Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/655

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

6M

HISTORY OF PRINTING.

lord, and the other to Hr. Biindley, bookbinder, New Bond-street. The coroner's verdict was self-miuder, and wilful murder as to the child. They were both buried in the cross-way near the turnpike at Newington.

1732, Aug. 4. Died, Samoel Sbeafe, an emi- nent stationer, in Bread-street, London, and of whom John Dunton thus says: — Courtesy and afEEibility can be no more severed from him than life £rom his soul — ^not out of servile popularity, but of a native gentleness of disposition and true generosity of spirit. He married Mr. Merreal's daughter, and is not only a partner with him, but has the chief management of his shop and trade. His words are few and soft, never either peremp- tory or censorious ; his trading is discreet and honest; he looks not to what he mi^ht do, but what he ought ; justice is his first guide, and the second law of hjs actions is expedience. In a word, he is a wise man, a true Mend, a kind husband, and Mr. Menod* is veryh^py in his son and partner, Mr. Samuel Sheafe.

1732. The art of printing was introduced in the convent of St. John the Baptist de Shoair : it is seated on a steep rock upon the southern side of the Kesroan, nearly opposite to the vil- lage of Cbooair, in Syria. This convent is remarkable for containing the only Arabic print- ing establishment which has tolerably succeeded throughout the Turkish empire : it is spoken of in terms of high commendation, and was erected by Abdallah ben Zacher, a Melchite priest. Ab- dallah being a very ingenious artificer, entirely formed for himself the types and other materials, which he caused to be carried into thismonastery, of which his own brother was the superior. He opened his typ^raphical career with an Arabic rerrion of the Ptatmt, in a neat and beautiful character, which purports to have been printed In munasterio S. Johannis Baptists in monte

Be waa son to thefunona Swfamock Quit pnblished wvenl pnctical books, and wsa my fellow apDrentice for Bome yean. There were mu>v exemplary vfatnes tbat sblned very bright in his seren years apinenliceshlp; he had abundance of excellent humour) be tlioagbt that day lost in which be did not obiigei be was ma^r of his trade, and luul bis father's library to begin the world with, but like the sun in the morning, he appeared gay and dancing, to set in a clood; he was very devout In Uieialmittve way ol serving Qod ; he was never wroogbt up to any bigotry in nnnecesiary opinions. Mr. Fackhuxvt was his true friend in all bis affllctian, and shewed it particularly In his last moments."

" Mr. WooDWAXD.— He was related to Hr. MitcheU, (whose eharaeteryou have had before.) His body is little, but well set, his hair black and lank, and, take him alto- gether, John Woodward is a pretty neat agreeable manj he has about him all the tendemeas of good nature, as well as all the softness of friendship. He desired my cus- tom as much a* any binder I know in London, and bad I not been pre-engaged, had bound all my folio books, as for that small deoUng I bad with him, I always found it punctual. Just, and impartial."

• " He is a fortunate man, being one of those that drew the ^hm a-year in the parliament lottery. As he is rich and fortunate, so he is free and bountiful : he lives as a man of an estate should do, yet (like bis neighbour, Mer- real) be prefers conscience before riches— and desireth not to be great, but to do good. He is a generous credi- tor, and will scarce think of the debt I owe him till I send it on my own account } for tills must be said of the ingenioas Proctor, that his wisdom can distinguish betwixt parasites and fricndB, betwixt changing of fkvours and expenUine them."— JDiMlim.

Kesroan, opera et indnstria monachorum ( comm S. BasiliijOidinis Romani. This ediln is in 8vo., and was several times reprinted. Tt). ney, in h^ Voyage en Syrie, states that whik k was there, four of the monks attended to tk printing, and four others were employed in bo^ binding. He gives a list of thirteen brxii printed there, on paper which was brongfat fnn Europe ; but relates, that although this pn was the only one in Syria, very many beneieiil efifects had resulted irom it, and mnch dor gpood might have been derived from a jndiciois selection of works worthy of publication. Itns then fast falling to decay.

1732. Poor liichard't ./l/manarA, printed md published by Benjamin Franklin, Philadelplk, under the assumed name of Richard Sarnxkis. This almanack is chiefly remarkable lot die numerous and pithy maxims it contained, a£ tending to exhort to industry and frugalitj. It was continued annually for twen^-fire jtu, and the proverbs and trite moral obeervatiiai scattered throughout it were afterwards thnm together into a connected discourse, undotlK title of the "Way to Wealth." So higUy esteemed is this production amongst his comiif- men, that copies of it are to &is day to be found framed and glazed in the houses ens of the wealthiest people in Philadelphia, and M only in everyprovince of North America, but wherever the English language is spoken.

1732, Sept. 29. John Barber, printer ud alderman of London, elected lord major, ilie first of the profession who received that honogi. He had been translated in the month of Jme from the stadoneis' to the goldsmiths' compaiir.

1732, Oct. 26. The followingsingnlai accook of the origin of Pbinters' Devils, is taka from the Grub-ttreet Journal of this date:— "if I was going the other day into Lincok's-iiii, under a great gateway, I met several ladt kaded with great bundles of newspapers, whtch tin brought from the stamp office. They woe u exceeding black and durty ; from whence I is- ferred they were ' printers' devils ' carrying fion thence the returns of unsold newspapeis, ita the stamps had been cut ofl'. They dopt vaAi the gateway, and there laid down dieiilotds; when one of them made the following barangw: — 'Devils, gentlemen, and brethren, — Thougkl think we have no occasion to be ashamed n account of the vulgar opinion concerning it origin of our name, yet we ou^t to acknowkdje ourselves obliged to the learned herald, wboupa the death of any person of title, constantly gifS an exact account of his ancient family in nj London Evening Post. He says, there was one monsieur DevUe, orDeville, who came overtilli the Conqueror, in company with De Lan«, De Vice, De Vul, D'Ashwood, D'Urfie, FUb- phry, &c. One of the sons of this monsieur De Ville, was taken in by the famous William Gii- ton, in 1471, as an errand boy : was afierwids his apprentice, and in time an eminent priitet, from whom our order took their name; but sup- pose they took it from infernal devils, it w«s W

VjOOQ IC