8. Publication History
Robert Jennings and Thomas Moore
1. Monthly
Octavo edition
The first octavo
part issue of Moore’s History
contained the title page, two engravings and twenty-four pages of text which,
apart from the extra title page(s) required for binding in two or three
volumes, was the format announced to prospective subscribers. The cover of
issue Number 1 makes it clear that
Thomas Moore was to be responsible for the History and Topographical aspects,
the physical geography, geology and natural history would be covered by E W
Brayley, Jun. ALS. The title page included in this first Number only refers to Thomas Moore, reinforcing his importance in
the project.
The whole
work was dedicated, by permission, to the Right Honourable Earl Fortescue
(Lord Lieutenant of the County). The family arms decorate both sizes of covers.
Large quarto covers have from original drawings (left of arms) and
credit to Deeble (right), integrated above the arms on octavo covers.
Robert
Jennings business became Jennings & Chaplin from the summer of 1830 but
this cooperation was terminated in 1833. The first issue of parts began in 1829
and was completed by 1833 after 47 or 50 numbers. No complete set of 50 parts is
extant in any library catalogue but a nearly complete part set comprising 47
issues is held at the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter. There was a strong
suspicion that issues 48-50 were never published, but quarto Parts were issued.
As it is, all the plates had been issued by late summer 1833 and this is the
last date found on any dated prints and the date of issue of Number 47.
Fig. 28. Title Page
to Cornwall Illustrated included in part
No. 28.
The text of
each Number seen seems to have been
assembled as one gathering of 16 pages (8 leaves) and one gathering of eight
pages (4 leaves), making the 24 pages of letterpress promised in the Address
and these were issued with “two highly finished engravings”.
The back
covers to the first 22 parts have a long Address outlining the format of the
completed book. “The engravings will be executed in the first style of the
arts...”. Under the heading MODE OF PUBLICATION, it is announced that “This work will be printed in octavo, on
paper of the best quality, and will be completed in about fifty numbers”.
Maps were also promised and these were presumably to be added to final issues
for inclusion when the volumes were bound.
The History was advertised in newspapers and
other publications. For example, Part XXXIX of Moule’s English Counties (which itself was a parts series by
Jennings) contained an advertisement for the various parts of Vol. I of Moore’s
work[2]: and
Jennings advertised Moule´s new work on the covers the History.
The first 47
issues largely corroborate the mode of publication announced in the Address.
The pagination of Vol. I. begins with page 1 and the printer’s mark “B”. This
marks four leaves, or eight pages. However, one gathering is a “double”
gathering, i.e., while page 1 is “B” and page 3 is “B2”, page 17 is “C” and 19
is “C2”. One gathering has 16 sides and the other 8 giving 24 pages for each
two gatherings. Each parts issue appears to have contained 2 such gatherings of
24 sides. Hence, the complete text of Volume I was issued with Number 26 published in October 1831.
Vol. I. is completed with gathering “3C” and there are both “2A” and “3A”
printer’s markings (after each “Z”) but the letters J, V and W are never used.
Vol. II. is constructed the same way and finishes with pagination “4Y”, however,
on inspection the gatherings from 3A onwards, i.e., from page 545, are all of 4
leaves or eight sides. Does this signify a new printer?
Two
engravings and 24 pages of text were issued as planned every month and the 94
engravings (without two maps and various title pages) were indeed finished in
just 47 months (July 1833). Part 47 includes only pages 529-552 of a planned
Book II on General Topography.
Davidson mentions Moore’s work in mixed tones: This work was published in parts, and it is much to be regretted that it was not carried out to the extent proposed. Of the parochial History the first sheet alone was printed. There are no Title-pages; an Index of reference only to the Biography comprised in the second Volume.[3]
Incomplete octavo copies have been found with
varying numbers of pages, which include an announcement to readers. These
copies have the identical text layout of the “full” later version (see 2
below) up to and including page 528 (this completes Biography #153). Page 529
notes the inclusion of details of the Dennis Family (#154), which was replaced
later by a chapter on the Champernownes. The announcement on page 531 reads:
The proprietors of this undertaking on issuing their
announcement, determined that the history should be completed in fifty numbers,
in order therefore to adhere to the promise given, the residue of the
biographical matter connected with the County will be curtailed. We feel the
less repugnance in adopting this plan, as a considerable number of the worthies
of Devon have already occupied our pages, whose lives have been more or less
amply detailed. The residue we shall therefore merely insert by name in chronological
order, noting the places of their births, and the prominent features that hold
them up to celebrity.
