142
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
Foreign writers, by Caxton, with whatever indifference we may now look upon them, were works of consequence. It is to be remembered, that the literature of the time consisted princi- pally of tnuislations. The French for a century or two before, employed themselves in rendering into their own tongue a number of productions, then held in estimation, chiefly Latin, upon different subjects, religious and civil. These translations, though the originals were in prose, were often done in metre. Even some of the classics were rendered into French. This cir- cumstance, which was comparatively a great improvement in the learning of that nation, had its effects in England. Caxton, therefore, was very usefully employed in becoming a translator. By himself, or the aid of his friends, a consider- able number of pieces were turned into English, and being printed by him, enriched the state of letters in this country with many valuable pub- lications. Virgil, Ovid, Cicero, and many other eminent writers, were circulated in our own lang^uage imme^tely after the introduction of the art of printing. The garb indeed, in which they appear, was very mean when compared with their native dress ; but still the introduction of them, even in so imperfect a form, 6ould not fail of being attended with a desirable accession to the knowledge and taste of Englishmen. The following tribute to the memory of Caxton, is from the pen of Ebenezer Elliot, the talented author of Com Law Rhymes, and other works.
TO CAXTON.
Lord I tan^^ht by thee, when Caxton bade
His silent words for ever apeak ; A grave for tyrants then was made —
Then crackM the chain which yet shall break.
With study worn, the aU-scom'd man For bread, for bread, his press prepared ;
He knew not. Lord 1 thy wond*rous plan ' Nor why, nor what, he did and dared.
When first the might of deathless thought
Impress'd the far-iustructing page — Unconsdous giant; how he smote
The fraud and force of many an age.
Pale wax'd the harlot, fear'd of thrones.
And they who bought her liarlotry ; Thy printer shook the ttironed on ixmes.
And thall all evil yet to be.
The power he grasp*d let none disdain.
It conquerM then and conquers still I By fraud and force aasail'd in vain.
It conquered then and ever will.
It conquers here ! the fight is won !
We thank thee. Lord I with many a tean; For many a not unworthy son
Of Caxton does thy bidding here.*
We help ourselves — thy cause we aid i We build for heaven, beneath the skies ;
And bless thee. Lord, that thou liast made Our daily bread a tyrant's siglis.
William Caxton, (the subject of our enquiry) was born according to his own statement, in the weald, or woody part of Kent With respect to the date of his birth, we are left to surmise. Oldys statM the year 1412. In his works he expresses his gratitude to his parents for having caused him to be instructed in his youth, and
- TUB Ode was written for the anoiveimry of the Sheffield
Typographical Society, January, 1832.
thereby " to get his living truly." He observes, respecting the place where he received the rudi- ments of his native language, that "it was spoken as broad and rude as in any place in England ;" but it is most probable that he finished his education in London, which citv he calls " his mother; of whom he had received his nurture and living."
Lewis and Oldys conjecture that he was put apprentice, (between his fifteenth and eighteenth year,) to one Robert Large, a mercer, or mer- chant of considerable eminence : who was after- wards successively elected high sheriff and lord mayor of London. According to Bagford, " mercers in those days were general merchants, trading in all sorts of rich goods." Aitaong!tt other commodities, books were included, which the mercers either purchased in manuscripts, ox caused to be printed at their expense.
Whatever were the traits of his juvenile ch»- racter, we may conclude that he conducted himself to his master's satisfaction ; who, oo his death, in 1441, bequeathed our printer a legacy of "twenty marks," which Lewis considers a great sum m those days, and a proof of his good behaviour and integrity. Thus freed, by the death of his master, from all obligation to con- tinue in the same line, (although he had become a sworn freeman of the company of merceis,)* either curiosi^ or speculative projects indiiced him to quit England for the Low Countries. Lewis iniorms us, that he travelled as an agent or factor for the company of mercers; Oldys attributes to him both talent and occupation; and Palmer, that he was an accomplished mer- chant, and had acquired a great deal of politeness.
It is certain, that he was joined in a conunis- sion, in 1464, with one Richard WhitehiU," to continue and conclude a treaty of trade and commerce between Edward the IV. and Philip duke of Burgundy; in this document they are styled " ambassadors and special deputies." Seven years after, he describes himself as leading rather an idle life ; " for having no great charge or occupation, and wishing to eschew sloth and idleness, which is the mother and nouiisher of vices;" moreover " having good leisure, being in Cologne ;" he sat about finishing ithe translation of Raoull le Fevre's Recuyell des Histoires de Troye; he began this two years prior, 1469.
We are little acquainted with his pursuits and travels abroad, he informs us, that he con- fined himself " for the most part to the countries of Barbant, Flanders, Holland, and Zealand: and in France was never ! He. appears to have preserved that respectable character in foreign countries which he had acquired in his own ; he indulged his liteiiury passions in the perusal of histories and romances, to which he was excited by his " venerable" friend Bolomyer.
- ItJs pretty certain, says Mr. DibdA, that moceis, ia
the time of Caxton, were general merchants, trading in all kinds of goods, and Oiat they nnited a love of literature and a love of booka with their other multifarious concerns. Hence, probably, Caxton acquired his passion tar books and learning — a passion wliicb never seems to bare de- serted him.
VjOOQ IC
