Stanedge.
_Baskerville the Printer_ (Vol. iv., p. 40.).--Baskerville was interred
in the grounds attached to the house in which he lived, near Easy Row,
Birmingham. The land becoming valuable for building purposes, he was,
after lying there about half a century, disinterred and removed to the
workshop of a lead merchant, named Marston, in Monmouth Street,
Birmingham. While there I saw his remains. They were in a wooden coffin,
which was enclosed in one of lead. How long they had been above ground I
do not know, but certainly not long. This, as far as I can recollect, is
about twenty-five years since. The person who showed me the body, and
who was either one of the Marstons or a manager of the business, told me
he had seen the coffins opened, and that the features were then perfect.
When exhibited to me the nose and lips were gone, as were also two front
teeth, which had been torn from the mouth surreptitiously and taken
away. I understood that it was known who had them, and that they would
be restored. The shroud was discoloured, I presume from natural causes,
being of a dirty yellow colour, as though it had been drawn through a
clay pit. The texture and strength of the cloth remained unaffected.
Baskerville entertained peculiar opinions on religious subjects. There
was a rumour of some efforts having been made to deposit his remains in
one of the church burial grounds, but they were not successful. A year
or two ago, while in Birmingham, a snuff-box was shown me, on the lid of
which a portrait of Baskerville was painted, which fully agreed with a
description of his person given me many years previously by one who had
known him. This portrait had not, from its appearance, been painted very
long. From its being there I infer that there is in existence at least
one original portrait of this eminent printer.