Publications of George Miller

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 George Miller

  • Sclater, William. A briefe exposition vvith notes, vpon the second epistle to the Thessalonians. By VVilliam Sclater Doctor of Diuinitie, and minister of Pitmister in Summerset. London: Printed by George Miller, for George Vincent, and are to be sold at the Crosse Keyes at Pauls gate, 1627. ESTC No. S116803. Grub Street ID 136491.
  • Warwick, Arthur. Spare-minutes; or, Resolved meditations and premeditated resolutions. Written by Arthur Warvvick. London: Printed by G[eorge] M[iller] for Walter Hammond, and are to be sold by Michael Sparke, in Greene Arbour, 1637. ESTC No. S113240. Grub Street ID 132980.
  • Sibbes, Richard. Beames of divine light, breaking forth from severall places of holy Scripture, as they were learnedly opened, in XXI. sermons. The III. first being the fore-going sermons to that treatise called The bruised-reed, preached on the precedent words. By the late reverend and iudicious divine, Richard Sibs, D.D. Mr. of Katharine Hall in Camb: and sometimes preacher at Grayes Inne. Published according to the Doctor his owne appointment subscribed with his hand; to prevent imperfect coppies. London: Printed by G[eorge] M[iller and Elizabeth Purslowe] for N. Bourne, at the Royal Exchange, and R Harford, at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater Noster-Row, MDCXXXIX. [1639]. ESTC No. S117279. Grub Street ID 136952.
  • N., G. D. L. M.. The Fr[ench] alphabet t[eaching] in a very s[hort tyme] by a most easie w[ay to pronounce] French naturally ... : toget[her with] The treasur[e of the French] tongue ... by G.D.L.[M.N.]. Lon[don]: Printed by George [Miller] in Blacke-[Friars, 1639]. ESTC No. S2566. Grub Street ID 146938.
  • A discovery of the iuglings and deceitfull impostures of a scandalous libell against the Parliament. Published in the forme of a petition to the Houses of Parliament, in the name of the inhabitants of London and Westminster, and inhabitants of Southwarke, pretended to be distressed in point of conscience. London: printed by G[eorge]. M[iller]., 1643. ESTC No. R11009. Grub Street ID 59335.
  • Gouge, William. Mercies memoriall. Set out in a sermon preached in Paul's Church, Novemb. 17. 1644. in memoriall of the great deliverance which England had from antichristian bondage by Queen Elizabeths attaining the crowne. By William Gouge. Novemb. 25. 1644. Imprimatur Tho. Gataker. London: printed by George Miller for Ioshua Kirton, in Foster-lane next to Gold-smiths Hall, 1645. ESTC No. R11437. Grub Street ID 59724.
  • Tombes, John. Anthropolatria; or, the sinne of glorying in men, especially in eminent ministers of the gospel. Wherein is set forth the nature and causes of this sinne, as also the many pernicious effects which at all times this sinne hath produced, and with which the church of Christ i still infected. With some serious disswasives from this sinne, and directions to prevent the infection thereof. A discourse usefull, and in these times very seasonable. By John Tombes, B.D. and preacher of Gods Word to the Honourable Societies of the Temples. London: printed by G[eorge]. Miller for John Bellamy at the signe of the three golden-Lions in Cornehill hear the Royall-Exchange, 1645. ESTC No. R235187. Grub Street ID 106354.
  • Friend to the Church of England, and a Lover of Truth and Peace. A defence and vindication of the right of tithes, against sundry late scandalous pamphlets: shewing, the lawfullnesse of them, and the just remedy in law for them, as well in London as elsewhere. Penned by a friend to the Church of England, and a lover of truth and peace. London: Printed by George Miller, dwelling in the Black-Friers, 1646. ESTC No. R1318. Grub Street ID 61299.
  • Whately, William. Prototypes, or the primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis. Shewing, the good and bad things they did and had practically applyed to out information and reformation. By that faithfull and painfull preacher of Gods word, William Whately late pastor of Banbury. Published by those who were appointed by the authour to peruse his manuscripts, and printed by his own coppy. London: printed by G[eorge]. M[iller] for I. S. I. C. And part of the impression to be vented for the use and benefit of Edw. Minsheu Gent., 1647. ESTC No. R186421. Grub Street ID 75112.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by George Miller

  • Woodward, Ezekias. The Kings chronicle latter section. Wherein the way, the good kings, priest and people have taken for the well-posturing the kingdome, is fully declared, and made glorious before the eye of the beholder by Gods own right hand, for the encouragement of all, who will walk in the same way, observe the same steps and motions there; and fixe their eye upon the same marke, the glory of God; their owne and the peoples safety. By Hezekiah Woodward. London: printed by G[eorge]. M[iller]. for George Miller and Thomas Underhill, and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible in Wood-street, 1643. ESTC No. R11120. Grub Street ID 59433.