This volume is a thorough historical and bibliographical account of the rise and progress of English typography and type founding. The author traces the development of letter founding from its obscure origins in the fifteenth century through the eras of early printers, state controls, and university presses. The study covers the mechanics of type casting, the invention of punches, matrices, and adjustable moulds, and the works of prominent founders like Caslon, Baskerville, and Wilson. Special attention is given to the various type bodies and faces, including Roman, Italic, Black letter, and numerous foreign, learned, and peculiar characters.
The argument develops chronologically, detailing the gradual separation of type founding from general printing into a distinct mechanical trade. The narrative examines how foreign influences, particularly from the Netherlands and France, shaped English typographic standards. The text concludes with a survey of the trade's progression up to the nineteenth century and the early introduction of mechanical casting innovations.
