Publications of Jacob Tonson the Younger

Note: The following printer, bookseller, or publisher lists are works in progress. They are generated from title page imprints and may reproduce false and misleading attributions or contain errors.

What does "printed by" mean? How to read the roles ascribed to people in the imprints.

In terms of the book trades, the lists below are sorted into up to four groups where: the person is designated in the imprint as having a single role:

  1. "printed by x"; or
  2. "sold by x"; or
  3. "printed for x" or "published by x";

or as having multiple roles in combination (which suggests a likelihood that the person is a trade publisher):

  1. "printed and sold by x"; "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x" and so on.

Printers (owners of the type and printing presses, and possibly owners of the copyright) may be identified by the words printed by, but printed by does not universally designate a person who is a printer by trade. Booksellers may be identified by the words sold by, but sold by encompasses a number of roles. Booksellers or individuals who owned the copyright are generally identified by the words printed for, but nothing should be concluded in this regard without further evidence, especially since "printed for" could signify that the named person was a distributor rather than a copyright holder. Trade publishers, who distributed books and pamphlets but did not own the copyright or employ a printer—and were not printers themselves—might be identified by the words printed and sold by. Furthermore, works from this period often display false imprints, whether to evade copyright restrictions, to conceal the name of the copyright holders, or to dupe unwitting customers. Ultimately, one must proceed with caution in using the following lists: designations in the imprints may not reliably reflect the actual trades or roles of the people named, and the formulas used in imprints do not consistently mean the same thing.

David Foxon discussed the "meaning of the imprint" in his Lyell Lecture delivered at Oxford in March 1976, with particular attention to "publishers" in the eighteenth-century context:

The fullest form of an imprint is one which names three people, or groups of people:
     London: printed by X (the printer), for Y (the bookseller who owned the copyright), and sold by Z.
In the eighteenth century the printer's name is rarely given, at least in works printed in London, and the form is more commonly:
     London: printed for Y, and sold by Z.
Very often in this period, and particularly for pamphlets, it is further abbreviated to:
     London: printed and sold by Z.
It is this last form which is my present concern. Z is usually what the eighteenth century called 'a publisher', or one who distributes books and pamphlets without having any other responsibility—he does not own the copyright or employ a printer, or even know the author.

D. F. McKenzie coined the term "trade publisher" for these publishers in his Sandars Lectures, also in 1976, on the grounds that their principal role was to publish on behalf of other members of the book trade (Treadwell 100).

Michael Treadwell cautions that "In this period the imprint 'London: Printed and sold by A.B.' normally means 'Printed at London, and sold by A.B.' and must not be taken to mean that A.B. is a printer in the absence of other evidence." Further, "The imprint 'published by' occurs only rarely in Wing and is almost always associated with the name of a trade publisher" (104). While there are exceptions to the rule, it is "certain," he explains, "that anyone who made a speciality of distributing works for others will show a far higher proportion than normal of imprints in one of the 'sold by' forms" (116), which appear in the imprint as "sold by," "printed and sold by," or "published by" (104). Treadwell gives Walter Kettilby as an example of "a fairly typical copyright-owning bookseller" (106)—his role is almost always designated by the phrase "printed for" on imprints.

A final caution: publisher is a word that should be used with some deliberation. Samuel Johnson defines it simply as "One who puts out a book into the world," but "published by" rarely appears on the imprint until later in the eighteenth century, and then primarily associated with newspapers and pamphlets. Treadwell observes that John Dunton names only five publishers among the 200 binders and booksellers in his autobiographical Life and Errors (1705) wherein he undertakes "to draw the Character of the most Eminent [Stationers] in the Three Kingdoms" (100). Treadwell also remarks, however, that "in law, anyone who offered a work for sale 'published' it. In this sense every work had one or more 'publishers', and every bookseller, mercury, and hawker was a 'publisher'" (114).

