108 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 9^ 



revive the memory of the man, and to illustrate 

 the literature of tlie period, are my sole objects. 



I liave to thank Mr. Botfield for his jiolite in- 

 formation. I was aware of the meeting of the 

 9th of July 1849, but not aware that the proposal of 

 a statue nfCaxton had been entertained at so early a 

 date. The proceedings of the meeting, as reported 

 in The Times, were confined to the ijuestion of 

 subscriptions : on the statue question there is not 

 the slightest hint. 



Theadvocacy oC a fictitious statue by so eminent 

 an antiquary as Mr. Botfield, and the assurance 

 which he gives that this object has been under con- 

 sideration for at least two years, make it the more 

 imperative on me to state my objections to it ; and 

 this I shall do with reference to his own arguments. 



A maxim of the illustrious sir William Jones, 

 very apposite to the point in dispute, has iloated 

 in my memory from early life. It is this : " The 

 best monvmient that can be erected to a man of 

 literai-y talents is a good edition of his works." 

 Such a man was William Caxton ; and on this 

 principle I would proceed. He would then owe 

 the extension of his fame to tlie admirable art 

 which he so successfully practised. 



In the opinion of Mb. Botfield, the expense 

 attendant on my project would be " latal to its 

 success." Now, as the Shakespeare Society prints 

 at the rate of four volumes for a subscription of 

 11., the committee of the Caxton Alemorial could 

 surely produce one volume for 10s. Gd. I should 

 not advise any attempt at si)lendour. Paper such 

 as Caxton would have chosen, a clear type, and 

 extreme accuracy of text, are more important 

 objects. Competent editors would soon oiler their 

 services ; and, proud to have their names asso- 

 ciated with so desirable an enterprise, would per- 

 form their parts with correspondent care and 

 ability. Besides, it is easier to collect subscrip- 

 tions, when you can promise a substantial return. 



To the other objections of Mr. Botfield, I 

 shall reply more briefly. The biography of Caxton 

 by Lewis is a very scarce book ; and, in the opinion 

 ofDibdin, " among the dullest of all biographical 

 memoirs." As to that by Mr. Knight, only one 

 fourth part of it relates to Caxton. In the T'ypo- 

 graphical antiquities we certainly have "copious 

 extracts from his works;" but they are mixed up 

 with much superfluity of disquisition. Whether 

 such a memorial would be "hidden in a bookcase," 

 must depend on the taste of the possessor. It 

 would be accessible in the four quarters of the 

 globe — which is as much as can be said of other 

 books, and more than can be said of a statue. 



I cannot admit the propriety of viewing Caxton 

 as a mere printer. By continental writers he is 

 more correctly appreciated. M. de la Serna calls 

 him " homme de lettres, artiste renomme," etc. ; 

 and M. Suard observes, " dans presque tons les 

 cuvrages imprimes par lui, il a insere quelqiies 



lignes qui toujours attestent la purete des inten- 

 tions dont il etait anime." 



The advocates of a fictitious statue of Caxton 

 have been apprized of my intention ; and if certain 

 estimable antiquaries should prove to be of the 

 number, they must consider my opposition as the 

 consequence of general principles. 



It should be the object of antiquaries to illus- 

 trate " the liisto?-!/ of former times " — as we read 

 in a royal charter — not to substitute fiction for 

 history. Now, it is admitted by Mr. Botfield 

 that there is " no authentic portrait of Caxton." 

 How then, he must allow me to ask, can it be 

 assumed that the picture hy Maclise is truthful? 

 It may be much otherwise. Modern artists are 

 no guides for antiquaries. 



It is with statues as it is with medals. The first 

 and most obvious use of them, as Addison remarks 

 of the latter objects, is " the showing us the /aces" 

 of eminent persons. Even Horace Walpole, who 

 has misled so many with regard to Caxton, has 

 expressed himself very forcibly on the value of 

 real portraits. If a statue fail in that particular, 

 it is worthless; and should my own project find no 

 favour with the public — a fountain by day — or, 

 a light by night— or, an inscribed obelisk — or, even 

 an inscribed tablet — would be far preferable as a 

 monument. 



If tlie dean of St. Paul's should resolve to place 

 in other hands the sum which has been collected 

 for this purpose, he may justly insist on the proper 

 application of it; and as the Society of Arts may 

 be induced to take charge of it, I must remind 

 them of the circumstance under which the sub- 

 scriptions were formerly obtained. It was as- 

 sumed that a likeness of Caxton had been pre- 

 served. I transcribe from The Times : — 



"The meeting [12 June, 1847] appeared to have 

 been gratified with what they had seen and heard, and 

 he [lord Morpeth] had only now to say to them, and 

 to their lellow-countrymen in every part of the world, 

 'Subscribe.' (Applause.) 



" A miniature portrait of Caxton, painted upon 

 enamel by Mr. Bone, was handed to lord Morpeth, 

 who stated that it had been copied from a likeness of 

 Caxton, in an old illuminated ]\JS. " 



His lordship was misinformed as to the authen- 

 ticity of the portrait, it being copied from the 

 Landjeth Ms. — but that circumstance does not 

 aflfect the argument. 



It is manifest, therefore, that Vifctitious statue of 

 Caxton, objectionable as it would be on other 

 accounts, would also be very like a breach of faith 

 with the oriirinal subscribers. Bolton Corney. 



LADY FLORA HASTINGS BEQUEST. 



(Vol. iii., pp. 443. 522.; Vol. iv., p. 44.) 



Mr. E. p. Richards presents his compliments 

 to the Editor of "Notes and Queries," and will 



