Scribal Publication in Seventeenth-Century England

Long after the establishment of printing, many important writers and composers still preferred to publish their work in handwritten copies. Works transmitted this way included some of the most distinguished poetry and music of the seventeenth century, as well as a rich variety of political, scientific, antiquarian, and philosophical writings. This new study is the first to examine scribal publication and its relevance for book trade history, the sociology of authorship, and the communication of ideas.