THE CAXTON BIBLE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2882, 3 January 1891, Page 4

THE CAXTON BIBLE.

TO Till-: KIIITOH. Sik,—Will yon kindly allow me to correct an impression which has gained ground in some well-informed circles of society in this neighbourhood through some ini->take of your esteemed reporter. It seems that lie has represented the }'ib!o in the possession of Mr R. C. Dyer, our highly esteemed and popular schoolmaster, as being a Oaxton Bible. This is not a fact, as I can certify, having seen copies of both Oranmer a antl Caxton's Bibles in my college student days, both in St. Canice.s Seminary in Kilkenny, and also in Maynooth College. The l!ible now on exhibition is undoubtedly a Orantuer Bible, and a facsimile copy of one in Mr.ynooth College. With respect to the Oaxton Bible, it, must, tie observed that, it is not the fir-'. J:i!(!,; printed in the Knglish language ill Kngland. l'r. .Uiddleton ha . remarked that it was the confident opinion delivered down by our historians that the art ol printing was introduced and first practised in England by William Oaxton, a mercer and citizen of Sondon, who by his travels abroad and many years residence in Holland, Inlanders, and Germany, had an opportunity of informing himself of the whole method and process nf the art, and hy the encouragement of the. great, and particularly the Abbot of Westminster, lirst set up a press in that Abbey and began to print hooks soon after the year 1 171. Such was the tradition of English historians up to thu year I ISO, when a book, or rather 1 should say a Bible, which had scarce beeu observed before the restoration, was then taken notice of by the curious, with the date of its impression from Oxford Anno Domini, 1-lliS, and was considered as a clear proof and monument of the exercise of printing in that university several yoars before Oaxton began to deal ill it. T believe there are only at the present time two copies of the date I 1111-i in actual existence. One is, if lam not mistaken, in Westminster Abbey, the other m the, I'iodlciin Library, ami are printed with large cut metal types in the ■nine style in which the Durandi Rationale wis published. That tlio Bible, now in possses,ion of Mr Dyer is one of Oranmcr's Bibles no student of theology who has any knowledge of r,he various forms in which the (wilier portions of the bible was printed c in for a moment doubt, and Mr l>ver is to be. congratulated upon the possession of a treasure so highly valuable to students and that were the same in my possession, poor and all as 1 am, I would not dispose of it under the sum of £500. 1 may hero remark that inv solo reason for writing this letter is on account of a dispute which I held with one who imagined from his slight knowledge of history to be able to corroborate the statemint contained in your report of the 2ord inst. I may likewise through the medium of your valuable journal inform my opponent that I enquired of both Archdeacon Willis and Mr Dyer as to the correctness or otherwise of the statements which T advanced in support of rny contention both of which gentlemen were fully in accord with the views I held with reference to the llible in question. I am. etc., Kki;iNAi.i> B. I'nv.i'vi'KK'K. Cambridge, December libtli, IS'.IO.