William Hone to Mr. Applegath (EDB printer), 14 January, 1825 An Electronic Edition William Hone Kyle Grimes

For publication in the Hone Correspondence section of the William Hone BioText, http://honearchive.org. The letter is published under a Creative Commons license, details of which are accessible from the BioText homepage.

Transcribed from the original in the British Library, Add. MS 50746, ff. 13-14.

 re-edited TEI and did initial transform.
William Hone to Applegath, 14 January, 1825.British Library, Add. MS 50746, ff. 13-14. [return] — -TEI-
45 Ludgate Hill
14 Jan. 1825 Dear Sir,

I now know not what to say to induce your folks to let me have an instant supply of No. 1 — Stereotyping I looked to as a sure method of obtaining it, and now I find myself without a single No. of the first number, 'turning away people every minute! and cutting the throat of the work, I have given all my attention to, the instant it is born!On the first of January, 1825, Hone began publishing his weekly serial called The Every-Day Book. He had, of course, for several months already been preparing copy for his publication, lining up booksellers both in London and the country, taking orders, and so forth, but now all this work seemed threatened by an inadequate supply. Such is the explanation for Hone's tone of desperation here. Hone's reference to the practice of stereotyping (which was just beginning to come into its own as a viable printing technique) and the addressee of the letter (Augustus Applegath, together with his partner Edward S. Cowper, were key innovators of printing technology in the early nineteenth century) suggests that Hone himself was keen on using the latest available technology to produce his weekly numbers.[return] I beg you to consider the fatal consequences and to add that since I took this paper & pen in my hand the post has brought orders from the country for upwards of 1000 of No. 1 and for between 5 & 600 of No. 2 — We broke into the last 1000 of No. 2 yesterday.

You will see then that by tonight we shall be out of No. 2 as well as of No. 1—and that now, at this instant No. 2 must go to press as well as No. 1.

If I could add any thing more impressive to you, or more expressive of my meaning, I would do it—

I presume however that No. 1 must be now on the Machine but to be quite frank, I fear from the several promises I have had from time to time, I cannot rely on it as a fact that the boy who is gone over to your office (& after whose leaving me I send this) will bring with him the supply promised.

I have desired the bearer to wait for a written answer to this, in which answer do me the favor to state if I can have a supply of No. 2 by 5 o'clock this Evening as well as of No. 1 immediately.

I am Dr. Sir Yours sincerely W Hone

[Address:] For Mr. Applegath

[Below address:] Since [one word, "writing"?] -- the boy has returned without No. 1!