_The text of this book was set on the linotype in Baskerville. The
punches for this face were cut under the supervision of George W.
Jones, an eminent English printer. Linotype Baskerville is a facsimile
cutting from type cast from the original matrices of a face designed by
John Baskerville. The original face was the forerunner of the "modern"
group of type faces.
John Baskerville (1706-75), of Birmingham, England, a writing-master,
with a special renown for cutting inscriptions in stone, began
experimenting about 1750 with punch-cutting and making typographical
material. It was not until 1757 that he published his first work, a
Virgil in royal quarto, with great-primer letters. This was followed by
his famous editions of Milton, the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer,
and several Latin classic authors. His types, at first criticized as
unnecessarily slender, delicate, and feminine, in time were recognized
as both distinct and elegant, and both his types and his printing were
greatly admired. Printers, however, preferred the stronger types of
Caslon, and Baskerville before his death repented of having attempted
the business of printing. For four years after his death his widow
continued to conduct his business. She then sold all his punches and
matrices to the Societe Litteraire-typographique, which used some of
the types for the sumptuous Kehl edition of Voltaire's works in seventy
volumes.--_
COMPOSED, PRINTED AND BOUND BY
H. WOLFF, NEW YORK. PAPER MADE
BY P. F. GLATFELTER & CO.,
SPRING GROVE, PA.