Winter Auction 2015 closing February 7
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/8/2015
In 1782, John Walter (1738-1812) bought Henry Johnson’s patent for a new method of printing from logotypes–fonts of words or portions of words instead of letters, and made some improvements to it. In 1784, he acquired an old printing office in Blackfriars, which later formed the center of London’s Printing-house Square and established there his Logographic Office. At first, Walter only undertook the printing of books. But, in 1785, he started a small newspaper called “The Daily Universal Register,” which on January 1, 1788, was renamed “The Times,” which is still being published today.
This letter was written by Benjamin Franklin to Walter: “I received your Favour of July 18 together with the Books of which it contains the List, except that the first Volume of Neckar onFinances is wanting, and that there is come instead of it a first Volume of Derham's Physsico-Theology there being two First Volumes of that Work (only one Second): You will please to send me the first Volume of Neckar: and let me know what I am to do with the first of Derham. I wish you Success in your Bookselling and shall be glad of any Opportunity of securing your services. I am surprised and sorry, very much so, to understand that my subscription was prejudicial to you. I hope however you will be able to carry your Invention to Perfection.”
The letter of which the letterpress copy is here offered was written by Dr. Franklin to John Walter on November 4, 1789, replying to Walter’s letter of July 18, 1789, which was published by the American Antiquarian Society in their October 1928 newsletter in the article “Correspondence Between Dr. Benjamin Franklin and John Walter, Regarding the Logographic Process of Printing” by George Simpson Eddy:
“I read a letter with pleasure giving an account of your Health [Franklin died 5 months later] and it gave me the Opportunity likewise of sending you the Books subscrib’d for which I wanted a proper address on your Return to America where I might safely deposit them sooner. They consist of the following Books, of one which is most analogous I have sent a triplicate, they are as follows “Miscellaneous in Prose & Verse [and]Dr. Watts Improvement of the Mind } Deliv’d your Grandson
Now sent
2 Vols: Octavo Derhams Physico & Astro Theology
2 do Lord Bacons Essays
1 do King Prussia’s Letters to Count Suhm
1 Pamphlet French & English Calonne
3 Vols. 12 # Platonic Marriage1 do Latude’s Memoirs
1 do Octº Memoirs of Count D’Argenson1 do do Important Period of Parliament
3 do Correspondence between France & America
3 do Necker on Finance
I did print an Octavo edition of Robinson Crusoe & another of Butler’s Analogy, but they are out of print, which made me substitute 3 sets of Correspondence betw. France & America – that you might receive Books to Amount of Subscription which I thank you for.
This Undertaking has been most perilous both to my Fortune & Sensibility. It happens in the Course of human Events that you, though innocently, have been the Cause of this Undertaking being on the Decline – I have sent you a brief relation of many circumstances which have attended it, but how will you be astonish’d when I relate that from some authority I understand You were a Stumbling Block, from the Name of whom ‘Majestyshrunk’ – certain it is the King was pleas’d with the Plea, that his Librarian appear’d to forward it – That he promis’d to get the Kings Name to the Head of my Subscription and after I had sent him a List of the Subscribers, he shrunk back & from the Civility of a Courtier, he dwindled down to the Rudeness of a Sycophant. All the Applications I have made to the Treasury during 5 Years though flattering, are so much time spent in vain for as I had embark’d in a Trade to which I was not bred, it was necessary for me to force connections, as the Trade were hostile to the Undertaking, and it must drop as an art, unless I can get some industrious Person to retire into the Country with some Apprentices to bring it forward, for Industrious Application to the Business has fill’d up my Time, which cannot now be spar’d to complete the System of Logographic Printing; for those apprentices I have, are too much in League with the compositors to benefit the Undertaking & I find it is kicking against the pricks.
If any Opportunity offers of recommending the Press, or my Trade as a Book seller which I have embark’d in Piccadilly in my own Defence, or sending for either the ‘Times’ (formerly the Universal Register) a daily paper which is still printed chiefly Logographically, I will, till the Founts are worn out, or the Evening Mail which comes out 3 Days in the Week & are both principally my Property, it will oblige with great Veneration.” LOA from PSA/DNA.