Publications of Robert Gosling

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 Robert Gosling

  • Minister of the Church of England.. The prisoner's call to repentance: or, a serious perswasive to repentance. As it was sent in a letter from a minister of the Church of England to a malefactor in prison, ... London: printed by R. Gosling, 1715. ESTC No. N39754. Grub Street ID 27025.
  • Reports of cases adjudg'd in the Court of King's Bench; with some special cases in the courts of Chancery, Common Pleas and Exchequer, from the first year of K. William and Q. Mary, to the tenth year of Queen Anne. By William Salkeld, ... [London]: In the Savoy: printed by Eliz. Nutt and R. Gosling, (assignees of Edward Sayer Esq;) for J. Walthoe; and J. Walthoe, jun., 1717-18. ESTC No. T97358. Grub Street ID 316783.
  • Nelson, William. The office and authority of a Justice of Peace: collected out of all the books, whether of common or statute law, hitherto written on that subject. Shewing also the Duty of Constables, Commissioners of Sewers, Coroners, Overseers of the Poor, Surveyors of the Highways, Churchwardens, and other Parish-Officers: Digested under alphabetical titles. To which are added, Precedents of indictments and Warrants, Never before Printed. Very useful for Justices of the Peace, Coroners; Sheriffs, Clerks of the Assizes, and of the Peace, and all others concern'd in such Matters. The seventh edition, corrected, amended, and continued down to this present yea 1721. By W. Nelson, of the Middle-Temple, Esq;. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by Eliz. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edw. Sayer Esq;) for D. Browne at the Black Swan without Temple-Bar, J. Walthoe in the Middle Temple-Cloysters, and B. Tooke at the Middle-Temple Gate in Fleet-Street, MDCCXXI. [1721]. ESTC No. N12518. Grub Street ID 2517.
  • An essay on the amendment, and reduction, of the laws of England. For the ease of the subject, the advancement of justice, and regulating the profession of the law. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling (assigns of Edward Sayer, Esq;) for Tho. Corbett, 1724. ESTC No. N30349. Grub Street ID 19316.
  • Law quibbles. Or, a treatise of the evasions, tricks, turns and quibbles, commonly used in the profession of the law, to the prejudice of clients, and others. ... To which is added, An essay on the amendment and reduction of the laws of England. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling (assigns of Edward Sayer, Esq;) for Tho. Corbett at Addison's Head without Temple-Bar; and sold at the bookseller's shop at the corner of Searle-Street, Lincolns-Inn-Fields, 1724. ESTC No. T94182. Grub Street ID 313788.

Sold by Robert Gosling

  • The useful and necessary companion containing chronological tables, where in the revolution of Easter and the true time of its celebration for ever, is exactly calculated and shown by inspection. To which is added, Accounts ready Cast up, with many Curious Remarks of the utmost Use in Trade and Business. London: printed and sold by R. Gosling in Fleet-Street, C. King in Westminster-Hall, T. Horn at the Royal-Exchange. A. Batesworth in Paternoster-Row. J. Holland in St. Pauls Church-Yard, T. Norris on London Bridg. B. Picard in the Minories. And R. Burleigh in Amen Corner, [1715?]. ESTC No. T77524. Grub Street ID 299631.
  • Smith, Joseph. Modern pleas for schism and infidelity reviewed. The second edition. The first part. London: printed, and sold by Henry Clements, at the Half moon; and Charles Rivington, at the Bible and Crown, in St. Paul's Church-Yard; Robert Gosling, at the Mitre, and J. Hooke, at the Flower-de-Luce, in Fleet-Street; J. King, in Westminster-Hall; J. Waltho at the Golden Ball, over-against the Royal Exchange, MDCCXVI. [1716]. ESTC No. T102315. Grub Street ID 156149.

Printed for Robert Gosling

  • Brome, James. Travels over England, Scotland and Wales. Giving a true and exact description of the chiefest cities, towns and corporations: together with the antiquities of divers other places, ... By James Brome, ... Useful for all persons before they travel into foreign countries; ... London: printed for Rob. Gosling, 1707. ESTC No. T130770. Grub Street ID 179851.
  • Atkyns, Robert. The ancient and present state of Glostershire. By Sir Robert Atkyns. London: printed by W. Bowyer for Robert Gosling at the Mitre, near the Inner-Temple Gate, in Fleetstreet, 1712. ESTC No. T21873. Grub Street ID 243153.
  • A poem dedicated to the Queen, and presented to the Congress at Utrecht, upon declaration of the peace. Writ in Latin, that foreigners might more easily understand and celebrate the transcendent vertues of her Britannic Majesty. London: printed by H. Meere, for R. Gosling; and sold by J. Morphew, 1713. ESTC No. N11690. Grub Street ID 1695.
  • The book of oaths, and the several forms thereof, both ancient and modern, faithfully collected out of sundry authentick books of records. To which is added, an appendix Compleating the Whole to this present Year. Very useful for all Persons whatsoever, especially those that undertake any Office of Magistracy or Publick Imployment. London: printed for Robert Gosling, at the Mitre and Crown against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, 1715. ESTC No. N16582. Grub Street ID 6160.
  • The law of actions on the case for torts and wrongs; being a methodical collection of all the cases concerning such actions. Viz. I. For Trover and Conversion of Goods. II. For Malicious Prosecutions. III. For Nusances. IV. For Disceits and on Warranties. V. On the Common Custom against Carriers, Innkeepers, &c. To which is added, several select precedents of declarations and pleas in such actions, and references to all that are extant in the books of entries. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by Eliz. Nutt and R. Gosling (assigns of Edw. Sayer, Esq;) for R. Gosling at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleet-Street, 1720. ESTC No. N10448. Grub Street ID 458.
  • Fitzherbert, Anthony. The new natura brevium of the most Reverend Judge, Mr. Anthony Fitz-Herbert. Together with The Authorities in Law, and Cases in the Books of Reports cited in the Margin. The Seventh Edition corrected. To which is added (never before printed), A Commentary, containing Curious Notes and Observations on the most remarkable and useful writs, which Illustrate and Explain many doubtful and abstruse Cases, and Points in the Original. By the late Lord Chief Justice Hale. With a New and Exact Table of the most Material Things contained therein. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edw. Sayer, Esq;) and are to be sold by J. Knapton, A. Bettesworth, R. Gosling, W. Innys, C. Gromgton, J. Stagg, D. Browne, T. Osborne and T. Mortall, for R. Gosling, MDCCXXX. [1730]. ESTC No. N10334. Grub Street ID 343.
  • Macky, John. A journey through England. In familiar letters, from a gentleman here, to his friend abroad. In two volumes. ... Vol. I. London: printed for Robert Gosling; and John Pemberton, 1732. ESTC No. N29211. Grub Street ID 18389.
  • 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.