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The Didot Family,

Extracted from the forthcoming "Bibliography of

Printing," compiled by E. C. Bigmore and

C. W. H. Wyman.

LONDON :

Fifty Copies Privately Printed by
WYMAN <&- SONS, GREAT QUEEN STREET

)^

MDCCCLXXVIIJ.

The Didot Family.

^

Extracted from the forthcoming "Bibliography of

Printing," compiled by E. C. Bigmore and

C. W. H. Wyman.

&

LONDON :

Fifty Copies Privately Printed by

WYMAN &> SONS, GREAT QUEEN STREET.

MDCCCLXXVIIJ.

The Didot Family.

IDOT (Ambroise Firmin). Aide Manuce et rHellenisme
i Venise. Orne de quatre portraits et d'un facsimile.
Hellenisme dans I'Occident; Isabelle D'Este, marquise
de Mantoue ; Correspondance inedite des Refugies Grecs
en Italie ; Zacharias Calliergi et les Calligraphes Cretois ;
Premieres Impressions Grecques, etc. Paris : 1875. 8vo.
pp. Ixviii. and 647.

A mono^aph of Aldus Manutius, the
great Italian printer of the sixteenth
century, to whom the world of literature
owes some of the best editions of the
Greek classics, and the world of art some
of the noblest examples of typography.
It gives, further, a bibliographical and
technical account of the products of the
Aldine press from 1494 to 15x5. In seve-
ral respects it corrects the received
opinions concerning the Aldi, and all its
statements have been derived, after years
of study and research on the part of the
late M. A. F. Didot, from the best autho-
rities. The ordinary text-books of the
history of printing abound with errors on
the subject, and these have been too
often copied and perpetuated without the
s] ightest attempt at verification. Prefixed
J o the work is a portrait of Aldus, taken

from an Italian line engraving of great
rarity which belonged to M. Didot's col-
lection. This was reproduced, to illustrate
an appreciative and lengthy review of the
book, in the Printing Times and
Lithographer (August, 1875), P- ^67.
At the side is the mark of Aldus — a dol-
phin entwined round an anchor, a device
found on the obverse of a medal of
Vespasian, and on another of Domitian.
The great printer adopted the emblem as
a token of swiftness (the dolphin) in ex-
ecution, combined with steadiness (the
anchor) in conception. There is also
given a portrait of Isabella d'Este, the
patron of Aldus, and of Marc Musurus ;
a view of the tomb of Prince Alberto Pio ;
and a facsimile of the caligraphy of Marc
Musurus.— i"^^ Manutius.

Les Aide Manuce. Paris : i860. 8vo. pp. 1$.

Excerpt from the " Nouvelle Biographic G^n^rale," vol. i. p. 33.

Catalogue raisonne des Livres de la Biblioth^que de M. A. F.

Didot. Paris: 1867. 8vo. pp. iv. and 384-

In the preface to the first part of the de chevalerie ") there is given a descrip-
Catalogue of M. Didot's library ("livres tion of a series of books bearing on the
\l figures sur bois, solennites, romans history of printing, by reason of their em-

2 The Didot Family.

bellishment with engravings on wood, are raised in the essay prefixed to
which serve also to settle some questions Vecellio's book on "Ancient Costumes."
in the history of wood-engraving, which

DiDOT (Ambroise Firmin). Catalogue des Dessins et Estampes, com-
posant la Collection de M. Ambroise Firmin Didot, de 1' Academic
des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres ; precede d'introductions par M.
Charles Blanc, de I'Academie Fran9aise, et M. Georges Duplessis,
conservateur adjoint au Cabinet des Estampes. Paris : 1877.
Royal 8vo. pp. vii. xxx. and 541 .
The sale of the Didot engravings realized 626,474 fr-j or ;^25,o63 sterling.

Compte Rendu de I'ouvrage d'Aug. Bernard, "De I'Origine

de rimprimerie en Europe. Paris : 1853. 8vo. pp. 20.

Excerpt from the Athenceum Fraftfais of 9th July, 1853.

Essai sur la Typographie. Paris: 1852. 8vo. Plates.

