Chapter L: L. L

North Lincolnshire.

THE CAXTON COFFER.

Reflecting on the extreme rarity of the works which issued from the press of Caxton, the question arises, What number of copies was he accustomed to print? On that point, as it seems, we have only conjectures.

Maittaire assumes that the number was about 200; an opinion which I shall not controvert. Dibdin, however, inclines to think, with regard to _The golden legend_ and other works of the same class, "that at least 400 copies were struck off;" and in support of this conjecture, cites the practice of Sweynheym and Pannartz, as proved by the memorial addressed in their behalf to Sixtus IV., by J. Andrea, bishop of Aleria, in 1472, which practice he thus states:--

"If we are to judge from the celebrated list of the number of
copies of the different works printed by those indefatigable
typographical artists, Sweynheym and Pannartz, it would appear
that 275 was the usual number of copies of a particular work;
although sometimes they ventured to strike off as many as 550;
and, twice, not fewer than 1100 copies."

Now, our renowned bibliographer misinterprets the important document which he cites. Sweynheym and Pannartz printed 300 copies of a _Donatus_, and the same number of a _Speculum vitæ humanæ_, and of two more works. In all other cases, each impression of the works which proceeded from their press consisted of only 275 copies. The words _Volumina quingenta quinquaginta_ refer to works of which two editions were published, or which were in two volumes; and the words _Volumina mille centum_, to a work of which there were two editions of two volumes each. So the conjecture of Dibdin loses its best support.

As Sweynheym and Pannartz printed only 275 copies of the works of such authors as St. Augustin and St. Jerome, of Cæsar, Cicero, Livy, Ovid, Quinctilian, and Virgil--works which must have found purchasers in all parts of Europe--it is rather improbable that Caxton should have ventured to exceed that number with respect to books for which, being chiefly translations, there could be no demand beyond the shores of England.

BOLTON CORNEY.

Minor Notes.

_Braham Moor._--The following _remarkable_ account of this place by John Watson, Esq., of Malton, in the year 1781, may be interesting to some of the readers of your paper. Braham is situated five miles S.W. of Tadcaster, and close to, and in, the remains of the old Roman road called "Watling Street:"--

"Upon the middle of this moor a man may see ten miles around him;
within those ten miles there is as much free stone as would build
ten cities as large as York; within those ten miles there is as
much good oak timber as would build those ten cities; there is as
much limestone, and coals to burn it into lime, as the building of
those ten cities would require; there is also as much clay and
sand, and coals to burn them into bricks and tiles, as would build
those ten cities; within those ten miles there are two iron forges
sufficient to furnish iron for the building of those ten cities,
and 10,000 tons to spare; within those ten miles there is lead
sufficient for the ten cities, and 10,000 fodders to spare; within
those ten miles there is a good coal seam sufficient to furnish
those ten cities with firing for 10,000 years; within those ten
miles there are three navigable rivers, from any part of which a
man may take shipping and sail to any part of the world; within
those ten miles there are _seventy_ gentlemen's houses, all
_keeping coaches_, and the least of them an esquire, and ten parks
and forests well stocked with deer; within those ten miles are ten
market towns, one of which may be supposed to return 10,000_l._
per week."

CHAS. W. MARKHAM.

Becca Hall, Tadcaster.

_Portraits of Burke._--Through the kindness of a friend I have just examined what I take to be an interesting and curious work of art, viz., a miniature of the great Edmund Burke, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and said to be the _only miniature_ he ever painted. It is a small oval of ivory executed in water colours, and represents him past the meridian of life, his hair combed back from his ample forehead, and powdered; the coat (according to the fashion of the day) without a collar, and, as well as the waistcoat, of a chocolate colour; a white stock, and the shirt frill of lace; the features, although retaining great animation and intelligence, are round and plump. The painting is carefully and delicately finished. The same friend also possesses another miniature of the same right honourable gentleman (artist unknown), deserving notice: it is in a much larger oval, and drawn in coloured crayons. This likeness represents the statesman at a much earlier period of life, and is most exquisitely executed: his fine auburn hair in natural waves, if I may use the expression, is also thrown off the face, the features rather sharp, the nose prominent, the eyes brilliant, the lips beautifully expressed, and, on the whole, one of the most highly finished specimens of this style I ever saw: the costume the same as that already described, the colour being a snuff-brown. In this portrait, a black ribbon crosses the lace frill, indicating the presence of an eye-glass, an appendage not observable in portraits taken later in life. The lady who owns these paintings is the widow of a gentleman lately deceased, who being related to, was brought up under the guardianship of this great man, and was by him introduced into public life; circumstances which prove the authenticity of the works thus briefly described.