New-York tribune., 1885-02-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,,nrrrp CTI-R PUBLICATION.

,>,c,rr or STAR CHAMBER CONCERNING
PRNTING MADEjqLi Ie T.; Flr iOi5 Tdoh by RonlT
Tnr~rR Evn 1857. From the press Of Iheo. L. De
Vinne Co. New-Iork.
The (;rolier Club was founded. as its name hiisnV
Indicate. and as It's constitution declares Tor inc
,;,.rorv study and promotion OF the arts pertaining
@o the producton of books" Its membership Is
limited TO ono hundred, and the names OF many
xvellknovn printers and makers of books are upon
its roll As practical proof OF IT'S nVhs ih'oic. "
tbc objects of its foundation, 1t has just prIh'f"
oriyatoly the Star Chamber decree oy WHICH ',io
ad;sers Of Charles l. sought to feter free Thought
andprevcnt that inteectualfe fermentation WHICH al
Governments at that time with selfcohdemha'oi9
anprehensons regarded as mcnacng 10 themselves.
The decree is, moreover, an historical curioS"S'
.ho,pds with the most arbitrary and tyrannica'
restrictions But twenty master printers "eio
licensed outside the universities. Inc inpor'a'oA
Of foroign hooks was hcdged about with oDStruc
Siops II WAS rather good time for Journeynleh
nriuters for the master printers were coiPeiioo "
emnlov them whether they had use for them OF ho'.
But il was very bad time indeed 1or tno "'V VI
nrintmg and book-making and for literature gener
o1v. for a censorship of the most intolerahie
stringency was in force, and the decree OIL to oVar
Chamber was not in any sense dead letter.
Nor can it be said that public opinion or the grow"
ing demand for free press or easily overcame
the greater part of the seventeenth century PRINT
mo in England was in a very oppressed ana
deyraded condition. The outrageous provisions ol
the Star Chamber decree regarding the employ
mept of journeymen printers acted after the manner
of eommunistic leveiling measures III pu' pau
workmen on an unnatural equality with gooh
ones kent master printers poor by compelling them
10 employ more hands than they needed; and erect
ually prevented that professional emulation which
produced such noble typographical examples on
the Continent during the same period
The decree did not save Charles l.. nor Laud nor
Stafford. But it undoubtedly postponed and
6eaved the enfranchisclncnt of thought in Eng
land and IT exercised so benumbing an effect that
the Government was able to revive 1t again ana
ooain. and more than fifty years after the issue OF
Bakers edition a printer was beheaded ana guar
tered for publishing couple of political pamphlet'
attacking the Court Long before this, and long
after it, indeed, printing was under ban, ana IL was
the traditional policy to restrain 1t rlgldly. Inc
effect was disastrous. Semi-barbarlsm was Sus-
tanned The deep discomfort of the people took
more radical and desperate FORMS Inc MASSES
were kept in a state of dense ignorance knowi-
edoc and progress were viewed with sharp suspicion
unless they were harnessed to the car of absolutsm
The Grolier Club has done well to reproduce TINS
hoorv but assuredy not venerable monument "l as
vicious and mschievous government poiicy as
over deliberately sought to brutalize people; ana
il NAV be hoped that, nasmuch as the reprint Is III
itself a very beautiful specimen OF typogra?hlcai
art the club may consent to the enlargement Oh the
edition for the benefit of the many lovers OF good
printing who occupy the position OF outsiders. The
whole work indeed reflects the greatest credit upon
Mr.. De vnne, under whose supervision 1t was pro-
duced. The type. paper and printing are fine
examples of the best American art, and American
tvnograDhv ls to-day in its best specimens, second
To none in the world. The brochure is printed on
thick paper and this is point which American
printers neel to look well to- for not seldom OF late
really excellent examples of printing have been
neutralized by the use OF an exasperatngly thh
and himsy vehicle. Mr.. De VInne however Has
made no such mistake. He has done every detail
well The little book is bound i'll parchment. gilt
lettered. and with a light and graceful uowery
border also in gold. Altogether IL is dainty ana
beautiful piece of work. and the Vroiier Cin may