This work, an excerpt from the " En- knowledge of the subject. The early

cyclopedie Moderne," contains the result history of printing is treated with great

of the author's lengthened experience, clearness and a thorough acquaintance

and of his vast theoretical and practical with the best authorities.

Essai Typographique et Bibliographique sur I'Histoire de la

Gravure sur Bois. Paris : 1863. 8vo. pp. 315.
This treatise on wood-engraving was prefixed to a sumptuous edition, published by
Didot Freres, of Vecellio's "Costumes anciens."

Les Estienne. Henri I.; Fran9ois I. et II.; Robert I., II., et

III. ; Henri II. ; Paulet Antoine. Extrait de la "Nouvelle Bio-
graphic Generale." Paris. [1856.] 8vo. pp. 41.
— Les Graveurs de Portraits en France. Paris : 1 875-1 877.

2 vols. 8vo. Vol. i. pp. iv. xvi. and 356 j vol. ii. pp. iv. and 565.
750 copies printed.

A catalogue r«iJ^««/ of the collection comprising the notabilities in literature,
of portraits of the French school belong- science, and arts ; statesmen, magis-
ing to the late M. Didot. The work, trates, ecclesiastics, and generals. At
which is posthumous, is preceded by an M. Didot' s death it had become the most
introduction dated December, 1875. The important and interesting private portrait
collection, which began with the portraits gallery in existence,
of printers and publishers, ended by
Gutenberg. Paris : 1858. 8vo. pp. 13.

This is a reprint of the article in the the memorials of Gutenberg's career at

" Nouvelle Biographie Generale." M. Strasburg and at Mayence, and, after

Didot starts with the assertion that Guten- referring to the modern views which have

berg was the inventor of printing ; that been held of Gutenberg's invention, gives

he was born about 1400, at Mayence, a bibliographical list of his works. At

where he died in February, 1468 ; and the end there is a long list of biographi-

recites the principal events in the history cal treatises which refer to the subject of

of the famous controversy. He then traces the memoir.

L'Imprimerie, la Librairie, et la Papeterie a I'Exposition Univer-

selle de 185 1. Rapport du 17 Jury. Paris : 1853. 8vo.
2me edition, avec quelques additions. Paris : 1854. 8vo.
— L'Imprimerie h. Paris en 1867. Paris : 1867.

An article in the first volume of the " Paris-Guide."

La Renaissance de I'Hellenisme et Aide Manuce. Paris

1875. 8vo. pp. 38.
An extract from the Revue de France.

The Didot Family,

DiDOT (Ambroise Firmin), Reponses aux Questions soumises par
MM. les membres de la Chambre du Commerce de Paris, sur la
situation de la Librairie, de I'lmprimerie, de la Fonderie de
Caracteres, et de la Papeterie. Paris : 183 1. 8vo. pp. 30.

La Societe des Correcteurs. Paris: 1866. 8vo. pp.27.

Ambroise Firmin-Didot, as honorary count of the excellent advice it gives to

the members of the profession, as well
as the high estimate in which the calling
of the Correctors of the Press was held by
one who was so well qualified to form an
opinion of its merits.

[868.

president, delivered this speech before the
Paris Societe des Correcteurs — the French
Readers' Society, at their general as-
sembly, on the ist November, 1866.
It deserves to be carefully read on ac-

Societe des Correcteurs. Discours prononce le 19 Avril,

Paris : 1868. 8vo. pp. 23.

Didot (Firmin). Caracteres de la Fonderie de F. Didot. Paris :
1817. [A broadside.]

Fonderie de F. Didot, i^' cahier, contenant les caracteres

romains et italiques. Paris : 1828. 8vo.

Didot (Jules). Nouvelles Vignettes de la Fonderie de J. Didot I'atne.
Paris : 1836. 4to.

Vignettes et Caracteres de la Fonderie de J. Didot I'aine.

Paris : 1837. Folio.

