The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-29
A NEW PRAYER BOOK.
Limited Edition for King Edward
VII Will Be SumptuOus.

London Letter in New York Cemmer-
cial Advertiser.
Next week there is to be issued a
Book of Common Prayer incorporating
the final alterations rendered necessary
by the creation-for a question of crea-
ton and not of birth it is-of the Duke
of Cornwall and York to the princeton
OF Wales. But not for some eighteen
months will there be ready what is.
by gracious permission of His Majesty,
to be entitled king Edward VII. s
Prayer Book" This is to be a sump-
tuous limited edition, of which collec-
tors on the farther side of the Atlantic
may like to have early particulars. The
question is at once suggested as to
whether or not, as a piece of typo
graphy, it will hereafter rank with what
is known as the first book of Edward
VI. AS much if not more thought and
money will be expended on its pro-
duction, doubtless; and certainly earn
est effort will be made to render the
folio worthy its high-sounding title.
1t is almost unnecessary to remind
bibliophiles that THE Book of the
Common Prayer and Administration Of
the Sacramentes, and other rites and
use of the Churche of Englande" was
produced by Richard Grafton and Ed
ward Whitechurch in the year 1549
The example now on view in the kings
library at the British Musuem bears
the Whitechurch imprint, and is dated
eth of March. There We're several is
sues in the same year, one dated May
others June or December. That of
March is deemed to be the earliest Of
ALL and was a copy of this, with the
Grafton imprint. in contemporary
stamped calf. which Mr.. Quaritch
bought at the dispersal of the Blew
library. June, 1895, rich in liturgical
and biblical literature, for SIT. The
British Museum copy has at the back
of the last leaf the royal proclamation
which says that the book, unbound
must be sold at not more than two
shillings, and bound in paste or
boardes, covered with calues leather
not above the price of iii shillynges
the piece" The protection of books by
means of wooden boards was one of
the earliest methods employed. and it
may be that our word pasteboard is
directly associated with the custom of
affixing paper to such covers.
AS the result of the 1549 act of parlia-
ment the libraries of Westminster
and oxford were ordered to be ran
sacked and purged of all books called
Antiphoners, Missales. Cradles. Pro-
cessionals. Manuals, Legends, Pies q.
Primers in Latino and Englishe E.
Criminals, or other books or writings
whatsoever, heretofore used for the
service of the church, written or
printed in the Englishe or Latino tom
que, other than set forth by the King
Majesty" If a lover of books could
turn back the hands of the clock and
be present at one of the many fires in
which were destroyed volumes of great
beauty and worth-the gold or silver
garnitures, it is true, were handed 10
Sir Anthony Aucher, but for this rea-
son alone countless tones were con-
demned-how he would gnash his
teeth Illuminated manuscripts. or
those that had red letters on the IT,
tie pages, were at once thrown into the
flames; such marks were papistical and
diabolical. At oxford the large fire
kindled in the market place was des-
ignAted by members of the university,
"Scotus, his funeral.
AS a typographical effort Edward
WIS Prayer Book was poor recon-
nense for the books destroyed almost
simultaneously with its appearance,
and from this standpoint there is
certain amount of poetic justice in the
fact that Grafton, who, by the way,
is said to have lived in a part of the
dissolved house of the Gray Friars,
where now stands Christ's Hospital.
was for six weeks imprisoned in the
Fleet, probably in connection with his
issue of Matthew's Bible.
king Edward Wis Prayer Book"
e. in preparation at the Essex House
press. Whitechapel. This press, with
Mr. G. r. Ashbee as its moving spirit.
is an offshoot of the Guild and School
of Handicraft in East London, founded
In 1856. It's beginnings may be traced
IN small Ruskin class conducted at
Tovnbee Hall. by Mr.. Ashbee. Seven
wears afterward the first workshop
was taken on top of warehouse in
Commercial street. The original idea
was that the guild should concern it.
self with the productive side of an
undertaking which has also education
al from a theoretical standpoint. To-
Sav Essex House is well known In the
east end: nor is the strenuous wood-
block view of Il, at the head of the an
nouncements isued from time TO time.
Unfamiliar to many west end folks who
have never Jared eastward beyond
AId0ate Church or perhaps the Bank
~ England. A fount Of pure Roman
letter has up to the present been used.
mt a new type, with an unmistakable
icaninR toward the Gothic, Is that
with which the Prayer Book VIII be
nrinted Some will regret, doubtless
tbat William Morris did not live. young
man AZ heart as he was. 10 isue from
the Kelmscott Press a tome mus COM