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HISTORY OF PRINTING.

that relates to the completion of printing; — luner inenrionM^ preu or prettman. The follow- ing extract from his preface will best explain the sitnation in which Smith was placed :

" The publication of the following Es8a,j is the result of a resolution to make a stand against the joint disasters that long hare harassed me, and threaten to pursue me to the last confines of re- treat : for though infirmities and ailments are become habitual to me : yet when their conco- mitant consequences presented themselves more ghastly to me, I was on a sudden prompted to wink of guarding against their further encroach- ments ; but knowing myself unable to do it by the usual exercise of my profession, I concluded to publish proposals for printing this Grammar ; which had the good effect, that in a short time so many declared themselves in iarour of my undertaking, that I had no room to doubt of succeeding in it. And notwithstanding a con- siderable number of my subscribers have proved apostates since, the work has nevertheless been continued, and is brought to a conclusion by the aid of the permanent encouragers thereof; and especially by the interest of some particular well wishers, who have shewn themselves so assiduous in promoting my expectations, that it demands my public acknowledgements. By these helps, and by having been permitted to print at prime cost, I have been enabled to carry this Grammar to its proposed length: but how it will be received by those who have not yet examined into the me- rits thereof, will soon appear by the success of the remaining copies. In the mean time I shall use no art to gain the approbation of those who were under apprehension that this work, being of a troublesome and expensive nature, if it was not done as it thmdd be, would be better not done at all : since I am not ignorant, that our ideas of the same thing are not alwayt the same ; and therefore hope they will reverse their opinion, and judge more favourable of the whole." — Smith appears to hare died in the following year. An abridgment of the above was published in 1787, entitled the Printer't Grammar, chiefly collected from Smith's edition, in 8vo.

1754. The Dreamer. The author of this paper was Dr. William King,* principal of St. Mary's hall, Oxford. It occupies an 8vo. volume of 240 pages, independent of a copious index and explanatory advertisement ; it contains a series of dreams, forming an indirect satire on the abuses of reUgion, literature, and the learned professions. There is much ingenuity exhibited u the conception and conduct of the imagery, and the s^le is often easy, elegant, and correct.

1764. The Leeds Intelligencer. This paper was commenced by Mr. William Wright.

1755, Jan. 6. Died, Philip Argellati, an eminent Italian printer, and one of the most

« Dr. wmiam King was bora at Stepney, in lOddteMX, in lOss ; he wu entered at Balicfl college, at Oiford, Joly 9, I7«l i took hU degree of doctor of laws in 1715, and was appointed principal of St Haiys Hall, 171 8. He was an ingenious theological and political writer, and died December M, 1703.

learned and laborious editors of his time. He was descended of an ancient family in the dty of Bologna, and born about the end of the year 1685. After pursuing his studies with nnram- mon ardour, he travelled into different conntiies, when he returned to his native city, and in the year 1717 was elected one of the magistrate^ known by the title of the tribunes of the people: when he came to resign his office, he maoe to eloquent an address, on the duties of a pabHc magistrate, that his successors in office (vdered It to be registered among their acts. In conjunc- tion with the learned Mnratori he commenced printing at Milan, to revive the art which had so much degenerated at that period in Italy. The emperor Charles VI. to whom he dedicated a work, repaid him by the title of imperial aecte- tary, with a pension of three htmdred ctdwhs, which sum the emperor doubled in 1738. This indefatigable typographer continued to execute various editions of works of importance until his death, which took place at Milan.

1755, May. That great national work, John- son's Dictionary of the English Language, com- pleted under the liberal patronage of seven emi- nent booksellers of London; viz. Robert Dods- ley, Charles Hitch, Andrew Millar, Messn. Longman, and Messrs. Knapton. Johnson re- ceived for his labours the sum of jGld75, a reward which, though at that time justly con- sidered ample and munificent, would now be deemed totally inadequate to the time and effint necessarily required for such a work. Johssoo was in the vigour of life, and had lived nearly half his dap, without friends or lucrative pro- fession, he had toiled and laboured, yet sdll, as he himself expresses it, was to provide for the day that was passing over him. Of the profesaon of an unfriended author, he saw the danger and the difficulties. Amhurst, Savage, Boyse, and others, who had laboured in literature, without emerging from distress, were recent examples, and clouded his prospect. On the commence- ment of his Dictionary, he was emboldened hj his connection with several of the most opulent booksellers in London, to have a better habttatiia than he had hitherto known. To this time ht bad lodged with his wife in courts and alleys in and about the Strand and Fleet-street ; but now, for the purpose of carrying on his arduous un- dertaking, and to be near the printer, he took a house in Gough Square, Fleet-street What was merely mechanical in the construction of bis Dictionary he entrusted to six amanuenses, five of whom were Scotchmen. Johnson had supposed, when he began his labours on this subject, that three years of regular application would be sufficient for the performance of the task; and he therefore gave, the proprietors and the public reason to hope for its completion on the expiration of that period. In this calcula- tion he was, however, so greatly deceived, that eight vearselapsed before his foUos were ushered into the world ; and one consequence of thb delay was, that he had spent all the copy- money, which he had been in the habit of im-

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