It
is further intended that Nos. 49 and 50 which are to be embellished by a Map of
the County, from The latest survey, and a Ground Plan of the City of Exeter,
shall be accompanied by a double portion of letter – press to afford every
facility in the delineation of the remaining portion of the present history.[4]
This announcement is followed
by a brief listing of notable figures commencing in 1550. This comprises
another four pages and copies with this text end abruptly at page 536 or 552.
The copy seen by Davidson had only the first page of BOOK II and its list of
the Hundreds (the first sheet alone). Another copy has the same layout
and continues to page 552 which would indicate a text on General Topography was
planned: and this has only the hundreds of Bampton and Axminster. Pages 529-552
were included in part No. 47. It would appear that final Parts issues were
intended to include this section and the complete Parts edition would, in fact,
appear as 50 Issues. Hence, copies of Moore with less than 908 pages in Vol. II
(octavo 1 in this list) are compilations bound for subscribers and made
up from Issues 1-47.
It must be borne in mind, the enormous scope of Moore’s planned project. If his title page is an indication of part of his plans, then his introductory pages clearly suggest he wished to supplement this with more up to date, more current activities in connection with trade and commerce etc. His desire to cover the worthies of the county, to borrow Prince’s phrase, obviously took up the bulk of the work (he wrote well over 100 pages on Raleigh alone) and his other projects were treated in fewer pages or omitted. The promise of a particular and historical description of the different towns was abandoned, and rather abruptly. It is no wonder Moore wrote to Oliver complaining strongly that his work was unfinished.
Moore’s work was very possibly not rewarding financially. Many of the covers of
the single issues after No. 22, i.e., about August 1830, recycled older covers
(Fig. 25). There is evidence of the numerals displaying the part issue
number being erased and modified by hand with manuscript numbers inserted. This
also means that the date on the cover is often erroneous. Old covers were used
from about May 1832 which included a list of plates already published (number 34 erroneously reads 04 in the address to the list). All
copies after Issue 22 have a manuscript number added.
2. Quarterly
octavo edition
As seen, the local printer and publisher, R
Colliver was involved in the work almost from the start when his name appeared
on the covers of both quarto (from No. 4) and octavo issues as agent. In 1832
he is advertising it as a "new work" in the Western times (6
Oct, 10 Nov). In 1833 he is promoting a three-part issue: Part XIV is now ready
for delivery (Western times 9 Mar: this would contain parts 40-42, pages
361-432). Three months later he is promoting parts containing the view of Tor
Abbey (Western times 8 June – this had appeared in part 43, March 1833)
and that Part XV is now ready for delivery (a week later): London: Robert
Jennings and William Chaplin … R. Colliver … and maybe had of all
booksellers. Colliver, typical for printers, publishers and booksellers of
the time is listed as both a tea dealer and bookseller from 1828 to 1848
in Holloway Buildings, Exeter.[5]
These three-part issues were probably started in
January 1831 and continued monthly until part 7 in July, when it caught up with
the single part publication after which it appeared quarterly until part XV.
Although Devon Archives only has Issues 8, 9 and X, Parts XIV and XV were
advertised in the Western Advertiser allowing us to reconstruct possible
publication (Table 1 below).
|
8 |
2X-3C
|
1831 |
Vol. I |
pages
505-574 |
|
9 |
B-G
|
1831 |
Vol. II |
pages
1-72 |
|
X |
H
– N |
1832 |
Vol. II |
pages
73-144 |
|
XI |
|
2nd quarter 1832 |
Vol. II |
Page
216 |
|
XII |
|
3rd
quarter 1832 |
Vol. II |
288 |
|
XIII |
|
4th
quarter 1832 |
Vol. II |
360 |
|
XIV |
|
1st quarter 1833 |
Vol. II |
Pages 361-432 |
|
XV |
|
2nd
quarter 1833 |
Vol. II |
Pages
504-552 |
Table 1. Reconstruction of publication of quarterly issue.
