SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
537
impoverislied by the late times, and the great business of the press being engroes'd by Oliver's creatures.
But they propose to undertake the work upon condition to be incorporate. That is, to be dis- engaged from the company of stationers, and to be made a society by themselves. It may be answered, that it would be with them as 'tis with other incorporate societies : they would be true to the pubhque, so far as stands with the particular good of the company. But evidently their gain lyes the other way : and for a state to erect a corporation that shall bring so great a danger upon the publique, and not one peny into the treasury, to ballance the hazzard, were a proceeding not ordinary.
But they offer to give security, and to be lyable to fines. Let that be done, whether they be incorporate or no. In case of failer, they'll be content to lose their privileges. What signi- fies that, but only a stronger obligation to a closer confederacy ? 'TIS true, the printers in a distinct and regulated society may do some good as to the general business of printmg, and within the sphere of that particular profession : but the question is here, how to prevent a publique mis- chief, not how to promote a private trade. But are not printers the fittest instruments in searches? They are, without dispute, necessary assistants, either for retriving conceai'd pamphlets, or for examination of work in the mettle, but whether it be either for the honour, or safety, of the pub- lique, to place so great a trust in the hands of persons of that quality, and interest, is submitted to betterjudgments.
To conclude, both printers and stationers, under colour of offering a service to the pub- lique, do effectuallvbut design one upon another. The printers would beat down the bookselling trade, by menaging the press as themselves
? lease, and by working upon their own copies, 'be stationers, on the other side, they would subject the printers to be absolutely their slaves ; which they have effected in a large measure already, by so encreasing the number, that the one hsjf must either play the knaves or starve.
The expedient for this, must be some way to disengage the printers from that servile and mercenary dependence upon the stationers, unto which they are at present subjected. The true state of the business being as follows : —
1. The number of master-printers is computed to be about sixty,* whereas twenty or twenty- four would dispatch all the honest work of the nation.
2. These sixty master-printers have above one hundred apprentices; (that is, at least twenty more than they ought to have by the law.)
3. There are, beside aliens, and those that are free of other trades, at least one hundred and fifty joumy-men, of which number at least thirty are superfluous ; to which thirty there will be
- According to the books of the stationers* company.
Majr 13, 1063. there were fifty-nlDe persons in and about London, exercisins the trade of master prlntere.
added about thirty-six more, besides above fifty supernumerary apprentices, upon the reduction of the master-printers to twenty-four. So that upon the whole reckoning, there will he left a matter of sixty joumy-men and fifty apprentices to provide for, a part of which charge might very reasonably be laid upon those who bound or took any of the said number, as apprentices, contrary to the limitation set by authority.
These supernumerary printers were at first introduced by the booksellers, as a sure way to bring them both to their prices and purposes ; for tiie number being greater then could honestly live upon the trade, the printers were enforc'd either to print treason, or sedition, if the stationer offered it, or to want lawful work, by which necessity on the one side, and power on the other, the combination became exceeding dangerous, and so it still continues ; but how to dissolve it, whether by barely disincorporating the company of stationers, and subjecting the printers to rules apart, and by themselves; or by making them two distinct companies, I do not meddle.
This only may be offer'd, that in case those privileges and benefits should be granted to both stationers and printers, which they themselves desire in point of trade ; yet in regard that seve- ral interests are concem'd, that of the kingdom on the one side, and only that of the companies on the other : it is but reason that there should be several superintending powers, and that the smaller interest should give place, and be subor- dinate to the greater: that is, the master and wardens to menage the business of their respec- tive trade, but withall, to be subjected to some superior officer, that should over-look them both on behalf of the publique.
As the powers of licensing books are by the late act vested in several persons, with regard to the several subjects those books treat of; so may there likewise be several agents authoris'd and appointed for the care of the press, touching these several particulars, under the name and title of surveyors of the press : and every distinct surveyor to keep himself strictly within the limits of his own province. As for example :
1. The lord chancellour, or lord keeper of the great seal of England for the time being, the lords chief justices, and lord chief baron for the time being, or one or more of them, are specially authoris'd to license, by themselves, or by their substitutes, all books concerning the common laws of this kingdom.
Let there be one surveigher of the press con- stituted peculiarly for that subject.
2. All booksof divinity, physique, philosophy, or whatsoever other science, or art, are to be licensed by the lord archbishop of Canterbury, and lord bishop of Loudon for the time being, or one of them, or by their, or one of their ap- pointments, or by either one of the chancellours, or vice-chancellours of either of the universities, for the time being.
Let three other surveighets of the press be likewise authorized for these particulars.
3. All books concerning heraldry, titles of
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