Notes and Queries, Number 04, November 24, 1849 | Page 7

doubtless in other countries it hath other names. (_E. W._ p. 70)
Golden-bugs the common Suffolk name."
J.G. Southwold, Nov. 16. 1849.
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TRADE EDITIONS--COTTLE'S LIFE OF COLERIDGE.
Sir,--In the 2nd vol. of Mr. Collier's valuable and interesting _Extracts
from the Registers of the Stationers' Company_, p. 28, is the following
entry:--
"Thos. Dason. Licensed unto him the praise of follie; to print not above
xv° of any impression, with this condition, that any of the Company
may laie on with him, reasonablie at every impression, as they think
good, and that he shall gyve reasonable knowledge before to them as
often as he shall print it."
This is both curious and important information as being, in all
probability, the earliest recorded instance of a custom still kept up

amongst booksellers, and which now passes under the designation of a
"Trade edition;" the meaning of which being, that the copyright, instead
of being the exclusive property of one person, is divided into shares
and held by several. There are Trade editions of such voluminous
authors as Shakspeare, Gibbon, Hume, and Robertson, for instance; and
Alison's _Europe_, if published half a century back, might in all
probability have been added to the list. The difference between the
ancient and the modern usage appears to be this, that formerly when the
type was set up for an edition "any of the company may laie on, (these
two last words are still technically used by printers for supplying type
with paper,) reasonablie at every impression," &c.; in other words, may
print as many copies from the type "as they think good;" whereas now,
the edition is first printed, and then the allotment of the copies, and the
actual cost of them is made, according to the number of shares.
If this is a "Note" worth registering, it is much at your service, whilst
for a "Query," I should be very glad to be informed, when a very able
review, the date of which I neglected {56} to make at the time,
appeared in the Times newspaper, of the 2nd edition of Cottle's Life of
Coleridge.
With many good wishes for the success of your register,
I remain, &c.
JOHN MILAND.
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DIBDIN'S TYPOGRAPHICAL ANTIQUITIES.
Sir,--I am very glad to have elicited the information contained in your
number just published respecting the copy of Borde's work in the
Chetham Library. As I have a great respect for Mr. Ames, I must
remark that he had no share in the blunder, and whenever a new edition
of his work is undertaken, it will be well to look rather curiously into
the enlargements of Dibdin. In the mean time this information naturally
leads to another Query--or rather, to more than one--namely, "Had Mr.
Bindley's copy this unique imprint? and what became of it at the sale of
his books? or is it only one of the imaginary editions which give
bibliographers so much trouble?" Perhaps some one of your
correspondents may be able to give information.
Yours, &c.
S.R. MAITLAND.

* * * * *
QUERIES ANSWERED, NO. 2
MADOC THE SON OF OWEN GWYNED.
The student who confines himself to a single question, may fairly
expect a prompt and precise answer. To ask for general information on
a particular subject, may be a less successful experiment. Who
undertakes extensive research except for an especial purpose? Who can
so far confide in his memory as to append his name to a list of
authorities without seeming to prove his own superficiality? I throw out
these ideas for consideration, just as they arise; but neither wish to
repress the curiosity of _querists_, nor to prescribe bounds to the
communicative disposition of respondents.
Did Madoc, son of Owen Gwynedd, prince of Wales, discover America?
Stimulated by the importance of the question, and accustomed to
admire the spirit of maritime enterprise, at whatever period it may have
been called into action, I have sometimes reflected on this debatable
point--but can neither affirm nor deny it.
I advise the _student_, as a preliminary step to the inquiry, to attempt a
collection of all the accessible evidence, historical and ethnographic,
and to place the materials which pertain to each class in the order of
time. The historical evidence exists, I believe exclusively, in the works
of the chroniclers and bards of Wales; and the ethnographic evidence in
the narratives of travellers in America. The opinions of modern writers,
the gifted author of Madoc not excepted, he is at liberty to consider as
_hors-d'oeuere_--to be passed on, or tasted, _à plaisir_. As an
exemplification of this plan, I submit some short extracts, with critical
remarks:--
"Madoc another of Owen Gwyneth his sonnes left the land
[North-Wales] in contention betwixt his brethren, and prepared certaine
ships with