To Banbury came I,
Prophane one,
Where I saw a Puritan
Hanging of his cat on Monday
For killing of a mouse on Sunday.
[Illustrations: 58_2 - 58_6
_Bewick playing the Northumbrian Pipes, a very early
J. Bewick._
_Jack and the Giants, from the early York edition._
_Raree, or Peep Show, R. Cruikshank's design, engraved by Sears._
_Chapman, or Running Stationer, designed by Cruikshank and engraved
by Branston. (Used in York Cries)._]
[Illustrations: 59_1, 59_2
_Banbury Old Church._]
A Gentleman wrote to one of the newspapers some time ago, detailing a
curious incident that happened to himself, showing how these very
interesting prints and blocks are being scattered and destroyed. He says
"In the old days when Catnach was King of the ballad world, boys used to
steal the woodblocks of Mr. Bewick the wood-cutter, and sell them to the
great song singer. Yesterday, for a halfpenny, I picked up in a bye
street in London one of the prints of a very beautiful block of this
kind heading a song called 'The Wealthy Farmer's Son.' I wonder whether
anybody has ever thought it worth while to collect these pictures." This
interesting pursuit of collecting and illustrating with extra cuts,
pages of child book literature of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th
century, would indeed be a charming recreation. On this subject there
appeared a long article in the Graphic, where the writer says, under the
initials 'C. H.,' "There are few more agreeable occupations for anyone
who has sufficient leisure at his disposal, than that of embellishing a
favourite book with illustrations appropriate to the subject, and
thereby endowing it with additional interest and value. To those who
cultivate this fascinating pursuit with taste and intelligence, there
are two indispensible conditions of success. The task of collecting the
materials is a labour of love, and every fresh discovery in some
out-of-the-way corner, of a long-sought desideratum, a delight which the
patience and industrious enthusiast alone can appreciate." Then follows
much genial advice on tasteful and judicious collecting, and how to
illustrate. In the present case the interest and value could only be
realized or conceived on the completion of a choice collection of extra
cuts, and cuttings of articles, portraits, views, autograph letters,
etc., carefully mounted on cartridge paper, paged to correspond with the
text, and then handed to a judicious binder--this is a very important
item--who would carefully encase it, and make it form a select and an
exceptionibly valuable addition to the library.
[Illustration: 60_1
_The Banbury Bellman._]
[Illustrations: 60_2, 60_3
_Tradesmen' Shops in Banbury, used on their bill-heads._]
[Illustrations: 61_1 - 61_5
_Used in various tradesmen's Billheads, etc., printed at Rusher's
Press, Banbury._]
That this interesting idea may not be considered unworthy of
adoption--which by the way the few large paper copies of this book are
admirably adopted--we give a short list of those who have collected and
treasured with care these little brochures. In the South Kensington
Museum on exhibition, is a collection of Horn Books and Battledores,
exhibited by Kenneth, R. H. Mackenzie, Esq., _F.S.A.,_ who read a paper
on this subject before the Society of Antiquaries. There is another
collection which includes many curious Horn Books or Battledores, from
circa 1750, 1784, 1800 to 1810, including photo and facsimiles of one of
the Middleton Horn Books now in the Bateman Museum. There is also a
curious poem on the Horn Book by a Gent. suffering from the gout,
printed at Dublin by T. Cowan, 1728, small 4to, only a few leaves.
Another very neat Horn Book with the Horn in front, hence its name, is
also on view. The scarcity of these quaint early educational books may
be understood from the fact that Mr. Hone, author of the Every Day Book,
etc., sought for an original Horn Book for years without success. Mr.
Coleridge had one or two cases on exhibition, with numerous examples of
Newbury and Marshall's little books, but we believe these are withdrawn.
There is also a selection of early educational books; but the largest
collection formed is still on exhibition. In conclusion, it may be said
that the present volume contains many precious relics of the Bewick,
Newbury, Goldsmith, Newcastle York, Banbury, Coventry, and Catnach
presses, and a representative collection of the stock of workable
woodcuts of a provincial printer in the latter part of the 18th century,
and to those who would like to inspect the rentable copies of those
valuable and interesting little books, and some of the original Horn
Books, etc., let them see the Coleridge, Kenneth Mackenzie, and Pearson
collections in the South Kensington Museum.
[Illustrations: 62_1, 62_2
_Rustic Cottages near Banbury._]
Since writing the above, there appeared in the catalogue of books
belonging to William Bell Scott, Esq., recently sold at Messrs. Sotheby,
a small 4to Album containing a collection of wood engravings by Bewick,
Clennell, and others, which with some newspaper cuttings made quite a
dainty extra illustrated volume.
If so eminent an artist could find pleasure and recreation in this
pursuit, others may certainly rely upon finding it equally attractive,
but he would have found his task much easier if he had had a large paper
copy of this work interleaved. This is recommended to any person
desiring to take up this charming recreation.
[Illustrations: 62_3, 62_4]
_Illustrations of Children's Books, used by Rusher at Banbury._
[Illustrations: 63_1 - 63_15]
_All used by Rusher in his Children's Books, Banbury._
[Illustrations: 64_1 - 64_11]
_All used in Rusher's Banbury Books._
[Illustrations: 65_1 - 65_10]
_Used by Rusher._
[Illustrations: 66_1 - 66_12]
_All used in Rusher's Books._
[Illustrations: 67_1 - 67_13]
_Bewick School, all used in Rusher's Banbury Toy Books._
[Illustrations: 68_1 - 68_11]
_Used on Local Tracts and afterwards, issued at Rusher's Press,
Bridge St., Banbury._
[Illustrations: 69_1 - 69_11]
_Used by Rusher._
[Illustrations: 70_1 - 70_13]
_All used in the Banbury Juvenile Series._
[Illustrations: 71_1 - 71_11]
_Engraved by Bewick School, used in the Children's Books._
[Illustrations: 72_1 - 72_12]
_All used in Rusher's Banbury Toy Books._
[Illustrations: 73_1 - 73_12]
_On Early Tract Society Publications._
[Illustrations: 74_1 - 74_10]
_Used for illustrating early Tracts._
[Illustrations: 75_1 - 75_9]
_All used in Educational Tracts, Banbury._
[Illustrations: 76_1 - 76_9]
_Used in Early Tracts, Banbury._
[Illustrations: 77_1 - 77_8]
[Illustration: 78_1