hailed with pleasure by all lovers of Bewick's engravings, since it displays, in a very character- istic manner, several peculiar features of the master's style. The cut of Graham's trade-card is from a stereotype kindly lent by Mr. John Davison, another representative of Alnwick 486150 typography; while to Mr. George Shelly I am indebted for the excellent electrotype of the book-plate adaptation of this cut. To the latter gentleman I also tender my thanks for the loan of the stereo - types of " Edwin and Angelina "from the Vicar of Wakefield, and one of the tail-pieces to Burns' Poems. The eight vignettes from Burns' Poems and sixteen of the tail-pieces from the same work, are all printed from the original blocks in my own collection ; as also is the tail-piece from Fergusson's Poems . Two of the Burns' tail-pieces are from electrotypes in my own collection. The facsimile title-page to " Andrew Lowrie " is from a process block executed for my reprint of this tract by the Direct Photo-Engraving Co., Ltd., 38, Farringdon Street, London. To J. C. Hodgson, Esq. of Warkworth, I am greatly indebted for his courtesy in com- piling the pedigree of Dorothea Baird, the " Trilby " so well known to all lovers of dramatic art at the present day. In conclusion, I must express my great appreciation of the manner in which the printing of the illustrations has been executed. To bring out the "points " of a wood-block engraved nearly one hundred years ago, with the precision and clearness of detail which I am happy to say characterises these examples, speaks highly for the class of workmanship still to be met with in a town so strongly associated with the printing of books illustrated by wood-cuts. It is interesting to record the fact that the blocks have been employed again within a few yards of the spot where they were originally first subjected to the printers' hand ; under very different conditions no doubt, but with all that careful attention necessary in the days of hand-presses to do justice to the engravings ; difficulties, however, which the introduction of modern machine printing have very largely removed. Only Fifty illustrated copies have been printed of which this is No. IQ , [(^^lU^.^SJCtCy^., "EARLY ALNWICK TYPOGRAPHY AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS." A Paper Read before the Alnwick Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association, ON FEB. I2TH, l8g6, BY C. CLARK BURMAN, L K.C.P. A S., Edin. When your president did rae the honour of requesting me to read a paper to your Association, I accepted witli diffidence ; not on account of any unwillingness on my part to assist so useful an Institution, but partly because my professional duties do not leave me much leisure in which to prepare papers such as have been read by so many of my predecessors in this room, and partly because my attention is principally taken up with studies not very readily made available for platform production. I have, therefore, taken advantage of a course which enables me to give you some information of a local historical character ; interesting I trust, and at the same time permits me making use of material which I have been accumulating during the past five years. A man is said to be all the better for having a hobby, provided he does not ride his h(?bby to the detriment of himself or his friends. Now, among other weaknesses, I plead guilty to the charge of being a lover of books, particularly those possessing local interest. You can understand a failing of this sort becomes a somewhat serious affair, when you think what importance this county holds in the history-making periods of England. Its situation, strength and wealth ; to say nothing of the noble, bold, and valiant men to which it has given birth, constitutes Northumber- land one of the most important counties ; and we find it is virtually brought into touch with history at all points ; so that a collection of books which possess some features of local character, really embraces more or less the History of England. What at first appears most interesting, on account perhaps of some topographical detail, becomes absorbed in the association of the town, castle, or district, as the case may be, with some movement in the social, political, or ecclesiastical condition of England. 3 Take, for example, the period of the Roman occupation of tliis island ; where will 3-00 find more marked evidence than in this and its adjoining county, Cumberland, in that won- derful barrier stretching across from the sea coast on each side of the island — the lloman Wall. Think then, even upon this one fea- ture, how much material in the shape of books might be accumulated ; or, again, look at the association of Liudisfarne and the saintly St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert with the introduction of Christianity into Northura- bria ; or, consider the relations of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland, how much of their martial history is associated with this county, down to the historic battle of Flodden. Then have we not the names of noted warriors on land and sea, statesmen and ecclesiastics ; all of whom claim this as the county of their nativity, and of whom we are so justly proud ? Last, and far, very far from being least, we have our own town of Alnwick, with all its interesting associations, ecclesiastical, political, military and historical. I think you will agree with me that even this small portion of the county of Northum- berland, affords ample material for an ordi- nary lifetime in