Another contemporary record of equal interest, which seems, moreover, to allude to one or more of the three missing Specimens above mentioned, is contained in a little essay on the _Original, Use, and Excellency of Printing_, published in 1752[480]; in which the anonymous writer, after dealing with the invention, remarks: “Altho’ the chief honour is due to the Inventor, yet the perfection and beauty that Printing is now arrived at is very much owing to them that came after. Many in the present age have not a little contributed thereto. Among whom I cannot but particularly mention Mr. William Caslon and his Son, Letter Founders in Chiswell Street, who have very much by their indefatigable labours promoted the honour of this Art, and who have lately printed three broadsheet specimens of their curious types; one of them consisting of all the common sorts of letter used in printing; the second sheet is {243} divers sorts of their Orientals, Old-English, and Saxon; and the third contains a great variety of curious Flowers and Fancies for Ornamenting of Title Pages, Tickets, &c., also several sorts of Titling letter of Roman, Old-English and Greek; and the whole, for their master strokes and curious flourishes, outdo all that have been cast in England, Holland or any other place before.” The above is one of many compliments paid to Caslon at this period by his contemporaries. Smith, in his _Printer’s Grammar_ in 1755, goes out of his way more than once to commend the founder by whose genius “letter is now in England of such a beautiful cut and shape as it never was before.” Baskerville, in a passage quoted elsewhere,[481] frankly acknowledges him as the greatest master of the art. Ames and Chambers, as has been noticed, vie with one another in proclaiming his pre-eminence; Mores himself styles him the Coryphæus of modern letter founders, and Lemoine awards him the title of the English Elzevir. In 1750 Mr. Caslon’s reputation was such that his Majesty George II. placed him on the Commission of the Peace for Middlesex, which office he sustained with honour to himself and advantage to the community till the time of his death.