The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-24
(The Palmetto Press, Aiken

Mr.. Will Washburn, whose work is
so highly spoken of, is a Worcester
man, and formerly worked in a print
ing office in this city. His many friends
will be pleased to read the nice things
said of the work of his leisure hours.
Mr.. Washburn is a resident of Aiken,
S. c., where he publishes a weekly pa
per:
(This review is from the New York
Times Saturday Review.)
In a dainty little volume modelled
after William Morris's Gothic Archi-
lecture" comes the second bound vol
ume issued by the Palmetto Press,
''Svend and His Brethren; a Tale by
William Norris
The book, which is in every way a
distinct advance on the first issue of
this press Mrs. Brownings Scenes
From the 'ortuguese''-is from begin
ming to end the work of Mr.. w. l..
Washburn, the owner of the Press.
The entire work of typesetting, print
ing and binding was done by Mr..
Washburn during his leisure hours,
the present volume being an admira-
BILE specimen of fine handicraft in all
the processes going toward it's making.
The books typography is remarkably
effective and it's press work good. The
volume, which is limited in it's issue to
70 numbered copies, is printed on a
beautiful quality of handmade Kelm-
scott paper, bearing an attractive wa
termark, the paper having been i'm
ported especially for this volume. The
type chosen is effective, being plain
and dignified, and the building of the
page artistic and carefully thought
out in all its details. The margins are
proportional, and the type set SOL
i'd with but slight use of leading, eth
er lateral or between the lines. The
book contains attractive initial letters,
partly floral in design, in three sizes,
all printed in black and white. The
pages also show occasional pretty par
agraph marks in the Morris fashion.
The running titles of the book, in
type far less attractive than that used
in the text, are set on the outside mar
on the lower margin. The book con-
tains an attractive colophon, set plain
ly and boldly in large capitals; a sep
arate page containing the issue number
signed in autograph by Mr.. Wash
| burn.
One of the most distinctive features
of the book is its title page, which is
remarkably good in every way. II
contains small centre panel, showing
the pretty Palmetto Press mark; while
wide emblematical border, well pro-
portioned to the size of the page, en-
closes a large panel on which is set
the title and all other particulars as
to the books issue. The design for
this effective title page is the work OF
Miss Annie 1. Colcock of Mcpherson
vile, S. c., and is a beautiful piece of
work, showing entwined serpents
swords, oak leaves and wings, all ap-
propriate to the trend of the story
All these details are arranged in arts
tic fashion on a carefully worked out
background, showing much the detail
work; the whole design coming out
particularly well on the beautiful
Kelmscott paper employed for the vol
ume.
The book is bound in pretty gray
| boards, bearing the Palmetto mark on
the back cover, and the title on the
front, both in black; its back being
of heavy white muslin. The book is
hand seWed and is in every way an
extremely creditable piece o. handi-
craft. While far from beinf tire
ly equal to the Kelmseott in
many details, it approaches very
closely in spirit and, as a whole, is a
piece Of work of which Mr. Washburn
may well be proud.
The story is as attractive as it's set
ting, Mr.. Washburn having chosen as
sort of foreword a stanza from Nor
ris's The Earthly Paradise" which
gives the keynote of the story:
Then let the 9th 5ol and if indeed
In some old gardens thou and I have
wrought,
And made fresh flowers spring up
from boarded seed,
And fragrance of old days and deeds
have brought
Back to folk weary-all was not for
naught
No little part it was for me to play
The idle singer of an empty day