the collection of litei-nture having relations so varied as Alnwick has had in the history* of England. Sucli, you can see, is the will-o-the-wisp which infatuates and leads on those poor, deluded mortals, the subject of that peculiar affection known by the name of Bibliomania ; which, like other forms of mental alienation, has its gradations, and you may be a biblio- maniac on one or more points. For to-night, we will touch upon one por- tion of the hobby of a man collecting books ; and I have selected an apparently trivial subject out of the many w ith which the town of Alnwick will always be connected ; but I hope to be able to show you that even the sub- ject of the early typographical history of a pro- vincial town may interest and instruct those who enter upon its study ; and surely to an audience of Alnwick people, a glance back- wards at the position your native town can justly claim to occupy in the annals of the art of typography will prove interesting, if nothing more. To a very large extent the character of the inhabitants of a small town may be studied in the printed matter to which it gives birth ; one will certainly reflect the other. In the latter days of the last century and the first decade of the present, knowledge, among the lower orders especially, was developing coincident with, and de- pendent upon the advance of printing. Communication with the larger centres was slow and expensive, books were not the price they are now, paper was taxed and taxed HALLOWEEN.— Burns* Poems. Alnwick, Vol. I. (Davison), 1808, heavily ; interchange of ideas was slowljr brought about, and the smaller towns were- entirely dependent upon the larger towns, whose presses supplied them with whatever literature they requircd; and very possibly, decided its character also. So soon, however, as a town reached such a stage of develop- ment as to become the possessor of a printing press of its own, immense facilities for pro- gress in all directions was within its power ; and you will find Alnwick was not behind- hand in availing itself of the opportunities for educational purposes which the introduction of the printing press provided. In most instances, I daresay, the chief employment of the early proviucial presses was that of providing for local wants, in the shape of advertisements, announcements, &c., and the thousand and one details of a strictly commonplace typographical character, such as notices, broadsheets, pamphlets, sermons and such like small works; thus feeling their way to higher and more ambitious productions as circumstances or necessities dictated. That such was the case in Alnwick I have no doubt: at least, the results of several years searching, both in person and by deputy, fail to produce anything more elaborate than a pamphlet as having issued from the Alnwick press previ- ous to 1793. Of course it would be wrong to say that nothing approaching a book appeared before that date. I will provide you with a good 6 many items bearing a date some time previous- and as time goes on, fresh discoveries are being made, so that my remarks must be taken as representing the result of my personal observation only up to this lecture. I have to express my thanks for many facilities afforded me in my search for Aln- wick printed material, throughout scattered libraries in Northumberland. Kind friends have supplemented my investigations, and made the task easier and more pleasant. Through the kindness of Earl Percy, I have had the pleasure of personally examining that fine collection of Northumberland literature which finds a home in the library of Alnwick Castle ; and the librarian, Mr Bosworth, most courteously assisted me and suggested fresh lines upon which to work in future searches. The year 1800, is the date given by Cotton in his Typographical Oazeteer, 1866 Edit., as the earliest Alnwick printing (meaning, I -presume, the printing of books); this date is also given by Power in his " Sandy Booh about BoohsV " It is, in fact, more difficult than some persons ma} be willing to believe, to ascertain with exactness the time when the Art of Printing was first introduced into the towns . and villages of our own country Many of our towns produced nothing beyo6d posting-bills, law notices, and other broad- sides, until the beginning of the present •century." So says Cotton in his Preface. One or two facts brought to light during my investigations, deserve to be noticed before giving you the list I have accumulated during the last few years. On the title-page of a sermon preached at Darlington, Oct. 9th, 1746, the day of public thanksgiving for the suppression of the EebellioD, by William Wood, M.D., and printed by John Gooding at Newcastle-on- Tyne in 1746, there appears, among the list of names of booksellers from whom the sermon may be purchased, that of A. Graham, at Alnwick : so you see at this early date we find the town possesses a bookseller at least, and if a bookseller, why not a printer ? It must be borne in mind, however, that though very frequently now-a-days the two businesses are associated, it was not so formerly, more particularly in the year 1746, and I think I have discovered very strong presumptive evidence that in the case of Alnwick, we had no such association of printer and bookseller. During my examination of the collections of local literature forming part of the Eell Collection in the Alnwick Castle Library I came across a pamphlet, 12""°, pp 12, with the following title page : — " Scheme for founding and supporting a public library in Alnwick, addressed