A History of the Cambridge University Press, 1521-1921Roberts, S. C. (Sydney Castle)
History
A History of the Cambridge University Press, 1521-1921
Roberts, S. C. (Sydney Castle)
Cambridge University Press -- Bibliography; Cambridge University Press -- History
These receipts appear to show that Owen actually was at work as a
compositor upon Davies's edition of Caesar which appeared with the
imprint _Impensis Joannis Oweni, Typographi_[86].
From passages in Bentley's correspondence it also appears that Owen
travelled in Holland on Bentley's behalf in 1706[87].
But long before this Owen had found himself unable, "through great
poverty and being imprisoned on the amount of debts contracted," to
carry out the Suidas agreement, and on 8 May, 1703, a new contract
was made with Sir Theodore Janssen, who had already supplied Owen
with large quantities of paper, for the completion of the work at
the joint expense of the university and of Janssen himself, the
editor's fee being fixed at £200[88].
As has been noted above, however, the Press continued to print
certain other books for Owen. Thus Janssen writes to Crownfield on
19 October, 1704:
I have sent you to-day 150 Reams of fine genoa paper which is to
be for yͤ use of Mͬ Jͦⁿ Owen when he hath signed an agreement such
as Dͬ Bentley doth require ...[89].
In later years Owen seems to have laid his misfortunes at Bentley's
door, since, in a dedication written by him to "Elias Abenaker of
London, Gent." and prefixed to Ockley's translation of Modena,
_History of the present Jews_ (ed. 1711), he writes:
I ... want Words to tell the World how much I am your Debtor,
how often you have rescued me and my whole Family from the Jaws
of Destruction; what noble Assistances you have supplied me
with, to raise my Fortune in the World, and put my Affairs into
a prosperous and flourishing Condition, had not a Person of an
high Character, and a pretending Encourager of Arts and Sciences,
and Printing in particular, (by the Encouragement of whose
specious Promises I was induced to leave Oxford) been as Sedulous
and Industrious to ruine and destroy me, by such Injustice and
Cruelties, which if I should particularize, would gain Credit with
few but those of the University of Cambridge, where the Fact is
notoriously known[90].
In the meantime Kuster's edition of Suidas had duly appeared in
1705:
Kuster (writes Monk) having now, by means of his [Bentley's]
patronage, completed the three noble volumes of his Suidas, their
appearance raised the fame of the editor, while it excited public
admiration at the spirit and liberality of the University of
Cambridge in undertaking so magnificent a publication.
Correspondence between Janssen and Crownfield throws some
interesting side-lights on business details--the fixing of the
price and the choice of selling agents[91]:
Now that yͤ hurry of treating her Majᵗʸ is over[92] (writes
Janssen) I hope yͤ University will come speedily to a resolution
at what rate to sell Suidas, I would not have them to think of too
high a price and I believe 3£ will be rather too much hoever I
leave it to them but I hope they will not exceed 3£ which is 20_s_
a volume.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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