Banbury Chap Books Part 7

"Come buy a true Calendar."

(_Castle Gates_)

"Razors, Knives, and Scissors to grind."

"Acomb Sand."

"Race Lists."

The Cries of York is distinctly different from The Cries of London issued by Kendrew though the same set of Cuts are utilized.

London Street Cries have always had a fascination peculiarly their own.

Madame Vestris used to bring down the house with "Cherry Ripe," and where are happier efforts of the favourite home Artists than "London Cries" by A. Morland, Wheatley, Stodhard, and others, which are so eagerly sought after by connoiseurs? The pretty plaintive Cries too, would we had the 'music' to them, so familiar in the streets in those charming old English days.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 49_1

"_Nothing like leather._"]

A most interesting and quaint old relic is the one from which annexed impression is given, from Dyche's Spelling Book: an exceedingly clean, choice and crisp copy of this book, in the original sheep covers,--a veritable "old shopkeeper," which for nearly a century had escaped its intended destiny in Rusher's varied stores, at length found a resting place in Sir Thomas Bodley's venerable receptacle for bibliographical treasures in the Bodelian, Oxford. The present example--a portion of which was broken away many years ago,--is probably the sole surviving one of the quaint series of cuts, doubtless admired by our great-grand-parents over 100 years ago.

The following are curious examples of Fable Cuts, which were used in Dilworth, c.o.c.ker, Fisher, and others.

[Ill.u.s.trations: 50_1 - 50_4]

_Early Fable Cuts, used at Banbury in Spelling Books._

[Ill.u.s.trations: 51_1 - 51_5]

_History of Joseph, designed by Isaac Cruikshank._

[Ill.u.s.trations: 52_1 - 52_7]

_Clever little vignettes, by Thomas and John Bewick and Pupils, used first at Nicholson's, Ludlow, circa 1787, and afterwards, circa 1814, used in Rusher's Banbury Books._

[Ill.u.s.trations: 53_1 - 53_10]

_Woodcuts of the Bewick and Cruikshank Schools, from Ludlow and Ploughwill, afterwards used at Banbury._

[Ill.u.s.trations: 54_1 - 54_14]

_Used in various Rusher's Penny Banbury Children's Books._

[Ill.u.s.trations: 55_1 - 55_10]

_By Bewick's Pupils, used in Children's Books at Banbury by Rusher._

[Ill.u.s.trations: 56_1 - 56_13]

_By Bewick and Pupils, from Ludlow, all used at Banbury._

[Ill.u.s.trations: 57_1 - 57_10]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 58_1

_Close copy of Bewick, by a pupil._]

DRUNKEN BARNABY.

To Banbury came I, Prophane one, Where I saw a Puritan Hanging of his cat on Monday For killing of a mouse on Sunday.

[Ill.u.s.trations: 58_2 - 58_6

_Bewick playing the Northumbrian Pipes, a very early J. Bewick._ _Jack and the Giants, from the early York edition._ _Raree, or Peep Show, R. Cruikshank's design, engraved by Sears._ _Chapman, or Running Stationer, designed by Cruikshank and engraved by Branston. (Used in York Cries)._]

[Ill.u.s.trations: 59_1, 59_2

_Banbury Old Church._]

A Gentleman wrote to one of the newspapers some time ago, detailing a curious incident that happened to himself, showing how these very interesting prints and blocks are being scattered and destroyed. He says "In the old days when Catnach was King of the ballad world, boys used to steal the woodblocks of Mr. Bewick the wood-cutter, and sell them to the great song singer. Yesterday, for a halfpenny, I picked up in a bye street in London one of the prints of a very beautiful block of this kind heading a song called 'The Wealthy Farmer's Son.' I wonder whether anybody has ever thought it worth while to collect these pictures." This interesting pursuit of collecting and ill.u.s.trating with extra cuts, pages of child book literature of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th century, would indeed be a charming recreation. On this subject there appeared a long article in the Graphic, where the writer says, under the initials 'C. H.,' "There are few more agreeable occupations for anyone who has sufficient leisure at his disposal, than that of embellishing a favourite book with ill.u.s.trations appropriate to the subject, and thereby endowing it with additional interest and value. To those who cultivate this fascinating pursuit with taste and intelligence, there are two indispensible conditions of success. 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." Then follows much genial advice on tasteful and judicious collecting, and how to ill.u.s.trate. In the present case the interest and value could only be realized or conceived on the completion of a choice collection of extra cuts, and cuttings of articles, portraits, views, autograph letters, etc., carefully mounted on cartridge paper, paged to correspond with the text, and then handed to a judicious binder--this is a very important item--who would carefully encase it, and make it form a select and an exceptionibly valuable addition to the library.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 60_1

_The Banbury Bellman._]

[Ill.u.s.trations: 60_2, 60_3

_Tradesmen' Shops in Banbury, used on their bill-heads._]

[Ill.u.s.trations: 61_1 - 61_5

_Used in various tradesmen's Billheads, etc., printed at Rusher's Press, Banbury._]

That this interesting idea may not be considered unworthy of adoption--which by the way the few large paper copies of this book are admirably adopted--we give a short list of those who have collected and treasured with care these little brochures. In the South Kensington Museum on exhibition, is a collection of Horn Books and Battledores, exhibited by Kenneth, R. H. Mackenzie, Esq., _F.S.A.,_ who read a paper on this subject before the Society of Antiquaries. There is another collection which includes many curious Horn Books or Battledores, from circa 1750, 1784, 1800 to 1810, including photo and facsimiles of one of the Middleton Horn Books now in the Bateman Museum. There is also a curious poem on the Horn Book by a Gent. suffering from the gout, printed at Dublin by T. Cowan, 1728, small 4to, only a few leaves.

Another very neat Horn Book with the Horn in front, hence its name, is also on view. The scarcity of these quaint early educational books may be understood from the fact that Mr. Hone, author of the Every Day Book, etc., sought for an original Horn Book for years without success. Mr.

Coleridge had one or two cases on exhibition, with numerous examples of Newbury and Marshall's little books, but we believe these are withdrawn.