The necessary capital for the new concern was found by Robinson and Hickson, who agreed to allow Jackson, as his salary for conducting the business under the partnership, the sum of £62 8s. per annum, and to supply money for carrying on the trade for two years. A small house in Cock Lane was taken for the purpose, and such was the modest beginning of this famous foundry. The hazardous adventure succeeded, thanks to the genius of Jackson, who was able soon to satisfy his partners that the business would be productive before the time promised. “When he had pursued his labours about six months, Mr. Bowyer accidentally calling to inspect some of his punches (for he had no specimen), approved them so much, that he promised to employ him; adding, ‘My father was the means of old Mr. Caslon riding in his coach, how do you know but I may be the means of your doing the same?’ [Illustration: 75. From _Nichols’ Literary Anecdotes_.] “A short time after this, he put out a small specimen of one fount; which his former young master carried to Bethnal Green with an air of contempt. The good old justice treated it otherwise; and desired his son ‘to take it home and {317} preserve it; and whenever he went to cutting again to look well at it.’ It is but justice to the third William Caslon to add that he always acknowledged the abilities of Mr. Jackson; and though rivals in an art which requires the greatest exertions of ingenuity, they lived in habits of reciprocal friendship.” It is much to be regretted that no copy of Jackson’s first specimen sheet (which we may assume to have been issued about 1665) is now to be discovered. Business increasing, he removed from Cock Lane to more commodious premises in Dorset Street, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, and here his foundry and reputation made rapid advances. “About the year 1771”, Nichols relates, “he was applied to by the Duke of Norfolk to make a mould to cast a hollow square. Telling the Duke that he thought this was practicable, his Grace observed that he had applied to all the skilful mechanicks in London, Mr. Caslon not excepted, who declared it impossible. He soon convinced the Duke of his abilities, and in the course of three months, producing what his Grace had been years in search of, was ever after held in great estimation by the Duke, who considered him as the first mechanick in the kingdom.” In 1773, it would appear that Jackson issued a further specimen of his now increasing foundry. Of this performance Rowe Mores makes flattering mention in presenting his summary of the contents of the foundry as it stood in that year:― “Mr. Jackson,” he says, “lives in Salisbury Court in Fleet Street. He is obliging and communicative, and his Specimen will, _adjuvante numine_, have place amongst the literate specimens of English letter cutters. The prognostics are these:― “MR. JACKSON’S FOUNDERY. ORIENTALS: _Hebrew._― Double Pica. _Persic._― English.