to all readers in that place and neighbourhood. Newcastle, printed by Thos. Slack, 1769." I think we may reasonably suppose that a p.xmphlet of such a strongly local character 8 would have been printed in the town if it possessed the means of doing so. In the same collection, I also came upon another interesting local tract, with this title page : "Horticolarum Conditiones, or the rules and articles to be observed by a society or club called the Gardeners' Society, in Alnwick, Northumberland. Printed for the said Society, 1761." Unfortunately, it possesses no indication of where it was printed or who was its printer, and it is therefore open to anyone to assume that it was printed in Alnwick ; but consider for a moment, if the facilities for printing existed in this town in 1^61, why do we find the promulgators of the Public Library going to Newcastle for their pamphlet and not patronising local industry ? It was only a small duodecimo pamphlet of twelve pages ! With this evidence before us, I think we may reasonably conclude that up to 1769, at any rate, no press was established in this town. ^ From 1769 to 1781, a period of twelve years, I have been unable to lay my hand upon anything bearing the Alnwick imprint. Such may possibly have existed, and some day, perhaps, we will find good reasons for altering our dates, but so far as I have gone I must place the date of the first printing in Alnwick as 1781, and in so doing I have not overlooked what Mr. Hindley has written in his " Life and Times of James Tail-piece. — Burns' Poems. Alnwick, Vol. I. (Davison), 1808. Tail-piece. — Burns' Poems. Alnwick, Vol. I. (Davison), 1808. 9 Catnach," page 4 ; where he states that previous to 1790 the trade of a printer in Alnwick was carried on by a man named Thomas Lindsay. Probably his authority for the statement is to be found in a series of papers on John and James Catnach printed in the Alnwick Journal for 1876, written by one of your former presidents, Mr. George Skelly; to whom also I must express my thanks for his courtesy in placing what information he possesses at my disposal. It is unfortunate, however, that this assertion is not supported by a reference to anything printed by him. I have used every means in my power to find a single publica- tion, however trifling, bearing the imprint of Thomas Lindsay and have failed. However regretful it may be, I think historical accuracy demands of us to leave out his name, until something more authoritative than a mere statement is advanced, in support of his claim to be the first Alnwick printer. Of course the time may come when such proofs will be produced. The earliest example of printing which we may reasonably claim as being the work of an Alnwick printer, is a simple sheet entitled "A Lett<.'r addressed to Mr. Luke Mattison, of Alnwick," signed R. R., junr., and dated Sept. 11th, 1781, which I have the pleasure of exhibiting. It, however, has the name of no printer attached, still I think we may fairly assume it to be the work of 10 Thomas Alder (the only printer, I may here mention, I find any trace of, up to the year 1785). The second in chronological order is also without the name of the printer, and is a single folio of September, 1781, printed by order of the Chamberlains of the Borough, referring to a petition representing the grievances of the Freemen. Next comes a quarto pamphlet of eight pages, dated Nov. 19th, 1781 : a Report of the Committee appointed by the complaining Freemen. It is published by order of the said Committee, Thos. Jameson, Secretary, and is very interesting since it is the first production of the Alnwick press which I have found bearing the name of the printer, — T. Alder. " , Then next in order come the famous Letters of the Old Craftsman addressed to the Freemen of Alnwick : they were seven in number and issued with the following dates :— No. I.— Nov. 28th, 1781. No. II.— Dec. 6th, „ No. III. -Dec. 17th, , No IV.— Dec. 24th, „ No. v.— Jan. 4th, 1782. No. VI.— Jan. 18th, „ No. VII.— Feb. 1st „ 11 They were re-issued in one volume in 1782 by Thomas Alder, who I presume would be the printer of the original letters as issued. They were reprinted in the Alnwick Journal for December, 1865, and the following months of 18G6. The author was Robert Richardson, junior. Clerk to the Council, the successor of his father, Robert Richardson, a solicitor, who held this office from 1752 — 68. You will obtain some interesting information about these letters and the controversy they raised in the Ahimck Journal at the com- pletion of the last reprinted letter. The grievances of the Freemen gave rise to other publications, probably in the nature of a pamphlet war, (for which Alnwick has been noted), as I trace one dated 1781, by George Grieve, a reply, no doubt, to some of the earlier letters of the Old Craftsman. I have not seen the work myself, but you will find it advertised for sale in an appendix to Chamley's Catalogue of second-hand books, 1840, No. 11577 ; unfortunately the book- seller does not give the printer's name. The grievances of the Freemen led to the institution of a Chancery suit, and we find an answer to the petition presented to the Duke of Northumberland, signed by his com- missioner, Henry Collingwood Selby, dated 19th Nov., 1782, a 4 page foolscap folio, without name of printer. 