Caslon II died in 1778, aged 58, and was buried in the family vault at St. Luke’s, the following line being added to his father’s inscription: Also W. Caslon, Esq. (son of the above) ob. 17 Aug., 1778, ætat. 58 years.

Of him, too, an excellent oil portrait is preserved at Chiswell Street. He had married a Miss Elizabeth Cartlitch,503 a lady of beauty, understanding, and fortune, who, during the latter years of her husband’s life, had taken an active share in the management of the foundry.

Mr. Caslon dying intestate, his property was divided equally between his widow and her two sons, William and Henry, the chief superintendence of the business devolving on William Caslon III, at that time quite a young man. The chief event of the new régime was the issue of the admirable Specimen Book of 1785, a work which, for its completeness and excellent execution, has received high approbation. It consists of sixty sheets, twenty-one of which are devoted to Romans and Italics, ten to “learned” letter504 and Blacks, two to Music, two to {249} Script, and no fewer than twenty-six to flowers arranged in artistic combinations and designs. The volume is dedicated to King George III, Mr. Caslon assuming the title allowed a century earlier to Nicholas Nicholls, of “Letter Founder to His Majesty.”

The “Address to the Public,” which prefaces this Specimen, naturally lays claim on behalf of the Caslon Foundry to the merit of having rescued the type trade in England from the hands of foreigners. But it also suggests, by the somewhat acrid tone in which it refers to its “opponents,” that the competition of the newly-established foundries of Cottrell, Fry, Wilson, and Jackson was already beginning to tell on the temper of the third of the Caslons, who evidently did not regard as flattery the avowed imitation of the Caslon models by some of his rivals.505

The Specimen contains one new feature—a Double Pica Script—which, however, is of no particular merit.

The year 1785 was prolific in Specimens of the Chiswell Street foundry. In addition to the book above referred to, two folio Specimens, one an 8 pp. large post-folio, and another a 6 pp. foolscap-folio, appeared, intended for use as {250} inset plates to Encyclopædias,506 in which the principal founts of the foundry, Roman and Oriental, were displayed. In addition to this, there was issued a 2 pp. folio Specimen of large letter507 showing the sand-cast types of the foundry in sizes from 19 to 7-line Pica.

In the preceding year Caslon III. had issued his specimen of Cast Ornaments—the first of the kind exhibited by an English Founder—displaying 65 designs of various size and merit at prices ranging from 3d. to 7s. each. In his introductory note to the second edition, dated July 20, 1786, he takes to himself the credit of an invention “completed with infinite attention and at an inconceivable expence,” whereby the trade is in future to be supplied with typographic designs equal to copperplate and less costly than the commonest wood-cuts. The process thus originated was that of sharply impressing a wood block in cooling metal so as to form a lead matrix from which to “dab” further impressions as required. The specimen of 1785 contained a few small ships of imposing appearance, but these were produced by the usual method of punch and matrix.

It does not appear that the third Caslon’s connexion with the business resulted in any large addition to its founts. As, however, no specimen book of the Foundry is known between 1786 and 1805, it is difficult to judge of its progress during that period.

In the year 1792 Mr. Caslon disposed of his interest in the Chiswell Street business to his mother and sister-in-law. Henry Caslon had died in 1788. He had married Miss Elizabeth Rowe, a lady of good family,508 between whom and their only son, Henry (at that time an infant of two years), he left his share of the Foundry.

“It will not appear extraordinary,” says Hansard, “that a property so divided, and under the management of two ladies, though both superior and indeed extraordinary women, should be unable to maintain its ground triumphantly against the active competition which had for some time existed against it. In fact, the fame of the first William Caslon was peculiarly disadvantageous to Mrs. Caslon, as she never could be persuaded that any attempt to rival him could possibly be successful.”

Mrs. Caslon, sen., was an active member of the Association of Typefounders {251} of her day, which first met in 1793. In this capacity she gained the esteem of her fellow founders as well as of the printers, and on one occasion formed one of a deputation of two to confer with the latter on certain questions affecting the price of type.

She died from the effects of a paralytic stroke in October 1795.

The esteem in which she was held by all who knew her was amply testified by numerous notices in the public prints of the day. “Her merit and abilities,” says one, “in conducting a capital business during the life of her husband and afterwards, till her son was capable of managing it, can only be known to those who had dealings with the manufactory. In quickness of understanding and activity of execution she has left few equals among her sex.” And, in the same strain, the Freemason’s Magazine of March 1796, thus speaks of her: “The urbanity of her manners, and her diligence and activity in the conduct of so extensive a concern, attached to her interest all who had dealings with her, and the steadiness of her friendship rendered her death highly lamented by all who had the happiness of being in the extensive circle of her acquaintance.” The latter notice is accompanied by a portrait of this worthy lady.

Mrs. Caslon’s will becoming the object of some litigation, her estate was thrown into Chancery, and in March 1799, the Foundry was, by order of the Court, put up for auction and purchased by Mrs. Henry Caslon for £520. The smallness of this figure is the more remarkable since only seven years previously, on the retirement of Caslon III., a third share of the concern had sold for £3000.

