Aldis, M.A.
Cambridge: at the University Press 1916
inaugurated a new era in historical study; and the numerous
works dealing with local history and antiquities gave occasion
for the production of some fine books illustrated with
engravings. At the other end of the scale are the children's
books, the Tommy Prudent, Goody Two Shoes, and other
'improving' stories, which have rendered famous their
publisher and originator, John Newbery, the busy bookseller
and patent-medicine vendor of St Paul's Churchyard.
The right of an author to property in his work was recognized
for the first time by the law of the land in the Copyright Act of
1709. As a rule, however, authors continued to sell their
work outright to publishers, and in the eighteenth century
the professional writer was to a great extent the employee
of the bookseller-publisher. The leading publisher at the
Bernard Lintot, whose name is connected with that of Pope. Robert Dodsley, himself a poet and playwright, published
works by Samuel Johnson, Gray, Goldsmith, and others of his large circle of friends. The energetic Andrew Millar carried
through the arrangements for bringing out Johnson's Dictionary (1755), and his successors Thomas Cadell and William
Strahan were in their turn important personages in the publishing world.
For two hundred years the ordinary sizes for English books had continued to be the folio, measuring about twelve by
seven-and-a-half inches, and the quarto, of about seven-and-a-half by six inches. These two main sizes were varied
by a larger folio for more important works, and an octavo about six inches high, for the smaller books. In the
eighteenth century there is a greater variety of sizes and a larger paper is in general use. The folio is still used, more
especially for topographical works with illustrations, but for ordinary books it gives way to the quarto: not the small
square book of the preceding century, but a more imposing volume, measuring some ten by eight inches, in which
there is space, as occasion may demand, either for packing much matter, or for the luxury of large type and wide
margins. For everyday literature the convenient octavo size and also a large duodecimo (seven by four inches) came
into general use. The standard of printing, as a whole, shews a considerable improvement upon the dark days of the
Commonwealth period, though, with some exceptions, the craftsmanship is mediocre and the appearance of the books
quite undistinguished. In general, the paper is indifferent in quality and too brown in colour, while the ink lacks
sufficient blackness to make a good contrast, and this gives an appearance of weakness to the printed page.
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