This work, it appears, had been originally intended to be printed at the press of Palmer, with whom Caslon, as we have seen, had already had dealings of a not altogether satisfactory character. “His Lordship, however,” says Nichols (quoting Psalmanazar’s account of the transaction), “had excepted against Mr. Palmer’s Hebrew types which were of Athias’ font,[467] and a little battered, and insisted upon his having a new set from Mr. Caslon, which greatly exceeded them in beauty. But Mr. Palmer was so deeply in debt to him (Caslon) that he knew not how to procure it from him without ready money, which he was not able to spare. The Bishop likewise insisted upon having some Roman and Italic types cast with some distinguishing mark, to direct his readers to the Hebrew letters they were designed to answer, and these required a new set of punches and matrices before they could be cast; and that would have delayed the work, which Mr. Palmer was in haste to go about that he might the sooner finger some of his Lordship’s money. This put him upon such an unfair stratagem as, when discovered, quite disgusted his lordship against him; namely, representing Mr. Caslon as an idle, dilatory workman, who would in all probability make them wait several years for those few types, if ever he finished them. That he was indeed the only Artist that could supply him with those types, but that he hated work and was not to be depended upon; and therefore advised his Lordship to make shift with some sort which he could substitute and would answer the same purpose, rather than run the risk of staying so long and being perhaps disappointed. “The Bishop, however, being resolved, if possible, to have the desired types, sent for Mr. Bowyer, and asked him whether he knew a letter-founder that could {239} cast him such a set out of hand, who immediately recommended Mr. Caslon; and being told what sad and disadvantageous character he had heard of him, Mr. Bowyer not only assured his Lordship that it was a very false and unjust one, but engaged to get the above-mentioned types cast by him, and a new font of his Hebrew ones, in as short a time as the thing could possibly be done. Mr. Caslon was accordingly sent for by his Lordship, and having made him sensible of the time the new ones would require to be made ready for use, did produce them according to his promise, and the book was soon after put to the press.”[468] Among the other interesting founts cut by Caslon about this time, may be mentioned the Pica Black, of which we show a specimen, and which received special commendation for its faithful following of the traditional Old English character first used by Wynkyn de Worde. [Illustration: 60. Pica Black, cut by Caslon. (From the original matrices.)]