Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 03.djvu/372

Baskerville more reason to be proud than the skilful genius who was at once the British Aldus Manutius and the finest printer of modern times.

Messrs. Longman formerly possessed a portrait of Baskerville by Exteth, a pupil of Hogarth, which has been engraved; another was for many years a heirloom in the offices of Aris's ‘Birmingham Gazette,’ and a third passed into the possession of Mr. Joseph Parkes, formerly of Birmingham. The wood-cut in Hansard's ‘Typographia’ was from one of these, by Miller, purchased by Mr. Knott at a sale of the effects of Baskerville's daughter-in-law, and said to have been considered a very excellent likeness by the family. A copper-plate by Rothwell (unpublished) is in Mr. Timmins's collection.

The following is believed to be a complete list of John Baskerville's publications. The works which may be found in the British Museum are indicated by an asterisk: 1. ‘Proposals for Printing “Virgil” and Specimen,’ 4to, copy in the Bodleian Library. 2.* ‘Publii Virgilii Maronis Bucolica, Georgica et Æneis,’ Birminghamiæ, typis Johannis Baskerville, 1757, royal 4to, frontispiece; reprinted in 1771, but with the date of 1757. The original issue may be known by p. 224 being printed 424, and the heading of the tenth book reading ‘Liber decimus Æneidos.’ The 1771 reprint is on inferior paper, and is less carefully printed. The heading of the tenth book is ‘Æneidos liber decimus.’ 3. ‘Proposals for Printing the Poetical Works of John Milton,’ 1757 and 1758, 8vo. 4.* ‘Paradise Lost, a poem, in twelve books, the author John Milton, from the text of Thomas Newton, D.D.,’ Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville for J. & R. Tonson, in London, 1758, small 4to, portrait by Vandergucht. *‘Paradise Regain'd, a poem, in four books, to which is added Samson Agonistes, and poems upon several occasions, the author John Milton, from the text of Thomas Newton, D.D.,’ Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville for J. & R. Tonson in London, 1758, small 4to, head from a seal by Ryland. 5.* ‘Avon, a poem in three parts [by Rev. J. Huckell],’ Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville, and sold by R. & J. Dodsley in Pall Mall, 1758, 4to. 6.* ‘Paradise Lost’ and ‘Paradise Regain'd, &c.,’ Birmingham, 1759, 2 vols. small 4to, not a mere reissue, but a totally new setting of the type. 7*–10. ‘The Book of Common Prayer,’ Cambridge, printed by John Baskerville, 1760, imp. 8vo. Four editions were issued, single lines plain and single lines with borders, double columns plain and double columns with borders. 11.* ‘Edwin and Emma’ [a poem by David Mallet], Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville for A. Millar, in the Strand, 1760, royal 4to. With a new title-page, * ‘Baskerville's original edition of “Edwin and Emma,” first printed in the year 1760. The few remaining copies of this rare edition are illustrated by local subjects, drawn and etched by George Arnald, to which is added, the parish register of their deaths,’ London, published by Longman, 1810, royal 4to, coloured plates. One hundred copies were thus reissued. 12. ‘The Holy Bible,’ Cambridge, printed by John Baskerville, 1760, imp. folio; there are a few copies with this date; ‘Proposals,’ dated 1760, for the Bible were issued. 13.* ‘The Works of the late Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq.,’ Birmingham: printed by John Baskerville, for J. & R. Tonson, 1761, 4 vols. royal 4to, portrait and plates by Grignion. ‘A glorious performance,’ says Dibdin (Lib. Comp. p. 604); unfortunately copies are nearly always stained. 14.* ‘D. Junii Juvenalis et Auli Persii Flacci Satyræ,’ Birminghamiæ, typis Johannis Baskerville, 1761, royal 4to, very fine. 15. ‘An Ode upon the Fleet and Royal Yatch (sic) going to conduct the Princess of Mecklenberg to be Queen of Great Britain,’ Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville and sold by R. & J. Dodsley, &c., 1761, 4to. Mr. Timmins's copy is believed to be unique. 16.* ‘the Works of Mr. William Congreve, in three volumes, consisting of his Plays and Poems,’ Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville for J. & R. Tonson, in the Strand, London, 1761, 3 vols. 8vo, portrait by T. Chambers, and three engravings by Grignion. 17.* ‘Select Fables of Esop and other Fabulists, in three books,’ Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville for R. & J. Dodsley, in Pall Mall, 1761, small 8vo. The paper is better and thicker than that of 1764, and it has eighteen more pages; the engravings are without names. 18.* ‘The Book of Common Prayer,’ Cambridge, printed by J. Baskerville, 1761, imp. 8vo, two editions, one single lines and one double lines, both with borders. 19.* ‘An Account of the Expedition to the West Indies against Martinico, with the reduction of Guadelupe, and other the Leeward Islands, subject to the French King, 1759; by Capt. Gardiner, third edition,’ Birmingham, printed by John Baskerville for G. Steidel, 1762, 4to, with four copperplates of the squadron and forts. 20.* ‘Relation de l'expédition aux Indes-Occidentales, &c.,’ Birmingham, &c., 1762, 4to. A French edition of the preceding; the only French book issued by Baskerville. 21.* ‘The Book of Common Prayer … with the Psalter,’ Cambridge, printed by John Baskerville, printer to the university, by whom they are sold and by B. Dod, bookseller, in Ave-