Edwin Pearson

“ The task of collecting the materials is a labour of love, and every fresh discovery in some out-of-the-way corner, of a long-sought desideratum, a delight which the patience and industrious enthusiast alone can appreciate. ”

“ In his collection the Robin Hood block, perforated with worm holes, realized quite a fancy price.
Among the relics of ancient woodcutting, are some so early and crude in their execution—quaint as the period they illustrate—as to really entitle them to the literal name and meaning of woodcuts, rather than wood-engravings, which they really became in the hands of the two Bewicks and their numerous school of pupils. ”

“ The quaint old town and its people are rapidly modernizing; but they cling to the old traditions. Both in pictorial and legendary lore we have some Banburies of another kind altogether, viz., Banbury Blocks, or in plain English, Engraved Woodcut Blocks, associated with the Local Chap Books, Toy Books, and other Histories, for which this quaint old Oxfordshire town is celebrated. ”

“ Many of them are connected with the early printing and engraving carried on in this and other towns of England. A quantity of the blocks were used in the books printed by John White of York, who established himself, as before mentioned, as a printer in Newcastle-on-Tyne, bringing with him a stock of quaint old blocks formerly his father’s [at York] , where he was sole printer to King William, for the five northern counties of England. ”

“ In conclusion, it may be said that the present volume contains many precious relics of the Bewick, Newbury, Goldsmith, Newcastle York, Banbury, Coventry, and Catnach presses, and a representative collection of the stock of workable woodcuts of a provincial printer in the latter part of the 18th century, and to those who would like to inspect the rentable copies of those valuable and interesting little books, and some of the original Horn Books, etc., let them see the Coleridge, Kenneth Mackenzie, and Pearson collections in the South Kensington Museum. ”

“ Sotheby, a small 4to Album containing a collection of wood engravings by Bewick, Clennell, and others, which with some newspaper cuttings made quite a dainty extra illustrated volume.
If so eminent an artist could find pleasure and recreation in this pursuit, others may certainly rely upon finding it equally attractive, but he would have found his task much easier if he had had a large paper copy of this work interleaved. ”

“ They afterwards walked into the Colleges, round Christ Church College Meadow, and indeed saw all the curiosities about Oxford.
(The Banbury Cake) .
We give a Bibliographical List, as perfect as is possible to date, of the “Halfpenny Series” of little History and Story Books issued at Rusher’s Banbury Press, some even with the same titles as the “Penny Series,” yet totally different in arrangement and woodcuts, used, as comparison in the Bodleian Library will readily show: Mother Hubbard and her Dog; Nursery Rymmes from the Royal Collections; Poetic Trifles for young Gentlemen and Ladies ”

“ He then refers to Dr. Primrose, Thomas Trip, etc., and adds further on, “my father had a drawer full of them [Newbury’s little books] very smartly bound in gilt paper.” Priceless now would this collection be, mixed up with horn-books—a single copy of which is one of the rarest relics of the olden time.
Chalmer’s in his preface to “Idler,” regards Mr. Newbury as the reputed author of many little chap books for masters and misses.
Mr. John Nichols brings forward other candidates for the honour of projecting and writing the “Lilliputian histories, of Goody Two Shoes, etc.;” ”

“ This is of both American and Bewick interest. Besides these representatives of this Chap Book, we are enabled to give in this collection impressions from the blocks of other editions fortunately rescued from oblivion and destruction.
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BANBURY CHAP BOOKS. “Old Story Books! Old Story Books! we owe ye much old friends,
Bright coloured threads in memory’s wrap, of which Death holds the ends,
Who can forget ye? Who can spurn the ministers of joy
That waited on the lisping girl and petticoated boy? ”

“ Mr. Charles Welsh of the present firm has taken a warm interest in the Antiquarian and Historical Associations of the Newbery firm. The premises have been lately rebuilt, the Sign and Emblems adopted by Newbery restored, and C. Welsh has reprinted “Goody Two Shoes” in facsimile, since which there has been added to it a Standard edition of Goldsmith’s Works, edited by Mr. ”