“At a period when the Art of Printing has, perhaps, arrived to a degree of excellence hitherto unknown in the annals of literature, the improvement of Types will no doubt be generally considered an object worthy of attention. Vincent Figgins having had the advantage of ten years’ instruction and servitude under the late ingenious Mr. Joseph Jackson (great part of which time he had _the management of_ his Foundery), flatters himself he shall not be thought arrogant in soliciting the patronage of the Master Printers, and other Literary Gentlemen, when he has commenced an entire new Letter Foundery, every branch of which, with their support and encouragement, he hopes he shall be enabled to execute in the most accurate and satisfactory manner; assuring them that his best endeavours shall be exerted to complete so arduous an undertaking. Although as yet he has but few founts finished, he is anxious to submit a specimen for approbation. All orders he may be favoured with shall be duly attended to and punctually executed. . . The Italics of the following founts, with a Long Primer, Brevier and English, are in great forwardness—specimens of which shall be printed as soon as possible. _May 1793._” One of the first public appearances of the English fount was in the 8vo edition of Milton’s _Paradise Lost_, begun in 1794 in monthly parts, and published {338} by Parsons in 1796.[703] The announcement accompanying Part I makes special reference to “a new and beautiful Type cast on purpose for this work by Vincent Figgins.” The Italic of this fount is specially elegant. Mr. Figgins’ indefatigable industry enabled him to issue in the next year an enlarged Specimen Book with the same title and address as before, but containing twelve sheets of specimens, four of which were dated 1794. He met with further encouragement in his new undertaking by the patronage of the Delegates of the Oxford Press, under whose direction he completed a fount of Double Pica Greek, the progress of which had been interrupted by the death of Mr. Jackson. In connection with this circumstance, Mr. Vincent Figgins the younger, in the remarks appended to his facsimile reprint of Caxton’s _Game of the Chesse_, has preserved an anecdote, which it will be interesting to repeat here, not only as having reference to Mr. Figgins’ early productions, but as illustrating a curious phase of the mystery of type founding at that day:―