Robert and Andrew Foulis
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RO BE RT A ND A ND R E W FO U L I S AN D T H E G LA S GOW PR E S S pu a u s u a o a v A S MACLE H OSE AND S NS AS J ME O , GL GOW fi u b lis ht rs to th c a n i b cr s dg . M ACMI AN AND CO LTD ONDON LL . , L . m T/ze M ac i llan Co. Th M ac m o C d . e i llan Co. f ana a L d S i m ki H m i t a nd C a . on on , p n , a l on BM W: a u d Bow es . r A ag u s a n d R obe ts on . M M X U I C . RO BE RT FOU L I S ' F r om a M edalli on by jam es Tu s s le i n S c ottzs/z Na tzon a l Par /n u t Gallery RO BE RT <9 A NDREW PO D LI S A ND T H E G LA S G O W PR E S S WITH S OME ACCO UNT O F TH E G LA S G O W A C A D E MY O F TH E FI NE A RTS D A V I D M U R RA Y H M . D A , LL . PRESIDENT O F T H E GLA SGOW BI BLIOG RAPHIC AL SOCI ETY G LASGOW JA M E S M A C L E H O S E A ND SO N S PU BLISH E RS TO TH E UNIVE RSITY I 9 1 3 PR E FA C E a v id ob erts n WHE N the late Mr . D R o had completed the publica of Gla s ow Pa st a n d Pr esen t tion the second edition of g , it occurred to him that a reprint of the Views of Glasgow executed in The Glasgow Academy of the Fine Arts would form a suitable companion a rl volume . He applied to the E of Home for the loan of the set of V C iews in the library at Douglas astle , which was readily granted I on e or supplied two that were awanting , and he then had the whole reproduced by Messrs . Waterston of Edinburgh . Mr . Robert son r asked me to w ite an Introduction to the proj ected volume , and , I s w o. ith some hesitation , agreed to do He himself bestowed much time and pains in preparing descriptive explanations of the Views . Fou lis I had long been interested in the work of the Brothers , and had acquired some interesting Fou lis i tems at the sale of the f o of . libraries David Laing and John Whitefoord Mackenzie Mr . William James Duncan was an old friend and I applied to him for information as to the material he had in hand in the prepara tion of his Noti c es a n d Doc u men ts i llu stra ti ve of the Li ter a ry H i stor o Gla s ow of y f g , but at the lapse more than fifty years I he could not remember from whom he had obtained it . was fortunate , however , in obtaining access to the Buchan letters which Mr . Duncan had used , and to others which I think he had not seen I also picked up a number of Buchan papers which were in the ’ P . market , and some of rofessor Simson s correspondence I examined of the Minute Books of the Barbers Incorporation , the records the of of University , the register of deeds and the register testaments Commissari ot the of Glasgow , various manuscripts in the British Museum and in the Glasgow University library . From these and other sources I drew up an account of the Foulis Press and of the of ffi Glasgow Academy the Fine Arts , which seemed to be su cient for the purpose in view . Mr . Robertson was , however, anxious that v i PREFACE so as of i it should be extended , to include a history l terature , art , a s and science in Glasgow . This w a much more formidable under d i i . a v sa tak ng , and it made Slow progress I suggested to him the b ility of proceeding with what more immediately related to the of volume plates , as the larger proj ect would entail much delay . w as His fancy , however , for the latter , and I did my best to carry b u t it out , it was unfinished when he died , and my