A. B. PATERSON AUTHOR OF “THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER,” AND “RIO GRANDE’S LAST RACE” SYDNEY ANGUS AND ROBERTSON 89 CASTLEREAGH STREET 1906 Websdale, Shoosmith and Co., Printers, Sydney PREFACE

At any rate, he had drawn up elaborate instructions for the London firm of printers, and when the proofs arrived with about a third of these instructions neglected and another third misunderstood, Narcissus was at his wits' end, aghast at the poorness of the impressions, yet not knowing in the least how to correct them.

Were it not that I pity the multitude of printers, these sonnet-mongers should starve for conceits for all Phantastes.

But the author would seem to have been as trusting over the work of the printers, as they were careless of his, and the result is sometimes pitiable.

[Footnote 2: I suspect this and the following speech ought by the printers to have been omitted also: without the preceding two speeches of the Quarto they are not accounted for.]

After the Comedies and Tragedies were wrought off, we were forced (for expedition) to send the Gentlemens Verses to severall Printers, which was the occasion of their different Character; but the Worke it selfe is one continued Letter, which (though very legible) is none of the biggest, because (as much as possible) we would lessen the Bulke of the Volume.

Printers' errors, you say?

His consent had been very kindly and warmly given, and I was just on the point of sending the dedication to the printers when I received a telegram naming the day and hour of his funeral.

Nevertheless, however strong a case may be made out against the Folio of 1623, whatever sins of omission we may lay to the charge of Heminge and Condell, or of commission to that of the printers, it remains the only text we have with any claims whatever to authenticity.

Especially is this true of passages where the lyrical sentiment predominates, and we beg Mr. White to reconsider whether we owe the reading "All overcanopied with luscious woodbine" (instead of lush) to the printers of the Folio or to Shakspeare.

The truth is, that, however forms of spelling varied, (as they must where both writers and printers spelt phonographically,) the forms of grammatical construction were as strict then as now.

Walker censures it as a "ridiculous irregularity," and lays the blame of it on the "printers," and yet does not venture to correct it!

The works of the British poets, except those of the present century, abound with contractions like the foregoing; but late authors, or their printers, have returned to the rule; and the former practice is wearing out and becoming obsolete.

They've read it in the papers, maybeand there's reporters and printers I've tae thank.

In this state they remained, not, as Dr. Warburton supposes, because they were unregarded, but because the editor's art was not yet applied to modern languages, and our ancestors were accustomed to so much negligence of English printers, that they could very patiently endure it.

In this choice he exerted no judgment of his own; the plays which he received were given by Hemings and Condel, the first editors; and those which he rejected, though, according to the licentiousness of the press in those times, they were printed during Shakespeare's life, with his name, had been omitted by his friends, and were never added to his works before the edition of 1664, from which they were copied by the later printers.

Originally appeared in Printers' ink magazine.

The Caxton Printers in Idaho.

The Caxton Printers in Idaho; a short history.

JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS An Examination of Sir William Hamilton's Philosophy, and of the Principal Philosophical Questions discussed in his Writings.

Mr. De Foe in his preface to the second volume of his works, collected by himself, takes occasion to mention the severe hardships he laboured under, occasioned by those Printers, more industrious than himself, who make a practice of pirating every work attended with success.

33) placed the control of printing in the Government, confined exercise of the printer's art to London, York, and the Universities, and limited the number of the master printers to twenty.

'Authors and printers of obnoxious works,' says Sir E. May, citing cases in notes, were hung, 'quartered, and mutilated, exposed in the pillory and flogged, or fined and imprisoned, according to the temper of their judges: their productions were burned by the common hangman.

Intolerant of criticism, he had in the preceding session brought to the bar of the House of Commons, under his warrant as Secretary of State, fourteen printers and publishers.

War means that when I leave, staff, printers and all will have to go the same day and the Gil Blas shuts its doors.