12 Also an octavo pamphlet of 44 pages, signed by Geo. Selby, Thos. Moffat, Eo. Richardson, junr., and Thos Hardy, junr., Chamberlains, dated 17th Dec, 1782, laying down certain articles of agreement for the settlement of the controversy ; it also has no printer's name, but from the similarity of type I think we may place it to the credit of T. Alder. For our purpose this evening we may leave this part of the subject as I have no other literature to produce, except some doubtful sheets which may or may not have been printed in Alnwick ; I, therefore, leave them out of consideration. T. Alder's name appears on another pam- phlet bearing no date, but probably about 1784, entitled " Faults on Both Sides : a sentimental story," being the genuine relation of a Lady and Gentleman of North Britain. Pounded on fact. It is signed " Z," is post 8vo. size, and consists of 8 pages, and " sold for the benefit of a person who has been above 20 years in distress." In 1785, there was published in Alnwick the funeral sermon of the Rev. Thomas Knipe, by the Rev Percival Stockdale. 8vo. pp. xvi, 24 ; dedicated to Edward Jei'ningham , Esq., and dated February 17th, 1785. It is interesting to note the imprint — JPuilished and sold by Alexander Graham, Bookseller in Alnwick. Please notice it is published, not printed. This Alexander Graham no doubt THE DEATH OF POOR MAILIE. — Bums' PoemS. Alnwick, Vol. I. (Davison), 1808. 13 is the bookseller referred to on the sermon of 1746 which I have already mentioned ; and we shall find strong evidence that even noio Alex. Graham did not print, though he pub- lished, for in 1788 we find another contro- versy going on in Alnwick, this time of a theological nature and with the usual amount of paper warfare. It arose in connection with a sermon preached in the Parish Church on Whit-Sunday by the Rev. Mr. Johnson,, curate of Alnwick. This was replied to by someone signing himself Ilationalis, and then the Rev. Alex. Simpson, D.D., Minister of the Protestant Dissenting Congregation ia Bondgate, issued an 8vo. pamphlet, entitled the Divinity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus^ Christ, proved from the Holy Scriptures. Printed for the Author by T. Alder, and sold by A. Graham, Bookseller, Alnwick, 1788, pp. 40. Note the printer and bookseller are- different persons, strengthening my opinion, that up to this time only one printer was ia business, Thos. Alder ; and that Alex. Grahaui kept to the business of bookseller as he did. in 1746. Some years later, however. We- will find there was a Graham a printer. We come now to the commencement of what might be termed the turning point in the history of printing in Alnwick. In 1 700 the name of John Catnach is associ- ated with the typographical history of Aln- wick, for in this year, according to Mr. Hindley in his " Life and Times of James- 14 Catnach," a printer of this name removed from Berwick-on-Tweed, where he had been carrjing on his trade, and established himself in this town ; and from this time great advancement in the character of Alnwick printing is perceptible. It would be out of place for me to go into any particulars regarding John Catnach ; you will be amply rewarded by the perusal of the interesting biography of Mr. Hindley and also by the same gentleman's " History of the Catnach Press." To these I would refer you for information, interesting no doubt, but not adapted to our present purpose. I daresay it is to the enterprise of John •Catnach that we are indebted for the first periodical published in Alnwick. It was called the Alnwick Magazine, or Northumberland Intelligencer. It is now so exceedingly rare that my investigations have, up to the present, only discovered two examples, one a fragment, pp. 139—179, from April 14 to May 12, 1792, in the possession of our respected chairman of the Urban Council and one of your vice-presi- dents, Mr. G. H. Thompson ; the other was «old at the dispersion of the Thos. Bell Library and you will find it No. 113 of the catalogue, Nos. 1, 3, and 4 in one volume. Alnwick, 1792. What was the length of its existence I have no opportunity of deciding, except that at least No. 4 was issued. 15 That John Catnach is responsible for the earliest dated book I have been able to trace is certain, and I here show it to you, it is a small 12mo. of 94 pages, and if it was really his first book, I think you will agree with me, he could scarcely have selected a more appro- priate one, or one more likely to appeal to the general taste of the public. It is a new edition of Milton's Paradise Regained. Aln- wick : printed by J. Catnach, 1793. In the following year, 1 794, we have also from his press : A humble Tribute to the Memory of Mr. Abram Rumney, late mas- ter of the Grammar School in Alnwick, by a friend of his age ; it is 12 mo, pp. 36. In 1795, there was a serious commotion among the Methodists, caused by the very pronounced criticism of one of their body, the Rev. Alex. Kilham, who was minister of the Wesleyan Chapel in Alnwick at this time. He published a pamphlet called " The Progress of Liberty amoDg the people called Methodists, to which is added the Outlines of a Constitution." Alnwick : printed by J. Catnach, 1795, 12mo. pp. 60, and to the publication of this pamphlet is due the secession of a portion of the Methodist body subsequent to the trial and expulsion of the above-named minister from the Wesleyan community, (see Tate's History of Alnwick, p. 201, vol. II ) 16 In the following year we find Mr Kilham issuing another pamphlet also printed by J. Catnach, 1706, post 8vo. pp. 36, entitled " A Candid Examination of the London Methodistical Bull," which is interesting as containing on page 11 a woodcut of the head and shoulders of an ox, probably the work of Bewick, and