3. Bound octavo edition
There
is strong evidence of there being extra letterpress available to complete the
work and that some of the original subscribers actually ended up with an
abridged version. As outlined above, the complete work when bound has Volume II
with 908 pages. Additionally, all copies of the History bound in this
format have a map of THE CITY OF EXETER dated 1835 and engraved by W
Schmollinger with a Paternoster Row address and published by R Colliver, Exeter; and a detailed
county map of very high quality also engraved by W Schmollinger, and published by R Colliver, Holloway Street, Exeter but
dated 1836.
After
publication of Part 47 with the last of the plates, Maxted speculates that Jennings
would have had to offer all the text in one Part or to issue three text
gatherings of eight sides each month for 15 months to complete, including two
more title pages in these Parts (for binding into 3 volumes) and the maps would
not be ready until end 1835/beginning 1836. The evidence of so many copies of
the History with no section on General Topography but having a total of
234 Biographies indicates that Moore continued to provide input, but that final
printing not carried out until 1836.
Given the
pure dimensions of Moore´s plans, it is possibly not a coincidence that the
partnership of Jennings and Chaplin ceased in December 1833 after the plates
had been completed and sold on to Virtue (see Fig. 34). It would appear
that Colliver now stepped in to save the unfinished project. This assumption is
strengthened by the evidence of a letter inserted into a British Library copy
of History written by Colliver and dated 8 July 1836. This letter is
preserved together with the envelope addressed to The Curator, Collection of
Books at the British Museum. The letter reads:
Exeter 18
July 1836
In reply to
yours of the 15 inst […] to inform you that the History of Devon is not
completed. It [is] my intention to have […] the Biographies as speedily […]
after I have to do with it but on discovery that the author was likely control
me when he [thought] he had me at his command and carry the work to what extent
he pleased I stop´t [it]. I propose being in London […] after which no time
will [be] lost in getting it completing [it] as Mr Moore has wrote it or
abridged. […] not then see you [ I will] on the completion of the work send you
the numbers as requested.
It is clear that the project was aborted some time in 1833 despite text being available, if not already typeset, and a certain amount of frustration with Moore.
The
announcement, only found in incomplete copies, could be the work of Ireland, as
suggested by Moore in his letter to Oliver, and he could have compiled the list
of personages. He might even have intended to include a General Topography
section just large enough to fill the remaining 50-issue schedule.
Three years later Colliver is writing about unfinished Numbers and showing just as much frustration. The indications are that Colliver had taken over the letterpress of the original octavo edition and allowed Moore to add his unprinted (and unfinished) Biographies. To do this he would have issued alternative pages 529 onwards: replacing the sections added by Ireland which included the Announcement, the Dennis family biography, and first pages of the General Topography. Instead, a Biography, #154, of the Champernownes was inserted. The Biographies were then continued until that of Rev. William Davy #234. The fact that his suicide in June 1836 is recorded indicates that Moore may have been permitted to complete this section, but other planned chapters were scrapped.
4. Monthly quarto edition
The Superior
Edition in Quarto (India Proofs) was being sold concurrently with the
octavo issues. Only one almost complete set of the covers complete with text is
extant (lacking a large number of plates), two part sets have been seen and the
British Library has an incomplete bound copy with some covers kept at the rear.
Despite lacking many plates, the partial set, lacking only 3 issues from 50,
reflects exactly the publication of the prints seen in the octavo edition.
The text to Volume I was finished in 400 pages with
Issue or Part 25. Parts 48-50, missing from the best octavo set, are present in
this quarto set. These show haste in publication: Part 48 has a total of 24
pages of letterpress in addition to two prints; and 49 and 50 have been bound
together as one issue and comprises the map of Exeter and 46 pages of text to
page 440 (Biography # 179). A bound copy, at Wisconsin, ends abruptly in #165
at page 394 (i.e. lacks the final Part). The BL copy (bound but with some
covers) ends in the middle of entry #110 on page 282 (Part 42). The entirely
reset text implies considerable extra expense.
Each cover of
the quarto serial work is 230 x 290 mm (w x h); matching that of Fisher. Once
again old covers were recycled from about May 1832 (No. 22, see Fig. 27).
