Publications of N. S.

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 for N. S.

  • Wright, Rector of Kirton. John. Some remarks on Mr. Whiston's dissertation about Christ's ascension; his lectures of Mr. Boyl's foundation; and his essay on the Revelations. And some dissertations following. In a letter to Dr. Waterhouse, at Sheffield. By John Wright, ... London: printed for N. S. and sold by A. Baldwyn, [1709?]. ESTC No. N22945. Grub Street ID 12302.

Author

  • S., N.. The present state of New-England, with respect to the Indian vvar. Wherein is an account of the true reason thereof, (as far as can be judged by men.) Together with most of the remarkable passages that have happened from the 20th of June, till the 10th of November, 1675. Faithfully composed by a merchant of Boston, and communicated to his friend in London. Licensed Decemb. 13. 1675. Roger L'Estrange. London: printed for Dorman Newman, at the Kings-Arms in the Poultry, and at the Ship and Anchor at the bridg-foot on Southwark side, 1675. ESTC No. R183123. Grub Street ID 73017.
  • S., N.. The present state of New-England, with respect to the Indian war. Wherein is an account of the true reason thereof, (as far as can be judged by men.) Together with most of the remarkable passages that have happened from the 20th of June, till the 10th of November, 1675. Faithfully composed by a merchant of Boston, and communicated to his friend in London. Licensed Decemb. 13. 1675. Roger L'Estrange. London: printed for Dorman Newman, at the Kings-Arms in the Poultry, and at the Ship and Anchor at the Bridg-foot on Southwark side, 1675. ESTC No. R10154. Grub Street ID 58548.
  • S., N.. A new and further narrative of the state of New-England, being a continued account of the bloudy Indian-war, from March till August, 1676. Giving a perfect relation of the several devastations, engagements, and transactions there; as also the great successes lately obtained against the barbarous Indians, the reducing of King Philip, and the killing of one of the queens, &c. Together with a catalogue of the losses in the whole, sustaining on either side, since the said war began, as near as can be collected. Licensed October 13. Roger L'Estrange. London: printed by J[oseph]. B[ennet]. for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultry, 1676. ESTC No. R8787. Grub Street ID 128921.
  • S., N.. A continuation of the state of New-England; being a farther account of the Indian warr, and of the engagement betwixt the joynt forces of the united English collonies and the Indians, on the 19th. of December 1675. With the true number of the slain and wounded, and the transactions of the English army since the said fight. With all other passages that have there hapned from the 10th. of November, 1675. to the 8th. of February 1675/6. Together with an account of the intended rebellion of the Negroes in the Barbadoes. Licensed March 27. 1676. Henry Oldenburg. London: printed by T.M. for Dorman Newman, at the Kings Armes in the Poultry, 1676. ESTC No. R29328. Grub Street ID 112328.
  • S., N.. The present state of New-England with respect to the Indian war wherein is an account of the true reason thereof (as far as can be judged by men) : together with most of the remarkable passages that have happened from the 20th of June till the 10th of November, 1675 / faithfully composed by a merchant of Boston and communicated to his friend in London. London: Printed for Dorman Newman .., 1676. ESTC No. R33574. Grub Street ID 116170.
  • S., N.. The Proverbs of Solomon, with other scriptural passages methodized: and reduc'd into a grammatical order, according to Lillies English rules: being a most speedy and ready way for the better understanding of grammar. Containing directions for the exact making of Latine according to rule, with variety of exercises for young beginners. Together with divers examples and forms of English epistles, shewing how to make Latine epistles: also most plain and easie demonstrations for making of them, &c. Likewise instructions for verifying, or how to make Latine verse after a most plain and easie method. Prepared for the benefit of scholes. By N. S. schoolmaster in London. London: Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and Enoch Wyer, at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel, and at the White Hart, at the West-end of S. Pauls, 1678. ESTC No. R183125. Grub Street ID 73019.
  • S., N.. Proverbial sentences, divine and moral. With other scriptural passages methodiz'd; and reduc'd into a grammatical order, according to Lilly's English rules: being a most speedy and ready way for the better understanding of grammar. Containing directions for the exact makin of Latine according to rule, with variety of exercises for young beginners. Together with divers examples and forms of English epistles, shewing how to make Latine epistles: also most plain and easie demonstrations for making of them, &c. Likewise instructions for verifying, or how to make Latine verse after a most plain and easie method. Prepared for the benefit and use of schools. By N.S. Schoolmaster in London. London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Merces-Chapel [sic], 1678. ESTC No. R236355. Grub Street ID 107147.
  • S., N.. Proverbial sentences, divine and moral. With other scriptural passages methodiz'd, and reduc'd into a grammatical order, according to Lilly's English rules: being a most speedy and ready way for the better understanding of grammar. Containing directions for the exact makin of Latin according to rule, with variety of exercises for young beginners. Together with divers examples and forms of English epistles, shewing how to make Latin epistles: also, most plain and easie demonstrations for making of them, &c. Likewise instructions for versifying, or how to make Latin verse after a most plain and easie method. Prepared for the benefit and use of schools. By N. S. schoolmaster in London. London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel, 1679. ESTC No. R219793. Grub Street ID 94278.
  • S., N.. Proverbial sentences, divine and moral. With other scriptural passages methodiz'd, and reduc'd into a grammatical order, according to Lilly's English rules: being a most speedy and ready way for the better understanding of grammar. Containing directions for the exact makin of Latin according to rule, with varity of exercises for young beginners. Together with divers examples and forms of English epistles, shewing how to make Latin epistles: also, most plain and easy demonstrations for making of them, &c. Likewise instructions for verifying, or how to make Latin vers after a most plain and easy method. Prepared for the benefit and use of schools. By N.S. Schoolmaster in London. London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel, 1682. ESTC No. R183124. Grub Street ID 73018.
  • S., N.. The divine rights of the British nation and constitution vindicated. In remarks on the several papers publish'd against the Reverend Mr. Hoadly's Considerations upon the Bishop of Exeter's sermons. Viz. Answer to Mr. Hoadly, by Bp of Exeter. Vindication of the Bishop, by Mr. O-th. Tom a Bedlam, by L-ke M-ne. Revolution no Rebellion, by Mr. P-te. Best Answer, &c. by L-y. London: printed for J. Baker in Pater-Noster-Row, M.DCC.X. [1710]. ESTC No. T21009. Grub Street ID 238393.
  • S., N.. The divine rights of the British nation and constitution vindicated. In Remarks on the several Papers publish'd against the Reverend Mr. Hoadly's Considerations upon the Bp of Exeter's Sermons. Viz. Answer to Mr. Hoadly, by Bishop of Exeter, Vindication of the Bishop, by Mr. O-th. Tom a Bedlam, by L-ke M-ne, Revolution no Rebellion, by Mr. J-s. Best Answer, &c. by L-Ley. By N. S. Esq;. London: printed for J. Baker at the Black Boy in Pater-Noster-Row, M.DCC.X. [1710]. ESTC No. T34761. Grub Street ID 265019.
  • S., N.. A letter to a friend; wherein is endeavour'd a reconciliation between the contending parties in relation to the doctrine of the ever-blessed Trinity. By N. S. London: printed for J. Roberts in Warwick-Lane, and A. Dodd without Temple-Bar, MDCCXX. [1720]. ESTC No. T113267. Grub Street ID 165210.