the first example of the employment of such embellishment in an Alnwick printed work that I have seen. In the same year, 1796, J. Catnach issued •* A Short Account of the trial of Alex. Kilham, Methodist Minister," post 8vo. pp. 48. This year, 1796, is also interesting as Catnach published another book, " The Seasons," by James Thomson, with his last Corrections, Additions, and Improvements," a new edition, 12mo. pp. (xii.) 162. This work contains four full page copper plates, the first example of this kind of book illus- tration I have been able to discover in any Alnwick publication ; it is also to be noted that for the first time Catnach styles himself a bookseller. I am happy to be able to show you a copy of this work. It is not until 1798 that I can produce anything else printed in Alnwick, and again the work is printed by J. Catnach, Book- seller, "An Address to the People of Great Britain," by R. Watson, Lord Bishop of Landaff. I2mo. pp. 30. 17 You see that from 1790 to 1798 Catnach is the only printer represented. T. Alder has disappeared, but in 1799 we have another printer introduced, J. Vint, and ray first example of his press is a folio sheet, addressed to the Freemen of Alnwick by John "Wood- house, a letter regarding the impounding of his horses. It is signed and dated I2th Nor. 1799, with imprint at the foot, J. Vint, printer, Alnwick. We find, however, that Vint was more than a printer, he cultivated the Muses, for he is the author of a volume of Poems entitled the " Meed of Momus," a collection of Humourous Tales in verse, together with several Songs, sung at the places of public entertainment in and; near London, all written by J. Vint, printer, to which are added. Tales by various authors. Alnwick, printed and sold by J. Vint, at the Britannia Printing Office, small 8vo, pp. (viii.) 288. It is undated, but ray copy is printed on paper bearing the watermark of 1798, so that it may have been 1799 or 1800. It has a cut on the title, probably by Uewick. Now this collection of poems, contains, among others, a very succinct and amusing account of the process through which 3'oung men. became Freemen. It is called St. Mark's Day. In Garret's catalogue for May 18tt, a copy is advertised, dated 1804, Alnwick. • J. Vint's name also apppears on a notice dated January 18th, 1800, from the Shilbottle 18 ■Colliery, announcing an advance in the price -of coals. In the same year there was issued from his press, " A Poetical Tale, entitled Andrew Lowrie, the pretended Conjuror who resided and lately died in Cauongate. A character perfectly well known in the town and vicinity of Alnwick." Printed and sold by J. Vint, at the Britannia Printing Office, 1800, 8vo, pp. 16, with a woodcut on the title •of a man sitting in the stocks, with a dog looking at him. This amusing poetical tract is so very scarce that I have asked for and received permission from the owner of this ■copy to have it reprinted. There are some points regarding J. Vint which require elucidation. Mr. Skelly is the authority (and one to whom we ought to pay every respect), for the information that he left Alnwick about 1790 and settled in New- gate Street, Newcastle; he also suggests the date of his volume of Poems as 1785 — 90. Now I have shown you examples of his printing in Alnwick in 1800, and the water- mark in the paper of my copy of " The Meed of Moraus " is 1798, these facts are ■ contradictory. In Charnley's second-hand catalogue for 1817, No. 2118, is advertised, A Collection of : Songs by Vint of Newcastle, 12mo, 3/-, New- castle, 1775 ; and in Garret's catalogue for May 1844 there is a copy of Vint's British Muse, a Collection of Songs, 12mo, half 4)0und, Newcastle, 1775. Tliese are both 19 examples of the same work I presume. This Vint we must conclude, resided in New- castle about this date, but the following particulars which I have collected, would lead one to suppose he cannot have been the same person as the J. Vint, who, (according to the Alnwich Journal, Nov., 1865), was bom in Alnwick, and, after serving his apprenticeship, carried on the business of printer and book- seller in his native town for some time. He subsequently left it, and after an effort to better his circumstances finally settled in the Isle of Man where he became editor of a Manx newspaper and died in 1814. Compare this with the following note from Timperley's Encyclopeedia of Literary and Typographical Anecdotes : — "On May 30th, 1799, John Parry, the proprietor ; John Vint, the printer ; and George Ross, the publisher of the ** Courier" newspaper, were convicted in the Court of King's Bench for publishing a paragraph stating the Emperor of Russia to be a tyrant among his subjects and ridiculous to the rest of Europe. Mr. Parry was sentenced to pay the sum of £100, to be imprisoned in the King's Bench for six months and 6ud sureties for his good behaviour for five years, himself in £500 and two sureties in £250 each. Vint and Ross to be imprisoned in the same jail for one calendar mouth each." 20 " 1814. March 18th, died John Vint, Editor of the " Isle of Man Weekly Gazette." Mr. Vint was a native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (some authorities say Alnwick), and during his apprenticeship officiated as editor and com- positor. He afterwards went to London, where he was engaged as sub-editor on the "Morning Post" and "Courier" daily papers. His next situation was the conductor of Harrops' (1) " Manchester Mercury," and (2) " The British Volunteer," and his final at Douglas, where he was suddenly removed from