Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/918

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NINETEENTH CENTURY.

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tbe colleges, according to the principles of the constitutional charter. The gendarmes proceeded to destroy the presses of the Parisian newspapers the next day ; and on the 27ih the deputies as- sembled, woo haring protested against the royal ordinances as illegal and criminal, declared their meeting permanent, — Resolve that Charles Philippe Capet, heretofore called count d'Artois, having placed himself above the law, had ceased to reign, and ' that Loub Philippe, duVe of Orleans, should be invited to execute the duties imposed upon him, and to concur in the estab- lishment of a constitutional government. Daring this glorious struggle of three days there were from two to three thousand persons lost their lives, when the people were left masters of the capital. By the stoppage of the liberal journals property to the amount of more than £190,000 was either destroyed, or placed in danger of destruction; and upwards of three hundred literary persons and compositors were thrown out of bread. In 1830 the whole periodical press of France consisted of : — Constitutional, or liberal journals, 217; subscribers, 283,000; readers, 2,900,000; income, 1,806,000 francs. Monarchi- cal journals, 27; subscribers, .34,000; readers, 442,000; income, 751,000 francs. Making a total of 244 journals; 317,000 subscribers; 8,342,000 readers ; and an income of 2,556,000 francs. In Sept. 1830, a weekly publication, under the title of La Gazelle Littiraire, was published in Paris, on the plan of the London Literary Gazette.

1830, Aug. 28. Died, Thomas Howell, printer and bookseller, at Shrewsbury, aged thirty-six. In 1816, Mr. Howell published The Stranger in Shreirtbury ; or, an Historical and Descriptive View of Shrewsburg and its Environs; with a plan of the town, and other engravings, which he dedicated to lord Hill. Of this work he published a second edition in 1825.

1830, Sept. A splendid building, which had been erected in the north-west quarter of the city of Oxford, for the purpose of a university printing-office, was opened in this month ; and the first sheet worked off at the new press was 2 p. bishop Lloyd's* Greek Testament, 12mo. The first publication finished, and bearing the imprint, at the university press, was Barrow's theological toorks, eight vols. 8vo. 1830.

1830, Sept. 9. Died, William Bulmer, prin- ter, whose name is associated with all that is correct and beautiful in typography. By him tbe art was matured, and brought to its present high stale of perlection. This celebriteu typo- grapher was a native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where he was apprenticed to Mr. Thompson, in the Burnt House-entry, St. Nicholas's Church- yard, from whom he received the first rudiments of his art. During his apprenticeship he formed a friendship with Thomas Bewick, the celebrated engraver on wood, which lasted with great cordi- ality throughout life. It was their practice, whilst youths, to visit together every morning, a

> Bishop William Uojrd died Aug. 30, 1717.

fann-house at Elswick.a small village about two miles from Newcastle, and indulge in Goody Coxen's hot rye-cake and buttermilk, who used to prepare these dainties for such of the New- castle youths who were inclined to enjoy an early morning walk before the business ot the day commenced. During the period of the joint apprenticeships of these young aspirants for fame, Bulmer invariably took off the first im- pressions of Bewick's blocks, at his master's printing-office, at Newcastle, where Bulmer printed the engraving of the Huntsman and Old Hound, which obtained for Bewick the premium frpm the society of arts, in London. Mr. Bul- mer afterwards suggested to his friend Bewick an improvement, of which he availed himself, of lowering the surfaces of the blocks where the distance or lighter parts of the engraving were to be shown to perfection. When Mr. Bulmer first went to London, bis services were engaged by Mr. John Bell, who was then publishing his beautiful miniature editions of the poets, Shak- speare, &c. About 1787, an accidental circum- stance introduced Mr. Bulmer to the late George Nico], esq.* bookseller to king George III. wno was then considering the best method of carry- ing into effect the projected magnificent national edition uf Shakspeare, which he had suggested to Messrs. Boydell, ornamented with designs by the fiist artists of this country. Mr. Nicol had previously engaged the skilful talents of Mr. William Martin,t of Birmingham, in cutting sets of types, after approvBd models, in imitation of the sharp and %ie letter' used by the French and Italian printers; which Mr. Nicol for a length of time caused to be carried on in hisown bouse. Premises were then engaged in Cleve- land-row, St. James's, and t£e "Shakspeare press" was established under the firm of "W. Bulmer and Co." This establishment soon evinced how judicious a choice Mr. Nicol bad made in Mr. Bulmer to raise the reputation of his favourite project. " This magnificent edition

  • Oeorj^e Nicol was many years boolcseller to Gcoi^III.,

and one who may be justly designated, u Dr. Caunpb^ said or Thomas Davies, " not a hookseller, bat a gentleman dealinglnbooks." He was at first placed onder his uncle, David Wilson, of the Stiand ; and was by him taken into partnership in I773. Mr. Wilson dyin^ at an advanced age in 1777, Mr. Nicol removed bis business to Pall Mall. On Sept. 8, 1787, Mr. Nicol married the accomplished niece of the first alderman Boydell. It was suspected that he was a sleeping partner in the "Shakspeare Press j'* and to which his son, Mr. William Nicol, succeeded, as the sole proprietor, on Mr. Bulmer's retiring, in 18ig. Mr. Nicol was, in 1797, one of the executors of Mr. James Dodsley, the bookseller, of Pall Mall, who left him a legacy of igi ,000. Mr. Nicol was a most agreeable companion ; and, perhaps, no man ever eqjoyed the pleasure of convi- vial society more than he did. He was a member of many of the literary clubs of his day ; was the publisher of many valnable works ; and enjoyed the mendly confidence of the duke of Roxbnrghc, duke of Oralton, and other eminent bibliopists. He died at his house in Pall Mall, London, Jime 25, I gag, at the age of 88 yean.

t William Martin was brother of Robert Martin, the ap- prentice of Baskcrrille. He afterwards set up a foundry in Duke-strcet, St. James's. His Roman and Italic types were decided imitations of Baskerville*s; but his Greeks and Orientals formed the most valuable part of his colleo Hon. His foundry, in 1817, was onited to the Caalon. This ingenious letter-founder died in the summer of 181S, I and was bnrird in St. James's church, Westminster.

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