For example, Part 39 (m/s No. 39) in the author´s set is a buff cover
dated 1832, while the BL Part 39 (printed 3 with m/s 9) is blue and
dated 1829 (i.e. a recycled cover from No. 3).
Although the text was reset, the engravings are the same as those for the octavo, but now they are printed on fine tissue paper and mounted onto a full-sized sheet complete with an impression mark as frame to the print. Obviously, these would be perfect for mounting in a frame and displaying.
5. Bound quarto edition 1
The quarto issue of India
Proofs was also published concurrently with the octavo issue. Volume I is
complete in 400 pages. However, the majority of quarto examples seen are bound
and Volume II is now complete with 629 pages plus an Errata (p. 630) and the
Index of biographies (pp. 631-2).
Devon Archives (two copies) and that at the New
York Public Library are bound and complete to page 626 with the death of Rev.
Davy with Errata and index, under the printer´s signature of W C Featherstone
of Exeter. Given the fact that Davy died 1836 this suggests Colliver´s
involvement during the latter years. The letter from Colliver to the Curator of
the British Museum gives the impression that a similar delay had occurred as
had happened with the octavo edition and that letterpress was added long after
the serial issue had ceased.
6. Bound quarto edition 2
The author
has a copy of Volume I on large paper with usual title page and 43 plates.
However, the text setting varies from the Parts copy and the text of Volume I
is now completed in only 391 pages. Text pages are identical as far as page 372
(Mining and Minerals) and although 373 begins in similar vein, the table
of ochre production has been deleted requiring subsequent text (largely
unaltered) to be reset to the end of that section.
From
gathering 3D (p.373) a number of revisions have been made, a BL copy and
author´s Part 50 both end with page 400, this concerns Commerce
beginning “On the northern coast of the county, Hartland exports corn,
&c., and imports limestone and coals. At Bideford the foreign and coasting
trade in the year 1829 was as follows :-.“ The author´s quarto copy has the
final paragraph on page 391, and reads “On the northern coast of the county,
Hartland exports corn, &c., and imports limestone and coals. At Bideford
vessels are employed in the foreign and coasting trade, in conveying linen,
cotton and woollen goods“.
Most noticeably, this copy has some later dates in the letterpress: in the Trades and Manufactures chapter, the section concerning Plymouth has been greatly enlarged and updated and there is reference to taxes set by Sir Robert Peel in 1845 and acts of Parliament involving Sutton Pool of 1847 and 1848.
History of
Devonshire, overview.
Possible
editions in octavo format:
Octavo 1: published in Monthly parts between 1829 and 1833. Vol. I contains 574 pages and Vol. II has between 536 and 552 pages (i.e. only 154 Biographies). Bound copies lack pages after p.552.
Octavo 2: in Quarterly parts published between 1831 and 1833. Only one partial set of the octavo Parts issue is known.[6] Bound volumes have only 179 (incomplete) Biographies.Octavo 3: bound volumes with 234 Biographies published circa 1836 (but retaining 1829 title page). Vol. I as above. Vol. II now contains 908 pages, index and printer´s signature of Featherstone, Exeter, and usually with inclusion of map of Devonshire and plan of Exeter.
Possible
editions in quarto format:
Quarto 1: published in Monthly parts between 1829 and 1833. Three partial sets of this quarto Parts issue are extant.[7] The Parts set of numbers to 50 stops abruptly on page 440 (KB). Two volumes when bound; Vol. I has 400 pages, Vol. II has 394 pages (Minnesota). One bound copy extant which ends abruptly on Vol. II page 282 and covers inserted at rear to part 42 (BL).
Quarto 2: bound copies have Vol. I as above and Vol. II has 629 pages plus Errata. Quarto 3: bound edition, published c.1848. Vol. I complete in 391 pages.
Fig. 29. Moore covers from No. 22 were numbered by hand.
Henry Fisher
Fisher’s work, on the other hand,
seems to be straight forward in its mode of publication. Two plates and four
pages of text were issued every month and with only 106 pages of letterpress
for Devon (Fig. 27) and a further 44 for Cornwall (Fig. 28) could
neatly be issued in the time available for the plates. While no complete set of
the parts series has been found, two nearly complete sets are extant. These comprise
at least one example of all 36 parts and the makeup is almost uniform
throughout. It was originally published in regular monthly instalments by “H
Fisher, Son & Co, 38 Newgate-Street; Jones & Co., Finsbury Square; J
Gibson, 8 Lady-Well-Place, Plymouth; and all booksellers. The last refers to a
retailer, John Gibson who was also Fisher’s representative in the southwest.