this life in the 60th year of his age. Distinguished as he was by his talents and industry, he was, however, still more dis- tinguished by his virtues and exemplary conduct in the relations of domestic life." '* The Gentleman's Magazine," for April, 1814, contains the following obituary notice. March 18. Mr J. Vint, a native of Alnwick, printer, and at one time sub-editor of " The Courier" and " Morning Post," but latterly editor of the " Isle of Man Weekly Gazette." You see, therefore, if it was the same J. Vint, who Avas sentenced to imprisonment at London in 1799, he could not have been carrying on the trade of a printer in Alnwick ; and I have produced evidence that he was doing so both in 1799 and 1800. I can find nothing printed in Alnwick by J. Vint after 1800 ; but in 1801 there was published "A History of the Town and THE VISION. — Burns' Poems. Alnwick, Vol. I. (Davison), i8o8. 21 County of Newcastle-upon-Tjne." New- castle : Printed for Vini and Anderson. Can this be the Alnwick Vint ? I think we we must leave this question unsettled until more information is forthcoming. During 1800 J. Vint printed two other small tracts, one of which I discovered in the Castle Library, " Abstract of an Act, passed by the British Parliament on 30th June, 1800, to prevent the cutting, gashing, or flawing of Hides and Skins." Alnwick : Printed and sold by J. Vint, 1800. 12mo. pp. 12. Price only sixpence. Since Alnwick possessed such an extensive tanning business at this period, information of such a character would be essential to those practising the craft. The other, I produce. It is an extract from Grose's Antiquities of England and Wales. " A Description of the Castles of Alnwick and VVarkworth ; also of Hulne Abbey, near Alnwick, all belonging to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland." Aln- wick : Printed and sold by J. Vint, 1800, post 8vo , pp. 32. I have not come across anything else bearing Vint's imprint. John Catnach, during 1800, provides us with a good many items. Mr. Skelly quotes two, (1) A Description of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland. (2) A Description of 'i'he Hermitage at Warkworth ; but I have not seen them. 22 On the back cover of mj copy of Stock- •dale's poems (1800) is an advertisement of " The Hermit of Warkvvorth," elegantly pressed, price sixpence. Xo size is mentioned, but I think this would be the first edition or issue, of this wonderful poem from the Aln- wick press. Next, I show you a volume of poems, by Percival Stockdale, 1800, 8vo. pp. 39, with a portrait, and three woodcuts, one on the cover, another on the title-page, and the last on page 27. A 12mo. edition is mentioned by Hugo in his Bewick Collector, No. 158, but I have not seen it. "We find Catnach issued two rather im- portant books during 1800, both of which I am able to show you. " The Idler," 'by Samuel Johnson, in 2 vols., 12mo, Also, by the same author, " A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland," 12mo. pp. 288, with two woodcuts by Bewick, one of which is given as a head-piece to the preface of Miss Julia Boyd's Bewick Gleanings. We come now to another controverted point, and one upon which I am sorry I must again differ from such an excellent authority as Mr. George Skelly. Some- where, let us say, about this time (to avoid any confusion), Catnach issued a small book entitled "The Beauties of Natural History," selected from Buffon's History -of Quadrupeds, 12mo. pp. 92, with 67 cuts. 23 many of which are to be found in the publi- cations of Saint of Newcastle. Hugo, in his Bewick Collector, No. 45, suggests the date as 1790, and so does Mr. Skelly in his letters to the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle. This I certainly think cannot be accepted, as I have shown you the earliest dated work of Catnach's is 1793. Up to 1800 we have never come across any examples of natural history cuts (unless we call the cut of the bull in Kilham's Tract, 1796, one of this class) ; in fact, there have been only only one or two instances in which woodcuts of any description have been met with. I am inclined to place the date of this book about 1804, as we find by this time Catnach had more or less secured his position in the trade, and attempted works of a more elaborate character, as we have seen in the two vols, of "The Idler." I can imagine a man of Catnach's enterprize and ability recognising the immense educational value of illustrated books, particularly those of the natural history class ; and being acquainted, as we have no doubt he was, with the marvellous success obtained by Bewick's Quad- rupeds and Birds (the first volume of the latter having only recently been issued — 1797) ; he may have been entered into correspondence with the illustrious wood-engraver, and, as a first start so to say, became possessed of blocks which either had been used by Saint, the Newcastle printer, in some of his publi- 24 cations, or else copies of such blocks, and ventured upon a new line of work, such as the book under consideration, (it is only a small volume of 92 pages,) feeling his way, as it were, to higher and more ambitious efforts. That he succeeded, I think there can be little doubt, as the subsequent history of the Catnach productions fully proves. However, let us leave the question of this particular book until a subsequent year (1804), when I shall have something more to say upon it. We come now to another production of the eccentric vicar of Lesbury, Rev. Percival Stockdale, " A Discourse on the Duties and Advantages of Old Age." Alnwick ; printed by J. Catnach, 1801, 8vo., pp. 39. Mr. G. Skelly mentions an edition in 4to., pp. 22, containing two vignettes by Bewick ; I have also seen this size advertised in an old second- hand book catalogue. 