Didot (Pierre), fipitre sur les Progresde I'lmprimerie. Paris : 1784.
8vo. pp. 24.
The imprint runs :

Didot I'aine, avec les italiques de Firmin
son second fils." It is dedicated " X mon
Pfere." The poem recites all the typo-
graphical successes of the author's father,
to whom it is addressed, the expressions
being of the most enthusiastic nature.
At the end are certain notes on passages

' Imprime chez contained in the poem, and the^ have re-

ference chiefly to the biographical, lite
rary, and historical topics introduced.
Incidentally, they give a good and au-
thentic account of the first manufacture
of the papier vilin. The poem is alto-
gether very curious and interesting.

fipitre sur les Progres de I'lmprimerie. [Reprinted at the end

of the ''Essaide Fables nouvelles."] Paris : 1786. 8vo.

This contains, among other interesting matter, notes on the " tjrpometer," Anib-
son's press, and the manufacture of satin paper.

Lettre sur les Decouvertes de M. Didot (alne) dans les Arts

de I'lmprimerie, de la Gravure des Caracteres, et de la Papeterie.
Paris: I2thjune, 1783. 8vo. pp. 15.

Specimen des nouveaux Caracteres de la Fonderie et de I'lm-

primerie de P. Didot I'aine, chevalier de I'ordre royal de St. Michel,
imprimeur du roi et de la Chambre des Pairs. Dedie k Jules Didot
fils, chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur. Paris : 1819. 8vo. pp. 80.

In the preface to this very interesting gustin, &c., offer no idea of the particu-

type-specimen book the compiler says : — lar proportions of the letters, nor of their

" I have adopted the numerical order for relation to others ; in fact, they vary in

the identification of my types, in place of size in different offices. The numerical

the meaningless and often absurd names order, the only one really convenient, was

preserved up to the present day in nearly introduced by my father, and the nam

all the printing-offices. These names, of each of his characters is given at the

such as Perle, Parisienne, Nompareille, heads of the respective specimens. For

Mignonne, Petit texte, Gaillarde, Petit about ten consecutive years,— during

romain, Philosophie, Cicero, Saint Au- which I have employed, as nearly as pos-

The Didot Family.

sible, three hours daily in working with that in the industrial arts there is a point

M. Vibert, who is undoubtedly one of the
best engravers of letters or punches, — I
have been bringing them to perfection.
My directions, also, have been carried
out with the utmost fidelity, as well as
all my ideas for improvements, sometimes
resulting in the same fount being cut
three or four times over again. It is true

DiDOT (Pierre and Jules). Essai d'un nouveau caractere, offrant un
Essai Ijrrique, de P. Didot Taine, chevalier de I'ordre royal de
Saint Michel, impri-meur du roi et de la Chambre des Pairs.
Paris : 1821. 4to. pp. 20.

where it is necessary to stop. I do not,
however, think I have reached it. I pro-
pose still to continue to rectify the types
and their forms whenever they seem to
me susceptible of improvement. I shall
leave the same course to my son, — to-day
my associate ; in a few years, probably,
my successor,"

On the title-page it is stated that this
work is issued " chez I'auteur et Jules
Didot fils, Chevalier de la Legion d'Hon-
neur, rue du Pont de Lodi, no. 6." The

seriph of the g, are, however, not to our
taste, and they appear not to have held
their position in their native country, for
they are now seldom copied. At the end

type is very beautiful in appearance, the is a notice to publishers calling their at-
lining, colouring, &c. , being exquisite, tention to the peculiar merits of the founts
The new shapes introduced, such as the used.

Didot Family (The). Three articles in the Printing Times and
Lithographer^ March, April, May, 1876.

The Didot family has been honourably
connected with French typography for a
period little short of two centuries, and
the following sketches of some of the
principal members may be interesting : —
The first of the family who distinguished
himself as a literary man was Francois
Didot, born in 1689. He was the son of
a Paris merchant, named Denis Didot,
and served his apprenticeship to Andre
Pralard, the printer and publisher. He
became the intimate friend of the Abbe
Prevost, whose works he published. All
of these are known to bibliographers for
the beauty of their typography. The sign
of his establishment was "the Golden
Bible." His printing-ofiice was situated
successively in the Rue Pavee St. Andrd
des Arts, and the Quai des Grands Augus-
tins. He died on the 2nd November,
1757-