See:

  • Terry Belanger, "From Bookseller to Publisher: Changes in the London Book Trade, 1750–1850," in Book Selling and Book Buying. Aspects of the Nineteenth-Century British and North American Book Trade, ed. Richard G. Landon (Chicago: American Library Association, 1978).
  • Bricker, Andrew Benjamin. "Who was 'A. Moore'? The Attribution of Eighteenth-Century Publications with False and Misleading Imprints," in The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 110.2 (2016).
  • John Dunton, The Life and Errors of John Dunton (London: Printed for S. Malthus, 1705).
  • John Feather, "The Commerce of Letters: The Study of the Eighteenth-Century Book Trade," Eighteenth-Century Studies 17 (1984).
  • David Foxon, Pope and the Early Eighteenth-Century Book Trade, ed. James McLaverty (Oxford University Press, 1991).
  • Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language, (printed for J. and P. Knapton; T. and T. Longman; C. Hitch and L. Hawes; A. Millar; and R. and J. Dodsley, 1755).
  • D.F. McKenzie, The London Book Trade in the Later Seventeenth Century (Sandars lectures in bibliography, 1977).
  • Michael Treadwell, "London Trade Publishers 1675–1750," The Library sixth series, vol. 4, no. 2 (1982).

Printed by Jacob Tonson the Younger

  • An abridgement and abstract of the laws relating to the ordnance. London: printed by J. Tonson in the Strand, MDCCXXV. [1725]. ESTC No. N15806. Grub Street ID 5506.
  • Instructions for officers who survey distillers in the country. London: printed by J. Tonson, 1732. ESTC No. N47345. Grub Street ID 32040.

Sold by Jacob Tonson the Younger

  • Suffolk, Edward Howard. Miscellanies in prose and verse, by a person of quality. London: printed and sold by Jacob Tonson at Shakespears-Head in the Strand, MDCCXXV. [1725]. ESTC No. T10186. Grub Street ID 155704.