1802 is interesting, since it introduces us to new names in the history of Aln- wick printing ; again, it is the Rev. Percival Stockdale who is the author of a pamphlet, "A Remonstrjtnce against In- humanity to Animals, and particularly against the Savage Practice of Bull Baiting." Aln- wick : Printed by and for M. and J. Graham 1802, 8vo., pp. viii, 24. It contains three woodcuts. In connection with the name of Graham you will remember the Alex. Graham whose Graham's Trade Card Cut. The same adapted for Book-plate. name appeared on the 1740 Sermon, and also- in 1785 and 1788, we could not trace any- thing bearing his name as a printer. These names, M. and J. represent, probably, a younger generation, for a Joseph Graham, of wiiom we will have more to say, died at Dunstan Steads, near Embleton, aged 92, on the 20th March, 187G. Joseph Graham (the second), at this date, would be eighteen, and if the M(ary) was his wife, her age would be seventeen ; rather young we should say, not only to be established in the maiTiage state, but also in business as printers. It certainly could not be his grandmother Mary, as she died in 1788, six years previous to the grandfather Alexander. There was a Joseph (I presume the father of Joseph Graham, so long a printer and publisher in Alnwick), who died in 1792. With these facts before us, we may conclude that the young couple were partners, not only in marriage, but also in business, and, like a respectful husband, he gives her name the first place on the imprint of Stockdale's pamphlet. On the other hand the M[ary] might be his aunt. In 1805 and 1806, hand-bills are to be found in the Castle Library bearing the name of Graham, printer, Alnwick. In connection with this Graham as a prin- ter, I may mention that Bewick engraved a very fine wood-block for his slioj) card, and. 2U Hugo gives an illustration of it in his Supple- ment No. 5137 where he says it was executed about 1794 ; this I think is too early, as Graham would only be ten years old at that date. I may also mention that Mr. George Skelly uses a stereotype oi" this fine cut of Graham's as a bookplate. [I am indebted to J. C. Hodgson, Esq., of Warkworth, for the following notes regard- ing the Grahams. " On Monday, died at Alnwick, Mr. Graham, stationer." — Newcastle AJcer- User, 11th Feby , 1792. This is the obituary announcement of Joseph (the first), but I can trace nothing bearing his name as a printer ; he appar- ently carried on the stationery business after the death of his father, Alexander, in 1789, for, in the Newcastle Advertiser for 18th Feby., 1792, appears the following notice, " Mary Graham and Ann Smith, sisters of Jos. Graham, stationer, deceased, announce that they intend to carry on the business of their late father (Alexander) and brother (Joseph)." It may be interesting to record the fact that Miss Dorothea Baird, whose name is so well known at the present time by lier successful rendering of the part of ' Trilby,' in the dramatic reproduction of Du Maurier's celebrated novel, counts among PEDIGREE OF B. William Baird of Morpeth=Jane Strother of Alnwick : married at Morpeth, : 5 January, 1756. Morpeth Register William Baird of Alnwick grocer : died 7 January, 1821, aged 63. M.I , Alnwick. Will dated 10 Oct., 1820, proved 27 January, 1821. Richard Baird died in London of a fever 'with a character that few are entitled to,' N. Brown. Diary 27 Nov., 1787 I Jane died ii tergat Dec, Buriec Alnwi M; (1) atthew Forster of Alnmouth, baptised at Aln- wick, 4 Oct. 1784 : died 3 May, 1821, immarried and intestate. I I (2) Richard Strother Forster (3) John Forster of Pottergate, baptised baptised 2 at Alnwick, 17 June, 1787 Nov., 1788 : died 24 May, 1824, unmar- died 4 May, ried and intestate. 1789. (4) John Forster of= Newcastle, surgeon assumed the name of Baird. Baptised 8 March, 1791 ; a devisee of uncle Wm. Baird ; died at Kensington, 15 June, 1844, aged 54. M. Forster' t Obituary. John Forster Baird of London, barrister at law=Emily Jane, daughter of (a daughter) of Beaumont-hill and Thompson's Walls in Glendale : heir and devisee of his uncle, Wm. Baird, of Windy Edge. Died leaving issue daughters only. Dorothea Baird now (1896) taking the chief part in " Trilby," at Haymarket Theatre, London. minster. , Brinton of Kidder- W Li 03 15 B Vi( GL die id OP ALNWICK. 'John Foster of Alnwick, linen draper married at Alnwick, 10 Sept., 1783 : Died 29 August, 1812, aged G6, buried at Alnwick. Will dated 27 August, 1810. Lowes ^hter of es Potts. 1 at Chelsea lay, 1856, 159. Forster'i uary. I (5) William Forster of Alnwick, grocer. Assumed the name of Baird ; of Windy Edge, born 14 May, 1796; died 20 May, 1874. ' I > , (1) Jane married Henry Wilkinson of High Buston : died 3 Oct., 1848, aged 56. | M.I., Alnwick >l' (3) Grace married John Warren of Pasture House, Alnwick. (4) Ann married Robt Chrisp of the Peth, Alnwick, Adjutant of Northumberland Militia. Mary Forster« died 12 Nov., 1843, aged 58. Joseph Graham of Alnwick, stationer and printer, exe-- cutor to father- in-law's will. Died at Dun- ston Steads, Embleton, 29 March, 1870, aged 92. M.I , Alnwick. Baird of Coll., natriculatod 1854, aged 18, .9; MA.. 1861, Dymock, ershjre, ec, 1875. Alumtii Oxomfmei. J. C. HODGSON, Warkworth, jist March, 1896. 