standards, which he called points. He
also invented a handpress, which was
widely used. He visited all the mills in
France, with the view of arriving at a bet-
ter system of papermaking than prevailed.
Afterwards he went to Holland for the
same purpose, and there found a work-
man named Ecrevisse, who assisted him
greatly in the improvement of this art.
At the suggestion of Didot, and with his
practical assistance, the factory of Johan-
not, at Annonay, produced, in 1780, the
first specimen of satin paper (^papier
viliti), in imitation of that on which
Baskerville had printed his beautiful
quarto edition of Virgil, which was pre-
viously only known in England. In
1783, as a mark of royal favour, he was
commissioned, under a decree of the
king, Louis XVI., to prepare editions of
all the books requisite for the education
of the Dauphin — a collection of thirty-
two volumes in 4to., seventeen in 8vo.,
and eighteen in i8mo. He printed also
for the Count of Artois, afterwards
Charles X., a collection of books consist-

FRAN901S Ambroise Didot, son of
Frangois, was born in Paris, 7th January,
1730, and died loth July, 1804 He entered
upon the publishing business in 1753, and

added a printing department to it in 1757. ■ of sixty-four volumes in i8mo. This
His office was situated m the Rue de ^. j^ > ^^ .. ^^^-^ edition," is,
Savoie He may be said to have laid the ^.^ 'j^ j^^^ j^j^ ^^.^. highly

foundation of the subsequent typographic ;^^ ^ bibliophiles. H^ left the com-
celebnty of the house. He made great ^ Y V ^^ ^.^ ^^^

improvements in type-founding, and his t,. , r- „• , „f,_ » — .f..„.;„ '

improvements in type-founding,
founts of type were superior to all that
had been produced previously in France.
He did not content himself with beauti-
fying the faces of the characters, but put
an end in France to the confusion result-
ing from the non-justification of one
founder's type with that of another, by
inventing a system of proportioning the
sizes of bodies of types to certain normal

Pierre and Firmin ; and after transferring
to the first his printing-office, and to the
second his foundry, he died in 1804, at
the ripe age of 75.

Pierre FRAN901S, second son of Fran-
cois, was a printer, a publisher, and a
er-maker. He was born at Paris, 9th
uly, 1732, and died 7th December, 1793.
entered into business on his own ac-

The Didot Family.

tf

^.

count as publisher in 1753, and as printer in
1755. From 1759 to 1789 his establishment
was in the Rue des Grands - Augustins,
where he published several remarkable
editions, among them the " Imitation of
Christ," in folio, 1788 ; " Telemachus,"
in 4to. ; the " Picture of the Ottoman
Empire," &c. Pierre F. Didot was
printer to Louis XVIII. before he as-
cended the throne. He devoted himself
also to type-founding, in which he effected
several useful improvements. His paper-
mill, at Essonne, was in its day one of the
oldest and most important in France.

Henri, eldest son of Pierre Frangois,
was born 15th July, 1765, and died in 1852.
He became famous as a punch-cutter, and
for his mechanical skill. At the age of
66 he engraved a fount to which he gave
the name of " microscopic," and used it
for the editions which he called "the
microscopic editions " of the Maxims of
Rochefoucault, and of Horace. This
fount was a high achievement of the type-
founder's art. The minuteness was such
that the types could not be cast in the
ordinary way ; hence he invented a
special apparatus, to which he gave the
name of the ^' polyatnatype," and by
means of which they were cast, a hundred
letters at a time. These beautiful editions
were printed by his brother, Didot jun.

