t led to great results. It has been said that he
learned the printers' art at Cologne, but Mr. Blades supposes that he
entered its mystery at Bruges under Colard Mansion, with whom he appears
to have had some partnership. Probably towards the end of 1476 Caxton
returned to England. He had the favour of Edward IV. and of his sister,
Duchess of Burgundy, and the friendship of the King's brother-in-law,
Earl Rivers. Ninety-nine distinct productions issued from Caxton's
press, he was printer, publisher, translator, and something of author as
well. He set in good earnest about the work that is still going on--of
making the best accessible literature widely and commonly known. This
useful career was only ended by his death. The exact date is not known,
but it was probably late in 1491. He left a married daughter. Caxton was
a good business man. He was also a sincere lover of literature, and he
was at his favourite work of translation only a few hours before the
final summons came.

The quality of Caxton as a translator is not a matter of much doubt. It
may be that the archaic forms give an additional flavour to his style,
since they present few difficulties to the modern reader, and yet sound
like echoes from the earlier periods of the language. Generally he is
content to follow his author with almost plodding fidelity, but
occasionally he makes additions which are eminently characteristic. His
author having remarked:--"Il nest an Jour Duy nulle chose qui tant
grieue Rome ne ytalie com~e fait le college Des notaires publiques Car
ilz ne sont mie en accort ensemble"--Caxton improves the passage thus:--

"For ther is no thynge at this day that so moche greueth rome and
Italye as doth the college of notaries and aduocates publicque. For
they ben not of oon a corde/ Alas and in Engeland what hurte doon the
aduocats. men of law. And attorneyes of court to the comyn peple of
y'e royame as well in the spirituell lawe as in the temporall/ how
torne they the lawe and statutes at their pleasir/ how ete they the
peple/ how enpouere they the comynte/ I suppose that in alle
Cristendom ar not so many pletars attorneys and men of the lawe as
ben in englond onely/ for yf they were nombrid all that lange to the
courtes of the channcery kinges benche. comyn place. cheker. ressayt
and helle And the bagge berars of the same/ hit shold amounte to a
grete multitude And how alle thyse lyue & of whome. yf hit shol