This edition had 36 monthly parts, i.e., was just 3 years in the publication.
Fisher’s
publication, given two near complete parts sets, is far easier to follow and
the initial format of two pages (i.e., four) illustrations and one double page
of text to form a four-page (2 leaf) gathering was adhered to almost
throughout. The 36-month publication is often advertised as the 3rd Series which referred to works on
Ireland (completed) and Lancashire publishing monthly. The series was
also issued in nine parts of four issues circa 1834: Part 1 and Part 9 are in
the author´s collection, with the former comprising title page and contents of
Parts 1-4, the latter consisting of the contents of the final four Numbers 33
to 36. Each cover also promised: A few Proofs on India Paper, Price 2s. per
Number. See Appendix V for a
reconstruction of the publication history.
The work was already being issued
bound as a complete work in 1832 by H Fisher, R Fisher and P Jackson with
identical printer’s marks and pagination of the parts issue. According to
Somers-Cocks it was reprinted 1835; reprinted again in 1840[8] and
1844 by Fisher, Son & Co, London & Paris, as Fisher's Views In Devonshire & Cornwall; and finally in 1849,
again with latter title, by P. Jackson, London & Paris, with only 1 plate
to a sheet. From the late 1830s into the 1840s selected plates also appeared in
Fisher's Annual Drawing‑Room Scrap Books.[9]
However, one disbound copy in the
author´s collection has title and imprint as above, but one print is dated 1845
and others changed to 1837. The text is identical to the original but incorrect
pagination (pp. 57-60) shows a reprinting.
Despite this seemingly straightforward publication sequence, there is one irregularity that stands out: there are two distinctive cover changes over the three years of publication.
The
“standard” cover seen in the first Parts has a very rectangular frame structure
with a stylish “starburst” motif in each corner and copious text and changes of
type face (Fig. 30). The running titles top are [No. #] Containing
Four highly-finished engravings (No. 1 adds & Vignette) and
price 1s.; and below, within border Fisher´s Views in Devonshire and
Cornwall. Apart from this embellishment there are no images on the cover.
Fig.
30. Standard
Fisher cover: Part No. 33 included the map of Cornwall.
A number of issues have a different cover, which suggests either that an alternative cover was being printed throughout publication, or that collectors could “fill gaps” by purchasing copies from a later issue. There are now floral designs in the four corners of this variant cover. The complete title top is now, for example, [No. 18] Devon & Cornwall. / Fisher’s Illustrations [No. 44.] and within border Devonshire, Cornwall, / and Lancashire (Fig. 31). The figure of a bust (William Caxton) splits the text here and the Royal Arms are included. Both types of cover have Fishers’ Grand National Improvements but only the alternative cover has and Illustrations of the British Empire in the Nineteenth Century. This format has been seen scattered sporadically through the two sets known. Set 1 has six consecutive issues (18 to 23) as well as Parts 27 and 28 (Fisher’s 53 and 54) with this cover. This cover is only seen in Parts 15 (41) and 23 (49) of the second set.
These covers also bear different imprints. Fisher,
Son, & Jackson, 38, Newgate-street; R Ackermann, Strand; Jones & Co.
Finsbury Square, London and all Book and Print sellers. 1831. is found on
cover 23, but J. Gibson, 8, Lady-well Place, Plymouth is inserted in
Part 15 which is dated 1832. All plates bear date of original issue
(i.e. not yet changed to 1832).
Fig.
31. Alternative
Fisher cover: Part No. 15.
The advertisements on the reverse are
also different: Part 15 “standard” which appeared in November 1830 offers a
number of works on the fine arts including Devon and Cornwall; while the
“alternative” cover is confined to praising The Life and Times of “England´s
Patriot King” William the Fourth which appeared in 1831. The cover is also
dated bottom right.
The advertisements on the reverses of Part 23 are even more puzzling: both examples are “alternative” covers. While one advertises Lancashire Illustrated the other offers Ireland Illustrated. Both are full page and dated 1831. In addition, the imprints show one example each of the two mentioned above.