Printed for Jacob Tonson the Younger

  • Ovid. Ovid's art of love, in three books. Together with his Amours, and Remedy of love. Translated into English verse by several eminent hands. To which are added, The court of love, a tale from Chaucer. And the history of love. Adorn'd with cutts. London: printed for J. Tonson; and sold by W. Taylor at the Ship in Pater-Noster-Row, MDCCXIX. [1719]. ESTC No. T99874. Grub Street ID 318970.
  • Lansdowne, George Granville. Poems upon several occasions. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's Head over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXI. [1721]. ESTC No. T84601. Grub Street ID 304980.
  • Tickell. Kensington Garden. London: printed for J. Tonson, in the Strand, MDCCXXII. [1722] [1721]. ESTC No. T129670. Grub Street ID 179077.
  • Gay, John. The shepherd's week. In six pastorals. By Mr. J. Gay. London: printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespear's-Head over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, 1721. ESTC No. T13918. Grub Street ID 187047.
  • Addison, Joseph. The works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; In four volumes. Volume the First. London: printed for Jacob Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXI. [1721]. ESTC No. N24149. Grub Street ID 13512.
  • The thousand and one days: Persian tales. Vol. I. Translated from the French. By Mr. Philips. London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's-Head over against Katharine-Street in the Strand, 1722. ESTC No. T107788. Grub Street ID 160795.
  • The law of elections; being an abstract of all the statutes now in force relating to the election of members. To serve in the House of Commons. In three sections, Viz. The Duties, &c. of the Electors, the Elected, and the Officers Returning. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edw. Sayer, Esq;) for J. Tonson in the Strand, and sold by D. Browne near Temple-Bar, B. Lintott in Fleetstreet, C. King in Westminster-Hall, and J. Brotherton in Cornhill, MDCCXXII. [1722]. ESTC No. T114133. Grub Street ID 165961.
  • The ladies library. Vol. I. Written by a lady. Published by Sir Richard Steele. London: printed for Jacob Tonson, at Shakespear's Head over-against Catherine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXII. [1722]. ESTC No. T73546. Grub Street ID 296806.
  • Young, Edward. Busiris, King of Egypt. A tragedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's servants. By E. Young, LL.B. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXII. [1722]. ESTC No. N15273. Grub Street ID 4998.
  • Gay, John. An epistle to Her Grace Henrietta, Dutchess of Marlborough. By Mr. Gay. London: printed for Jacob Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXII. [1722]. ESTC No. T13817. Grub Street ID 186045.
  • Shakespeare, William. Measure for measure. A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Lincolns-Inn-Fields. Written by Mr. W. Shakespear. London: printed for J. Tonson in the Strand; and sold by W. Chetwood at Cato's Head in Russel-Street, Covent-Garden, 1722. ESTC No. T62203. Grub Street ID 287713.
  • Steele, Sir Richard. The lover and Reader; by the author of the Tatler and Spectator. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over against Katharine street in the Strand, MDCCXXIII. [1723]. ESTC No. T113826. Grub Street ID 165693.
  • Fenton, Elijah. Mariamne. A tragedy. Acted at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. Written by Mr. Fenton. London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, 1723. ESTC No. T38972. Grub Street ID 268350.
  • Steele, Sir Richard. . London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear’s Head over-against Katherine-street in the Strand, 1723. ESTC No. N490064. Grub Street ID 359267.
  • Etherege, George. The comical revenge; or, love in a tub. Acted at his Highness the Duke of York's theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields. London: printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Catherine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXIII. [1723]. ESTC No. T147905. Grub Street ID 194404.
  • The guardian. Vol. I. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXIII. [1723]. ESTC No. N7990. Grub Street ID 52897.
  • Mandeville, Bernard. The fable of the bees: or, private vices, publick benefits. With An essay on charity and charity-schools. And A search into the nature of society. The third edition. To which is added A vindication of the book from the Aspersions contain'd in a Presentment of the Grand-Jury of Middlesex, and an abusive Letter to Lord C. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXIV. [1724]. ESTC No. T77577. Grub Street ID 299680.
  • Collins, John. Commercium epistolicum de varia re mathematica, inter celeberrimos præsentis seculi mathematicos. Viz. Isaacum Newtonum Equitem Auratum. Dnum Isaacum Barrow. Dnum Jacobum Gregorium. Dnum Johannem Wallisium. Dnum J. Keillium. Dnum J. Collinium. Dnum Gulielmum Leibnitium. Dnum Henricum Oldenbourgum. Dnum Franciscum Slusium. Et Alios. Jussu Societatis Regiae in lucem editum. Et jam Una cum Recensione praemissa insignis Controversiae inter Leibnitium & Keillium de primo Inventore Methodi Fluxionum; & Judicio primarii, ut ferebatur, Mathematici subjuncto, iterum impressum. Londini: impensis J. Tonson & J. Watts, prostant venales apud J. Mac Euen ad Insigne Georgii Buchanani e regione templi Sancti Clementis in vico vulgo dicto the Strand, 1725. ESTC No. T114069. Grub Street ID 165904.
  • Mandeville, Bernard. The fable of the bees: or, private vices, publick benefits. With An essay on charity and charity-schools. And A search into the nature of society. The fourth edition. To which is added, A vindication of the book from the Aspersions contain'd in a Presentment of the Grand-Jury of Middlesex, and an abusive Letter to Lord C. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXV. [1725]. ESTC No. T77575. Grub Street ID 299678.
  • Ovid. Ovid's art of love, in three books. Together with his remedy of love. Translated into English verse by several eminent hands. To which are added, the court of love. A tale from Chaucer: and the history of love, adorn'd with cutts. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's Head in the Strand, MDCCXXV. [1725]. ESTC No. T99250. Grub Street ID 318401.