27 her relatives, Mary, the wife of Joseph Graham the printer (the second of that name), whose imprint we find appearing for the first time in 1802 on Stockdale's pamphlet upon " Bull Baiting."] In 1803 we have another small pamphlet, which T produce ; 12mo. pp. 10, printed by J. Catnach, " Remarks on the subject of Riding," with a cut by Bewick on the title; also a tract which I discovered in the Alnwick Castle Library " Instructions for Hussars and Light Cavalry acting as such, in time of war." Alnwick : Printed by J. Catnach, 1803, 12mo. pp. 54. On the title-page of this tract appears a very fine woodcut, undoubtedly from Bewick's graver : a shield resting against a tree, surmounted by a ducal coronet, having a cavalry soldier on one side and a horse on the other ; in the distance is a view of Alnwick Castle. The arms on the shield are those of the House of Percy. Through tlie courtesy of His Grace, I have the pleasure of showing you a photograph of this beautiful woodcut. It appears on the back cover of my 1806 "Hermit" and I have just discovered the original block is now in tlie possession of the representatives of the late Mr. Mark Smith of this town. In the year 1803 there is printed a List of Wards, Divisions, Parishes and Con- stabularies, Alnwick. I attribute this to Graham but am not quite positive as to the fact. 28 In 1804 was issued a volume, which, so far as we have seen, constitutes Catnaeh's "Magnum Opus." It is entitled "The Natural History of Quadrupeds, to which is prefixed the History of the Earth, &c. &c." Adorned with 73 engravings on wood, Aln- wick. Printed by J. Catnach, Stationer and Bookseller, 1804, small 8vo, pp. 84, 188. A short time ago I mentioned a work of a similar nature called " Beauties of Natural History," issued without a date, containing 67 cuts, (according to Hugo), who dated it 1790. I wish now to call your attention to another issue of a similar, if not the same work, called " Beauties of Natural History, selected from Buffon's History of Quadru- peds, with cuts by Bewick." London ; published and sold by the booksellers, by Wilson and Spence, York, and by J. Catnach, printer, Alnwick. It also contains 92 pages, but only 37 cuts. From the similarity of description I am lead to suppose Hugo has made a mistake in the number of woodcuts — 67 for 37 — if so, the description, with the exception of the title-page (a matter of small consequence, when the rest is iden- tical) makes the two works correspond. It is most interesting to notice that for the first time, he announces the fact that the cuts are by Bewick; a name calculated to secure the success of the book, as, at this time Bewick would have reached the highest point in the estimation of the world of art. Tail-piece. — Burns' Poems. Alnwick, Vol. I. (Davison), 1808. Tail-piece. — Burn's Poems. Alnwick, Vol. II. (Davison), 1808. 29 Already' the majority of the educated public had made the acquaiutance of and read with interest the History of Quad- rupeds (1790), and the 6rst volume of the History of Land Birds (1797), and now the History of Water Birds (1804), showed them how beautiful the art of wood-engravingr had become in the hands of a genius such as Bewick. The inducements held out to his readers by Catnach were perfectly justifiable, since nothing approaching this kind of illus- tration of Natural History subjects had been seen until Bewick's time. Now we must try and find a date for this volume entitled " Beauties of Natural His- tory," and the following facts, I think, enable us to do so with some degree of certainty. If you notice, The Natural History of Quad- rupeds is paged 1 to 81, and then begins BufEon's History of Quadrupeds, commencing' again from page 1 to 188. I have care- fully compared my copy of " Beauties " with Mr. Skelly's copy of the 1801 Natural History of Quadrupeds, and I find on exam- ination that the former is simply a portion, (pages 1 — 92) of the second part of the latter: this you can see for yourselves on looking at the two works. It is printed from the same type and possesses the same signatures, wood- cuts, and tail-pieces. Now I think, with these facts before us, we cannot date the- " Beauties " earlier than 18Q4. 30 In connection with this point it is interest- ing to notice that Catnach issued the " Natural History of Buffon " in 18 numbers at 8d each; €ach number containing 40 pages, octavo size, the complete work making 2 vols, with 200 engravings, and, as he very honestly says, " is more than was ever given of the «ame quality." Mr. G. H. Thompson possesses No. 3 of this issue. We will find subsequently that the publication of books in numbers, was carried out by Catnach's suc- cessor, W. Davison. From 1800, (or perhaps earlier,) to the ter- mination of his career in Alnwick, Catnach issued large quantities of small chap-books, chiefly for children. In the History of the Catnach Press by Mr. Hindley, you will find in fac-simile, " The Royal Play Book : or Children's Friend." " A Present for little Masters and Misses." " The Death and Burial of Cock Eobin," &c. Adorned with cuts, Alnwick, sold wholesale and retail by J. Catnach, at his toy-book manufactory. In the early part of this century the is- suing of small books for the instruction and amusement of the juvenile portion of the community was quite a feature in the history of printing. The old nursery stories, ballads and songs, hymns, and natural history lessons, formed the bulk of these interesting little Tolumes. Almost all of them were adorned with wood-cuts, many most rudely executed, 31 others possessing strong evidence of having be