INTRODUCTORY

A Note on Cambridge Printing

"True it is," says Thomas Fuller, "it was a great while before Cambridge could find out the right knack of printing, and therefore they preferred to employ Londoners therein....But one Sibert, University Printer, improved that mystery to good perfection." This was John Lair of Siegburg, the friend of Erasmus, who settled in Cambridge in 1521 and is known to history as JOHN SIBERCH, the first Cambridge printer. Eight books, in all, have been found bearing his imprint.

In 1534 Cambridge printing received what may be regarded as its Magna Carta, letters patent being granted to the University by Henry VIII "to elect three stationers and printers or sellers of books, residing within the University...to print books of every kind that have been approved by the Chancellor." For some 50 years after this, however, no books seem to have been printed in Cambridge. This was due, no doubt, to the violence both of the opposition of the Stationers' Company and of the religious controversy of the period.

THOMAS THOMAS, appointed in 1582, was a scholar and lexicographer as well as "a famous Printer among Cantabrigians." The Stationers attacked and seized his press, but, after a conference with Lord Burghley, the charter of 1534 was confirmed and Thomas re-instated. Since his time the office of University Printer has been filled without interruption.

¶ JOHN LEGATE, who continued to print in Cambridge until 1607, was the first to use the device Alma Mater Cantabrigia with the motto Hinc Lucem et Pocula Sacra surrounding it (see title-page). After further disputes with the Stationers, all "privileges and immunities" granted in 1534, were confirmed by Charles I.

THOMAS BUCK, appointed in 1625, was the printer of the first Cambridge Bible, and his edition of Poetae Graeci Minores (1652) was described as "the most elegant book

of the Cantabrigian press delivered to the public." He was succeeded in 1655 by JOHN FIELD, who had previously printed "the pretended Act of the Commons of England for the setting up an High Court of Justice for the trial of his Martyred Majesty." Field built a new printing-house in Silver Street which remained in use until 1827; his printing room was 60 feet by 20, "held 6 presses, had paper windows and a pleasant garden."

The modern history of the Cambridge Press may be said to have begun in 1698 when, thanks to the labours of Richard Bentley, a great revival of typography took place. Additions were made to the buildings, new presses set up, beautiful types imported from Holland, and a body of Curatores Praeli Typographici appointed; the Press Syndics of the present day are the direct successors of the Curatores of 1698. From this time forward the University, which had hitherto merely licensed books to be printed, accepted responsibility for each book produced.

Perhaps the most famous of 18th century English printers was JOHN BASKERVILLE, who, after submitting specimens to the "Gentlemen of the Syndick," entered into an agreement with the University in 1761.

Early in the 19th century, stereotype plates ("the fruitful mother of many children at one birth") were successfully used, the inventor being Earl Stanhope. Two presses of Stanhope's invention, which are still in use, were also bought in 1804.

New buildings were now urgently needed and in 1824 part of the surplus fund for erecting a statue of William Pitt was devoted to the erection of new Press buildings and the first stone of what is now known as the Pitt Press building was laid in 1831.

Among the names of 19th century University printers, the best known, perhaps, are those of J. W. PARKER (1836-54), the first to introduce steam power, and C., J. CLAY, who entered into partnership with the University in 1854; in this partnership his sons JOHN and C. F. CLAY were afterwards associated. On the death of JOHN CLAY in 1916, the present printer, Mr J. B. PEACE, Fellow of Emmanuel College, was appointed.

The Syndics of the Press began the systematic publication
of educational books in 1875, when the Pitt Press Series was
inaugurated. In that year their complete catalogue ex-
tended to 14 pages. Of the development, therefore, of their
activities as publishers in the last 40 years this latest
catalogue may be left to speak for itself.

The Present Catalogue

The new CATALOGUE is based upon an arrangement
entirely different from that of previous editions, the 47
main subject-headings being arranged in alphabetical order
from AGRICULTURE to ZOOLOGY. These, together with the
more important sub-headings, are detailed in the list of
CONTENTS (pp. ix-xv). In each section or sub-section the
titles of books (except in a very few cases) are arranged under
the authors' names in alphabetical order.

The titles of all books published to the end of 1919 are
included, together with announcements of those to be pub-
lished early in 1920.

The INDEX includes entries under authors, editors, and
subjects; and, to facilitate what is perhaps the most common
form of reference, authors' and editors' names, at the begin-
ning of an entry, are printed in black type.

The most convenient general subject-index will be found
in the CONTENTS.

Other Catalogues

Besides this complete general catalogue, any of the
following catalogues may be had on application to Mr C. F.
Clay, Cambridge University Press, Fetter Lane, E.C. 4:
(1) A Catalogue of Educational Books.

(2) A list of books for Elementary Schools.

(3) A Catalogue of Cambridge Bibles and Prayer-Books.

The Cambridge Bulletin

Publication of this illustrated record of Cambridge books,
which was suspended during the war, has now been resumed.
It is issued three times a year, viz. in January, April, and
October, and will be sent regularly, together with prospectuses
of any book, journal, or series, to any address on application
to Mr C. F. Clay.

Inspection of Books

Any book or journal in the present catalogue may be in-
spected at the Syndics' London office (Fetter Lane, E.C. 4).
The library formed there for the convenience of visitors is
being enlarged and re-organised.

A bookseller who has not in stock a Cambridge book
required by a customer can obtain a copy for inspection,
the cost of carriage both ways to be defrayed by the
customer if the book is not purchased.

Application for Specimen Copies

The Syndics are willing to consider applications from
teachers for specimen copies of their educational publica-
tions with a view to enabling them to decide whether the
books are suitable for introduction in their classes. Specimen
copies can usually be sent either free or at half price. All
books other than specimen copies should be ordered from
a bookseller.

Foreign and Colonial Agents

The following firms act as agents for the Syndics' publica-
tions in the respective countries:

U.S.A.: G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.

India: Macmillan & Co. Ltd., Bombay, Calcutta and
Madras.

Canada: J. M. Dent & Sons, Ltd., Toronto.

Japan: Maruzen-Kabushiki-Kaisha.

The University of Chicago Press

The Syndics of the Press act as agents in the United
Kingdom for the publications of the University of Chicago
Press. A catalogue of these will be sent on application.
The Williams and Wilkins Company, Baltimore

The Syndics are also agents for a large number of scientific
journals published by the above firm. Details of these will
be found in the present catalogue.

All enquiries should be addressed to Mr C. F. CLAY,
Cambridge University Press, Fetter Lane, E.C. 4.
TELEGRAMS: Cantabrigia, Fleet, London.
TELEPHONE: 6359 Central.