  • Addison, Joseph. Miscellaneous works, in verse and prose, of the late Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; In three volumes. Consisting of such as were never before printed in twelves. With some account of the life and writings of the author, by Mr. Tickell. London: printed for Jacob Tonson in the Strand, MDCCXXVI. [1726]. ESTC No. N71134. Grub Street ID 51501.
  • Addison, Joseph. Remarks on several parts of Italy, &c. in the years 1701, 1702, 1703. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katherine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXVI. [1726]. ESTC No. T74577. Grub Street ID 297576.
  • Rowe, Nicholas. The fair penitent. A tragedy. Written by N. Rowe, Esq;. London: printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Katharine street in the Strand, MDCCXXVI. [1726]. ESTC No. T151814. Grub Street ID 196997.
  • Rowe, Nicholas. The biter. A comedy. Written by N. Rowe, Esq;. London: printed for Jacob Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head over-against Catharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXVI. [1726]. ESTC No. T22865. Grub Street ID 248982.
  • Southerne, Thomas. Money the mistress. A play, As it was Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Lincolns-Inn-Fields. Written by Thomas Southerne. London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, 1726. ESTC No. T2471. Grub Street ID 257709.
  • Rowe, Nicholas. Tamerlane, a tragedy. Written by N. Rowe, Esq;. London: printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXVI. [1726]. ESTC No. T175065. Grub Street ID 212143.
  • The guardian. Vol. I. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXVI. [1726]. ESTC No. N17917. Grub Street ID 7389.
  • Howard, Robert. The committee. A comedy. London: printed for J. Tonson in the Strand, MDCCXXVIII. [1728]. ESTC No. N44158. Grub Street ID 29675.
  • Waller, Edmund. The works of Edmund Waller Esqr. in verse and prose published by Mr. Fenton. London: printed for I. Tonson in Ye Strand, MDCCXXIX. [1729]. ESTC No. T101629. Grub Street ID 155481.
  • The guardian. Vol. I. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand, 1729. ESTC No. T97924. Grub Street ID 317276.
  • Mandeville, Bernard. The fable of the bees: or, private vices, publick benefits. With an essay on charity and charity-schools. And a search into the nature of society. The sixth edition. To which is added, a vindication of the book from the Aspersions contain'd in a Presentment of the Grand-Jury of Middlesex, and an abusive Letter to Lord C. London: printed: and sold by J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Katherine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXIX. [1729]. ESTC No. T77576. Grub Street ID 299679.
  • Steele, Sir Richard. The tender husband: or, the accomplish'd fools. A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's servants. Written by Sir Richard Steele. London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Katherine-Street in the Strand, 1731. ESTC No. T49960. Grub Street ID 277692.
  • Wilmot, John. The works of John. Earl of Rochester: containing poems on several occasions: his Lordship's letters to Mr. Savil and Mrs. *** with Valentinian, a tragedy. Never before published together. London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Katherine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXXII. [1732]. ESTC No. T95237. Grub Street ID 314762.
  • The spectator. Vol. III. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Catharine-Street in the Strand, 1733. ESTC No. T97947. Grub Street ID 317299.
  • Addison, Joseph; Steele, Sir Richard. The lucubrations of Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq; revised and corrected by the author. ... London: printed for E. Nutt, J. Knapton, B. Sprint, D. Midwinter and A. Ward, J. Tonson, R. Gosling, W. Innys and R. Manby, J. Osborn and T. Longman, R. Robinson, B. Motte, and H. Lintott, M DCC XXXIII. [1733]. ESTC No. N11680. Grub Street ID 1685.
  • The guardian. Vol. I. London: printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear's-Head, over-against Catharine-Street in the Strand, 1734. ESTC No. T97925. Grub Street ID 317277.
  • Steele, Sir Richard. The funeral: or, Grief A-la-Mode. A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's servants. Written by Sir Richard Steele. London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's Head over-against Catharine-Street in the Strand, 1734. ESTC No. T40342. Grub Street ID 269419.
  • Dryden, John. Fables ancient and modern; translated into verse, from Homer, Ovid, Boccace, and Chaucer: with original poems. By Mr. Dryden. London: printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespear's Head ever-against Catharine-Street in the Strand, MDCCXXXIV. [1734]. ESTC No. T124903. Grub Street ID 175077.
  • Johnson, Charles. The country lasses: or, the custom of the manor. Written by Mr. Johnson. London: printed for Jacob Tonson in the Strand, MDCCXXXV. [1735]. ESTC No. N3161. Grub Street ID 20501.
  • Juvenal. The satyrs of Decimus Junius Juvenalis: and of Aulus Persius Flaccus. Translated into English verse by Mr. Dryden, and several other eminent hands. To which is prefix'd a discourse Concerning the Original and Progress of Satyr. London: printed for J. Tonson, in the Strand, 1735. ESTC No. T123512. Grub Street ID 173955.
  • Ovid. Ovid's art of love, in three books. Together with his remedy of love. Translated into English verse by several eminent hands. To which are added, the court of love. A tale from Chaucer: and the history of love. Adorn'd with cuts. London: printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's Head in the Strand, MDCCXXXV. [1735]. ESTC No. T99251. Grub Street ID 318402.
  • Waugh, James. Love-letters between a nobleman and his sister; with the history of their adventures. In three parts. London: printed for J. Tonson, G. Strahan, W. Mears, S. Ballard, D. Brown, F. Clay, and B. Motte, 1735-36. ESTC No. N11277. Grub Street ID 1274.