The final three monthly issues
(Parts 34-36) have a completely new design. These covers have a much
simpler rectangular frame structure with no corner embellishments and the text
is simpler with no changes of type face (Fig. 32). The running
titles top are [No. #] Pict. Illustrations and Devon and Cornwall.
[No. #]. The Price One Shilling is in bottom border. The main title
reads Fisher´s Picturesque Illustrations of Great Britain and Ireland /
Third Series / … Devon and Cornwall. The actual digit, 34, 35 and 36 has
been added later by stamp.
The reference to Third Series
is revealed, for example, on the back cover of Part 35 where there is a page
advertising The Fourth Series which is Westmoreland, Cumberland,
Durham and Northumberland and this is set out reflecting the cover layout
on the front. This set is Preparing for Immediate Publication. Sets
covering Ireland Illustrated and Lancashire Illustrated were
already available when Devon and Cornwall appeared, the Third Series (of
views).
The same cover was used for a later reissue.
These would contain 4 monthly Parts. Of these Parts 1 and 9 (four months each) are
extant and except that now the word PART has replaced No. (top
right) and Four Shillings replaces the previous price, there is no
difference to the cover. Here the actual Part No. (1, 9) has been stamped in
top right later (see also Appendix V).
Fig. 32. Fisher cover, third design: monthly Part No. 36.
Henry Fisher´s acumen as a business person is often
revealed on the back covers of his serial publications. We have already seen
how he used advertising regularly, keeping his readership up to date with his
latest publications and exploiting the emotions of his subscribers. The
promotion of his publications as a suitable New Year´s Gift has already
been mentioned. Two covers of Devon and Cornwall show his close attention to
progress. In month 20, Fisher reminded readers that:
DEVON AND CORNWALL
The Subscribers to this Work are respectfully
informed,
That a Beautiful
Vignette Title for
Cornwall,
Will be given in Course of Publication.
Dated London, Feb. 26, 1831 it pointed out to the
Nobility and Gentry who were not yet subscribers that the early
Numbers are now improved by additional effort.
On the final cover, there is a word of thanks for
the support Fisher has enjoyed but also the complete breakdown of what the next
project promises:
The Publishers, Artists, and Editors of
DEVONSHIRE and CORNWALL ILLUSTRATED, with heart-felt gratitude to their
thousands of friends for the liberal support they have experienced, announces
the completion of the Work, the Third in their Series of “Picturesque
Illustrations of Great Britain and Ireland.”
Despite
this seeming conformity throughout publication (apart from the multiple covers),
there are other minor signs that Fisher had to respond to outside circumstances
which are not immediately apparent. In Part 3, a replacement page 7/8 was
included. This was because: Some copies having gone out with a few errors,
through the hurry of publication, the Binder is to substitute this Leaf (page
7, 8) in place of that given in No. 1. It is clear that complaints had been
received from some of those Nobility and Gentry. In the new list of those with Titles
and Seats, The Duke of Bedford is noted as The Marquess of Tavistock
(replacing Marquis), the Lord Ashburton, at Sandridge in Stoke Gabriel, is
removed; the Baronet Sir Lawrence Palk loses a superfluous “e” on the end of
his name, Killerton becomes Kellerton (home of Sir Thomas Dyke
Acland) while a couple of other names are corrected, such as those of
(corrected) Sir T T F E Drake and Sir James Hamlyn Williams.[10] In
the list of ancient buildings there are a number of changes, one being the
inclusion of Totnes castle.
Some copies of the bound volumes have a Devon title page dated 1829 (subscribers´copies), others 1832, bound and sold complete. There are small (pinhole) signs that unsold monthly issues were disassembled and pages (especially visible with prints) used to insert in bound copies. A number of prints were amended with deleted or altered dates (see pages 119 and Appendix II).
Use the links here to go directly to desired pages:
[7] The author has 47 of the Parts up to Part 50. Devon Archives also has two sets up to Part 25. An incomplete bound copy at British Library includes some covers.
[8] Bristol University Library has a copy with added engraved title page Fisher's Illustrations of Devonshire and Cornwall. Fisher, Son & Co., London & Paris, 1840.
[9] See Somers Cocks entry S. 107 and p. 265.
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