[NASO has, in compliance with our request, furnished us with a
facsimile of the heading of his early number of _The Times_, which
is as follows:--"THE (here an engraving of the King's Arms) TIMES,
OR DAILY UNIVERSAL REGISTER, PRINTED LOGOGRAPHICALLY, WEDNESDAY,
MARCH 12. 1788," and informs us that it was printed "By R. Nutkins,
at the Logographic Press, Printing-House Square, near Apothecaries'
Hall, Blackfriars," and the height to which the Mr. Walter of that
day had brought his invention, by the same energy by which his
successor has raised THE TIMES to its present position, is shown by
the following note from a kind and most able correspondent.]
A much more remarkable specimen of Logographic Printing than the number
of the _Times_ newspaper mentioned by NASO, No. 9., p. 136., is an
edition of Anderson's _History of Commerce_, with a continuation, in 4
vols. 4to., printed by that method in 1787-1789, "at the Logographic
Press, by J. Walter, Printing-House Square, Blackfriars." The work,
which makes in all not much short of 4000 pages, is very well printed in
all respects; and the following interesting note on the subject of
Logographic Printing is attached to the preface heading the
Continuation, or fourth volume.
"Mr. Walter cannot here omit suggesting to the Public a few observations
on his improved mode of printing LOGOGRAPHICALLY. In all projects for
the general benefit, the individual who conceives that the trade in
which he is engaged diminishes in its emoluments from any improvement
which another may produce in it, is too much disposed to become its
enemy; and, perhaps, the interest of individuals never exerted itself
with more inveteracy than has been experienced by Mr. Walter from many
concerned in the trade into which he had entered.
"The invention which he brought forward, promised to be of essential
service to the public, by expediting the process and lessening the
expense of printing. Dr. Franklin sanctioned it with his approbation,
and Sir Joseph Banks encouraged him with the most decided and animated
opinion of the great advantages which would arise to literature from the
LOGOGRAPHIC PRESS. Nevertheless Mr. Walter was left to struggle with the
interest of some, and the prejudice of others, and, though he was
honoured by the protection of several persons of high rank, it happened
in his predicament, as it generally happens in predicaments of a similar
nature, that his foes were more active than his friends, and he still
continued to struggle with every difficulty that could arise from a very
determined opposition to, and the most illiberal misrepresentations of,
the LOGOGRAPHIC IMPROVEMENT.
"Mr. Walter has, however, at length triumphed over the falsehood and
malignity of his opponents; LOGOGRAPHIC PRINTING, after having produced
such a work as this, which he now presents to the public, with many
excellent publications that he has already printed, can no longer be
considered as an idle speculation: on the contrary, it is proved to be a
practical improvement, that promises, under a due encouragement, to
produce a great national benefit. To advance it to the perfection of
which it is capable, Mr. Walter engages to employ his utmost exertions,
and he takes the liberty of expressing his confidence, that he shall not
be disappointed in the enjoyment of that public favour which now
promises to reward his labours."