(Vol. iv., p. 33.)
For the information of your correspondent MR. BOLTON CORNEY, I beg to
inform him that there was an intermediate meeting of the subscribers to
the Caxton Memorial at the house of the Society of Arts between the
first meeting to which he alludes, and the last, held at the same place
the other day. Over that meeting I had the honour of presiding, and it
was determined to persevere in the object of erecting a statue in
Westminster to the memory of the first English printer; but the report
of the last meeting shows that the funds have not been so largely
contributed as might have been expected, and are now far short of the
sum, 500_l._, required for the erection of an iron statue of the
illustrious typographer. True it is that no authentic portrait of Caxton
is known, but the truthful picture by Maclise might very well supply the
deficiency; and I see the engraving to be made from that painting rather
ostentatiously advertised as "the Caxton Memorial." The original design
of the Dean of St. Paul's, for "a fountain by day, and a light by
night," was abandoned as more poetical than practical; my chief
apprehension being either that the gas would spoil the water, or that
the water would put out the light. The statue was therefore resolved
upon as less costly and more appropriate than the fountain.
The statue of Gutenberg at Mentz is a good example of what might be
erected in Westminster; yet I very much doubt whether any likeness of
the great printer has been preserved. The expense necessarily attendant
upon MR. CORNEY'S Literary Memorial appears to me to be fatal to its
success; for, however dear to the bibliographer, I fear but little
public interest is now felt in the writings of Caxton. The
_Typographical Antiquities_ contain copious extracts from his works; and
the biographies of Lewis and Knight appear to have satisfied public
curiosity as to his life. Besides, a memorial of this nature would be
hidden in a bookcase, not seen in a highway. I may add that the present
state of the Caxton Memorial is this: the venerable Dean of St. Paul's
is anxious to be relieved from the charge of the funds already
subscribed, and to place them in the hands of the Society of Arts, if
that body will receive them, and undertake to promote the object of the
original subscribers by all the means at its command.