Note 450 — Chapter XI · WILLIAM CASLON, 1720.

William Bowyer, the elder, regarded as one of the foremost printers of his time, was born in 1663. In 1699 he had his office in Dogwell Court, Whitefriars. His premises were burnt in 1713, and in the conflagration he lost all his types and presses. By the liberality of his fellow-printers, however, this loss (estimated at over £5,000) was partly made good, and he was enabled to start again and rise once more to a foremost place in his profession. For all particulars respecting Mr. Bowyer and his learned son, see Nichols’ Anecdotes of William Bowyer, London, 1782, 4to, and Literary Anecdotes of the 18th Century, London 1812–15, 9 vols., 8vo, a work the foundation of which is a bibliography of the productions of this celebrated press. See also ante, p. 157.