Rewriting of Middleton's Dissertation concerning the origin of printing in England and Meerman's Origines typographicae.

Published anonymously. By William Bowyer, with the assistance of Dr. Owen and Mr. Missy. Cf. DNB.

An enlarged 2nd ed. was published in 1776 as well as a suppl. with title: An appendix to the first edition of The origin of printing, containing the additional remarks which have been inserted in the second edition. Unsold copies of the 2nd ed. were reissued in 1781 with a new suppl. with title: Supplement to The origin of printing. Cf. Bigmore & Wyman.

Signatures: a-b⁴ B-L⁴ M⁴(-M4) N-T⁴ U².

Advertisements on p. [1]-[2] at end.

(from t.p.) I. The substance of Dr. Middleton's dissertation on the origin of printing in England

II. Mr. Meerman's account of the first invention of the art

An appendix is annexed, 1. On the first-printed Greek books. 2. On the first-printed Hebrew books ... 3. On the early polyglotts.