Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 3.djvu/227

 us. in. MAR. 25, mi.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

221

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH It, 1911.

CONTENTS. No. 65.

NOTES : Oxford India Paper: Oxford Bibles, 221 Statues and Memorials in the British Isles, 222 Inscrip- tions in the Protestant Cathedral, Gibraltar, 224 Stage History : Wilson Barrett-' The Middleman,' 1856, 225 "Probability is the very guide of life" Deville " Fur- lough " J. B. Lowell: "Fondness for "Marriage of Divorced Persons temp. Elizabeth Judgments on Impiety, 226.

OUERIES : The Old Squires of England Richard Rolle : 'The Prick of Conscience' John Thane, Print-Seller Junius and the Duke of Bedford Rev. Mr. Garrard Bp. Walker of Derry Mrs. Siddons at Sandgate Rev. John Cowper of Penrith, 227 Custom House Cutters- Charlotte Smith's 'St. Monica' Old Poulter's Mare- Authors of Quotations Wanted Old Sword by Moore AviceCapell=John Warner R. Bennett Orde= Williams Rev. Dr. Hayman Bp. William Grey Clerks of the Parliament, 228 "Mouner" Sir W. Langstow Poem on Simon de Montfort " Barnburner ": "Hunker" Passing of the Woodcut James Grant of Bengal 11 C " and " T " Interchanged, 229.

REPLIES : Queen Elizabeth's Statue in the Royal Exchange Mozart's Works, 230 Dickens : "Shalla- balah " " Gentleman " : " Armiger," 231 Treherne : Rimes to "Joy" Capt. Cook Memorials, 232 Day Family " Siligo "Authors Wanted ' Casabianca,' 233 "Die in beauty" Scarborough Spa " When she was good " Gordon = Arbuthnot Montagu Drake, 234 St. Mark's, North Audley Street "The Old Mogul" Ear-piercing Royal Hospital, Chelsea "Terra susanna," 235 Shersons of Ellel Craig Coroner of the Verge Hampshire Map" To the West !" 236 Last Mail Coach' Big Ben 'Elephant in Heraldry, 237 Julia Pastrana Pyrrhus's Toe Rev. H. M. Sherwood Baron de Stael Sir W. Romney Freeman Cecil Howard, 238 Queen's Regiment, 239.

NOTES ON BOOKS: 'About Edwin Drood' 'Dodsley's Collection of Poetry' 'The Book of Decorative Furniture.'

Booksellers' Catalogues.

OXFORD INDIA PAPER: OXFORD BIBLES.

ALTHOUGH from time to time accounts of the history of the Oxford India paper have appeared in various publications, including The Publishers' Circular, The Book Monthly, McC lure's Magazine, and others, yet no note has appeared on the subject in ' N. & Q.' To supply this want I have sought official information from my friend Mr. Frowde.

The history of the discovery of this paper is remarkable. In 1841 an Oxford graduate brought home from China a small fold of extremely thin paper, which was more opaque and tough for its substance than any paper then manufactured in Europe. This specimen he presented to the Oxford University Press. Thomas Combe, the printer, found it to be just sufficient for twenty-four copies of the smallest Bible then in existence diamond 24mo. He printed

that number, and they bore the date 1842. Not one was sold, although 201. was offered for a copy ; but they were presented to the Queen and others. Combe failed to trace the paper to its source. Among many persons applied to was Mr. Gladstone, who took much interest in the Oxford Press, and on one occasion delivered an address to the employees there. His reply is still preserved, recommending a search in Japan. From Japan papers were obtained, but though equally thin and tough, they were too transparent, and could not be printed on both sides. Afterwards a paper was produced at the mills of the Press, but it was far too yellow.

Years passed ; outsiders had forgotten about it, but Mr. Frowde had not, and to his delight, early in 1874 Mr. Arthur E. Miles (who was then a partner in Hamilton, Adams & Co., and whose death was recorded in The Publishers' Circular of the 6th of November, 1909), knowing how keenly Mr. Frowde appreciated the usefulness of the paper, brought him a copy of the Bible produced in 1842, which had by accident fallen into his hands. Experiments were at once set on foot at the University Mills at Wolvercote. The first attempts were failures, but success was at last secured, and on the 24th of August, 1875, a facsimile of the Bible as published in 1842 was pro- duced, bearing the imprint of the Oxford Press and also of Miles' s firm, Hamilton, Adams & Co. This was the first Oxford Bible published by Mr. Frowde, and the demand was so great that a quarter of a million copies were speedily sold. By good fortune, I possess an early impression.

The process of making the paper is a profound secret, and no employee is an touch with more than one stage of the work ; and a special ink has to be used. The strength of the paper is remarkable, and at the last Exhibition in Paris, in order to test this, volumes of 1,500 pages were suspended during the whole period of the Exhibition by a single leaf. When the Exhibition closed, the volumes were taken down and examined. The leaf which had sustained the weight, although as thin as tissue, had not started ; the paper had not stretched ; and the solid gilt edge of the volume when closed revealed no mark to show where the strain had been applied. This paper contri- buted largely to the securing for the Claren- don Press of the Grand Prix, in addition to two out of the five gold medals awarded to British printers and publishers. It may be added that the Oxford Press obtained seven