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| 7/31/1485 |
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William Caxton, Wasted Knights
On this day in 1485, William Caxton printed Sir Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur. England's first printer was more than a printer: in his preface to The Order of Chivalry, a practical book on knight-errantry to go with Malory's Romance, Caxton complains that the knights of his day are altogether too un-Arthurian, spending far too much time at brothels, dice and "taking ease." |
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Printing in England from William Caxton to Christopher Barker
A 1970s exhibition at the University of Glasgow is recreated online, offering digital excerpts from selected manuscripts and biographical information about Caxton, Wynkyn de Worde, William de Machlinia, Richard Pynson, Julian Notary, Peter Treveris, Robert Redman, Laurence Andrewe, Richard Grafton, Richard Jugge, Henry Bynneman, Christopher Barker, and other printers. On Caxton:
"He made little attempt to educate or lead public taste, but printed what it was easy for him to know was popular, or what the prevailing predilection for religious writings made a certain success. Romances and poetry were another reasonable venture, while a few works of instruction completed his list. He also worked under patronage in many instances, so that of seventy-seven original works published by him we know that for twenty-three of them he was assured of financial support, and the favour of influential personages." |  | The Norton Anthology of English Literature
Find a short biography and an online copy of Caxton's annotated preface to Sir Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur.
"Caxton was both a highly literate author, translator, and editor and a shrewd businessman, qualities evident in his Preface to Morte Darthur. Clearly by Caxton's day skepticism about the historicity of King Arthur had grown, a skepticism that the printer shared. In the Preface he represents himself as having been approached by 'many noble and divers gentlemen' who charge him with lack of patriotism because he has printed other histories, such as that of Troy, while neglecting England's greatest hero. Thus Caxton pretends to be persuaded to publish a work that he knew would be highly profitable while disclaiming reponsibility for any untruthfulness or immorality that it could and would be accused of." | |
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The TinL masthead features photography by
Natasha D'Schommer
, and the book art featured is by Jim Rosenau.
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