“On the decease of Mrs. Caslon,” writes Hansard, in 1825, “the management of the Foundry devolved on Mrs. Henry Caslon, who, possessing an excellent understanding, and being seconded by servants of zeal and ability, was enabled, though suffering severely under ill-health, in a great measure to retrieve its credit. Finding the renown of William Caslon no longer efficacious in securing the sale of his types, she resolved to have new founts cut. She commenced the work of renovation with a new Canon, Double Pica and Pica, having the good fortune to secure the services of Mr. John Isaac Drury, a very able engraver, since deceased. The Pica, an improvement on the style of Bodoni,509 was particularly admired, and had a most extensive sale. Finding {252} herself, however, from the impaired state of her health, which suffered from pulmonary attacks, unable to sustain the exertions required in conducting so extensive a concern, she resolved, after the purchase of the Foundry, to take as an active partner Mr. Nathaniel Catherwood, (a distant relation), who by his energy and knowledge of business fully equalled her expectations. This connection gave a new impetus to the improvements of the Foundry, which did not cease during the lives of the partners, and their exertions were duly appreciated and encouraged by the printers. In 1808 the character of the Foundry may be considered as completely retrieved, but the proprietors did not long live to enjoy their well-merited success. In 1799, Mrs. Henry Caslon had married Mr. Strong, a medical gentleman, who died in 1802. In the spring of 1808 she was afflicted with a serious renewal of her pulmonary attack, in consequence of which she was advised to try the effect of the air of Bristol Hotwells, which probably protracted her life during a twelvemonth of extreme suffering, but could not eradicate the fatal disease. Her fortitude and resignation under this long continued, and helpless affliction could not be surpassed, and were truly admirable. Her sufferings were terminated in March 1809, when she was buried in the Cathedral of Bristol. The worthy and active Mr. Nathaniel Catherwood did not long survive his associate, being seized with a typhus fever which baffled the medical art. He died on the 6th of June, ætat. 45, very generally regretted.”510 A portrait of Mrs. Strong is preserved at Chiswell Street.

In 1805 was published the first Specimen containing the new Romans of Messrs. Caslon and Catherwood, among which, however, the Canon and Double Pica referred to by Hansard are not included. The dates affixed to the various specimens511 show that most of them were completed between 1802 and 1805, the {253} earliest being the Great Primer, dated May 1802. The Specimen also contained the Caslon Orientals. In 1808 a further Specimen of the Romans, including a few additional founts, appeared as a supplement to Stower’s Printers’ Grammar.512

These two Specimens, which are the only ones known to have been issued during twenty-three years, indicate clearly the important revolution through which the Chiswell Street Foundry, in common with all the other foundries of the day, had passed in respect of the model of its characters. All the once admired founts of the originator of the Foundry have been discarded, and between the Specimen of 1785 and that of 1808 there is absolutely no feature in common.513

On the death of his mother and her partner, Henry Caslon II assumed the management of the business, and fully maintained its reputation. The former name of the firm was retained, and a fresh specimen of Roman letters and modern Blacks was issued about the year 1812.

In 1814 Mr. Caslon took into partnership Mr. John James Catherwood,514 brother to Mr. Nathaniel Catherwood, and in this association proceeded vigorously with the improvement of the foundry. The partnership continued until 1821, during which period, says Hansard, “the additions and varieties made to the stock of the Foundry have been immense. Nothing that perseverance in labour and unsparing effort could effect, either to meet the fashion and evanescent whim of the day, or with the superior view of permanent improvement, has been wanted to keep the concern up to its long-established eminence, and to enable it to rank high among the many able competitors of the present age. The ancient stock can never be equalled—the modern never excelled.”515

Among the more important accessions to the stock of the Foundry may {254} be mentioned the acquisition in 1817 of the Foundry of Mr. William Martin of Duke Street, St. James’s, which, as elsewhere stated,516 included several good Roman and Oriental letters.

The partnership between Mr. Caslon and Mr. Catherwood being dissolved in 1821 by the withdrawal of the latter,517 Mr. Caslon admitted to a share of the business Mr. Martin William Livermore, “who for many years,” says Hansard, “had evinced ample talent, indefatigable zeal, and obliging attention, as active foreman and manager of the mechanical department.”

Messrs. Caslon and Livermore issued specimens in 1830 and 1834, the latter appearing exactly one hundred years after the first broadside published by William Caslon I.

We do not propose to continue the particular history of this venerable Foundry beyond this date. It may, however, be interesting to take a rapid survey of its subsequent career. {255}

Numerous specimens followed the issue of 1834, that of 1839 bearing the title of Caslon, Son, and Livermore, Letter-founders to Her Majesty’s Board of Excise—the new partner being Mr. Caslon’s son, the late Mr. Henry William Caslon. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Livermore’s connexion with the business ceased, and the next few specimens bear the name of Henry Caslon alone.

In 1843 a revival of the Caslon old-style letter took place under the following circumstances, which, as they initiated a new fashion in the trade generally, call for reference here. In the year 1843, Mr. Whittingham of the Chiswick press, waited upon Mr. Caslon to ask his aid in carrying out the then new idea of printing in appropriate type The Diary of Lady Willoughby,521 a work of fiction, the period and diction of which were supposed to be of the reign of Charles I. The original matrices of the first William Caslon having been fortunately preserved, Mr. Caslon undertook to supply a small fount of Great Primer. So well was Mr. Whittingham satisfied with the result of his experiment, that he determined on printing other volumes in the same style, and eventually he was supplied with the complete series of all the old founts. Then followed a demand for old faces, which has continued up to the present time.

An attempt to sell the Foundry in 1846,522 not being successful, the business, again took the style of Caslon and Son.

Mr. Henry Caslon died May 28, 1850, and in the same year the important step was taken of uniting the London Branch of the Glasgow Letter Foundry with that of Chiswell Street, which was now carried on under the style of H. W. Caslon and Co., Mr. Alexander Wilson, of the Glasgow Foundry, being for some time associated with Mr. H. W. Caslon in the management.

In 1873, Mr. Caslon, being in ill health, retired, and died in the following year. He was the last of his race, and the Chiswell Street Foundry, after an uninterrupted dynasty of five generations, covering a period of nearly 160 years, was by his death left without a Caslon to represent it. The management of the business devolved on Mr. T. W. Smith, in whose hands it has since remained. {256}