William Caslon[448] was born at Hales Owen in Shropshire in the year 1692. He served his apprenticeship to an engraver of gun-locks and barrels in London, and at the expiration of his term followed his trade in Vine Street, near the Minories.
The ability he displayed in his art was conspicuous, and by no means confined to the mere ornamentation of gun-barrels—the chasing of silver and the designing of tools for bookbinders frequently occupying his attention. While thus engaged, some of his bookbinding punches were noticed for their neatness and accuracy by Mr. Watts,[449] the eminent printer, who, fully alive to the present degenerate state of the typographical art in this country, was quick to recognise the possibility of raising it once more to its proper position. He { 234} accordingly encouraged Mr. Caslon to persevere in letter-cutting, promising him his personal support, and favouring him meanwhile with introductions to some of the leading printers of the day.
About the same time, it is recorded that another great printer, the elder Bowyer,[450] “accidentally saw in the shop of Mr. Daniel Browne, bookseller, near Temple Bar, the lettering of a book, uncommonly neat; and enquiring who the artist was by whom the letters were made, Mr. Caslon was introduced to his acquaintance, and was taken by him to Mr. James’s foundery in Bartholomew Close. Caslon had never before that time seen any part of the business; and being asked by his friend if he thought he could undertake to cut types, he requested a single day to consider the matter, and then replied he had no doubt but he could. From this answer, Mr. Bowyer lent him £200, Mr. Bettenham[451] (to whom also he had been introduced) lent the same sum, and Mr. Watts £100.”[452]
With this assistance Mr. Caslon established himself in a garret in Helmet Row, Old Street, and devoted himself with ardour to his new profession.[453] An opportunity for distinguishing himself presented itself shortly afterwards.
In the year 1720 the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge,[454] acting { 235} on a suggestion made by Mr. Salomon Negri, a native of Damascus, and a distinguished Oriental scholar, “deemed it expedient to print for the Eastern Churches the _New Testament_ and _Psalter_ in the Arabic language for the benefit of the poor Christians in Palestine, Syria, Mesapotamia, Arabia and Egypt, the constitution of which countries allowed of no printing.” A new Arabic fount being required for the purpose, Mr. Caslon, whose reputation as a letter-cutter appears already to have been known, was selected to cut it. This he did to the full satisfaction of his patrons, producing the elegant English Arabic which figures in his early specimens. The Society was, according to Rowe Mores, already possessed of a fount of Arabic cast from the Polyglot matrices in Grover’s foundry. But Caslon’s fount was preferred for the text, and in it appeared, in due time, first the _Psalter_ in 1725,[455] and afterwards the _New Testament_ in 1727.[456]