papers were then laid aside . It w a s hoped that the Earl of Rosebery would open the Fou lis Exhibition of the Glasgow Bibliographical Society , in April last , h is ‘ but Lordship found that he was unable to do so , and the duty i r du c tor . n t o v devolved upon me The time was short , and for an r Address I abridged the account which I had formerly w itten , and so i had it printed , that it might be distributed at the meet ng , but l n ot the i lustrations could not be got ready in time , and this was done . As the immediate occasion was past , it was thought that it might be more useful to restore what had been struck out , and the present paper is practically what was prepared fully five and twenty years ago . Certain details regarding the artists trained in the of Academy have been omitted , and advantage has been taken such additional information as has become ava ilable in the mean f of time . My aim has been to give a connected account o the work ou lis of ff Robert F as a printer , and his e orts to establish and carry on of the Academy of the Fine Arts , his surroundings , and of those with whom he was associated . I have to thank the Reverend W . J . Couper , Mr . William Stewart , - and Mr . J . C . Ewing for reading the proof sheets , and for several u val able suggestions . DA VI D M U R RAY . 1 3 F i r z RO Y PLACE G A S 2 th u ne 1 1 L GOW , 5 j , 9 3 . C O NT E NT S PAGE R OBE RT AN D A N DRE W FOULI S AN D THE GLASGOW P RE SS E ARLY L IFE VISIT To E NGLAND AN D FRANCE ROBERT FO U LI S A S BOOKSELLER ROBERT FO U LI S A s PUBLISHER ROBERT F O U LI S A s PRINTER THE UNIVERSITY PRESS ROBERT F O U LI S A S UNIVERSITY PRINTER TYPE FOUNDING IN GLASGOW SS . U TS THE PRE OF R . A PO L THE PRINTING HOUSE SOME NOTABLE BOOKS INFLUENCE OF THE FO U LI S PRESS PROGRESS OF G LASGOW THE L ITERARY SOCIETY IN GLASGOW COLLEGE THE PARLIAMENT OF OCEANA LIVRE S DE LUX E LETTERED PROPERTY LOCAL PUBLISHING THE G LASGOW ACADEMY O F THE FINE ARTS ROBERT F O U LI S AND THE FINE ARTS PURCHASE OF PICTURES THE UNIVERS ITY AND THE ACADEMY THE E Q UIPMENT OF THE ACADEMY vi ii CONTENTS PA GE — THE G LASGOW ACADE MY OF TH E FINE A RTS c on ti n u ed ADVICE OF FRIEND S PROGRESS OF THE ACADEM Y AS S ISTAN CE WORK OF THE ACADEM Y PATRONAGE OF THE ACADEM Y STUDENT S OF THE ACADEMY E X HIBITION OF PICTURE S FINAN CIAL TROUBLE RECLAMATI ON OF PEAT MOSS SOME NOTABLE VISITORS DEATH OF THE BROTHERS THE CHARACTER OF ROBERT POULTS H IS CI RCLE PORTRAITS OF F O U L I S A NE W G E NE RATION FAM ILY OF ROBERT POULTS N FO U LI S Y N A DREW , OU GER TH E END ’ ROBERT F O U LI S E STATE ACHIEVEM ENT I N DE X L I S T O F I L L U S T R A T I O NS PORTRAIT O F ROBERT FO U LI S F r on ti spi ec e F rom a m eda lli on i n th e S c ottis h Na tion a l Portra it Ga ller y ’ BIRD S -E YE VIEW OF THE COLLEGE OF GLASGOW AT THE EN D OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ’ ' om Slez er s Tlzea tr u m S c oti co 1 6 Fr , 93 IT - A T Gla s ow C oa r a n t 1 1 T LE P GE OF HE g , 7 5 From c opy i n th e U n i v ers ity Lib ra r y AN T A 1 8 PL OF HE COLLEGE ARE , 77 ‘ ' From M Ar th u r s f our -s h eet m a p PART OF PAGE OF THE HOMER OF 1 75 6 L I W ETTER ROBERT FO U L S To D R . ARB URTON ARCHIBALD INGRAM ' M on u m en t i n th e M erc ha n ts H ou se of Gl a sg ow I NTERIOR OF THE PAI NTING ROOM OF THE ACADEMY om a Pr n of a a n n b Da v d All a n see 86 Fr i t p i ti g y i : p.