St. Leger, second son of Pierre
Fran9ois, was the director of his father's
paper-mills at Essonne. It is to this
member of the family that we owe the
very useful machine for making paper
in the web, or in endless rolls. The first
attempts in this direction were made at
Essonne, in the mill of Pierre Francois
Didot, his father, where Robert, one of
his foremen, conceived the first idea of
such an apparatus. Many fruitless ex-
periments were made at Essonne by this
son and M. Robert, and at Mesnil, near
Dreux, under the superintendence of
MM. Guillot and Robert. They would
have been entirely unproductive but for
the perseverance of their employer, who,
it may be added, had resided in England
at the time of the Peace of Amiens.
Fourdrinier had, after an immense ex-
penditure, and after about ten years of
labour, got a machine, the first of its
kind, in working order at his establish-
ment at Two- Waters. Assisted by Mr.
Donkin, St. Leger Didot determined
upon developing to its utmost the new
invention — one of the most useful and
novel of our epoch. In 1816 he returned
to France, and at once began to erect
machines of this description, originally at
Sorel, in the establishment of Messrs.
Berthe & Grevenich, afterwards at that

of St-Jean-d'Heurs, belonging to Mar-
shal Oudinot.

Pierre^ grandson of Francois, and son
of Frangois Ambroise, was born 25th Jan-
uary, 1761, and died 31st December, 1853.
When his father relinquished printing in
1789, Pierre succeeded him, and devoted
himself so successfully to his art, that his
press was honoured by being installed in
the Louvre, and he himself was created a
chevalier of the Order of St. Michael. He
wrote, besides the several technical works
named above, several translations of the
poets, essays, &c Pierre entertained
the noble desire to render France as pre-
eminent in the arts of peace as she was
then invincible in the arts of war, and
especially to elevate her Press to the first
rank in Europe. In his own efforts he
sought to surpass the memorable triumphs
of Bodoni. He was already the most
eminent printer of France ; he aspired to
become the most eminent in Europe.
Pierrre determined to complete ihe fine
quarto collection of Latin and French
classic authors begun for the use of the
Dauphin. The most distinguished con-
temporaneous artists were called in to
assist in beautifying the books that were
printed : men such as Gerard, Girodet,
Prudhon, and Percier. Seconded by his
brother in the designing and founding of
new characters, Pierre ventured upon his
truly national work, the editions known
as the " Louvre." Some of these volumes
were declared by the jury of the Inter-
national Exhibition of 1801 the most
perfect typographic production of any
age. He also published a collection of
French classics, dedicated "To the
friends of the Typographic Art," which
were well worthy of their dedication.
To his reputation as a printer Pierre
added that of a type-founder ; and during
ten successive years he had cut or im-
proved under his own eyes, by M. Vibert,
no less than eighteen different founts. A
medal was struck at Paris in honour of
Pierre Didot in 1823. On the obverse is
a bust to the right, around which is
" Pierre Didot I'aine typographe Fran-
cais," and in small characters beneath

Veyrat F." On the reverse is an iron
printing-press, against the T of which is
" Presse Jules Didot." On the left side
of the Presse is the ball-rack, wth a pair
of pressman's inking-balls. The sur-
rounding legend is " Horace, Virgile,
Racine Lafontaine ed°°* in-fol° " ; and
in small letters, "Veyrat F. 1823," re-
ferring to his chefs-d'oeuvre.

Jules, son of Pierre, was born 5th
August, 1794, and died i8th May, 1871.
He maybe said to have walked in the steps

The Didot Family.

of his father, and carried on with great suc-
cess the business of type-founding. After
1838, however, a painful malady compelled
him to renounce his art. He then took
to Brussels the materials for establishing,
on a large scale, a printing-office and
type-foundry, but his enterprise was not
successful. He consequently returned to
Paris, where he bought a large mansion
in the Barriere de Mont-Parnasse, and
converted it into a printing-office. He
was decorated with the badge of the
Legion of Honour. Jules gave to the
world many fine editions of French
standard books.

FiRMiN, second son of Fran5ois Am-
broise, and brother of Pierre, was bom in
Paris, 14th April, 1764, and died 24th April,
1836. He was distinguished by his literary
taste and his excellence as a printer. The
types for several of his father's editions
were engraved by him, and his script
founts were greatly superior to any that
had previously been executed. His
Roman characters especially were of
great excellence. In 1795 he conceived
the plan of consolidating the types which
he employed in printing his logarithmic
tables, and in pursuing this object he
arrived gradually at the stereotyping
process. The word steriotypie was, in
fact, invented by him. A patent was
granted for the invention in 1797.
Another patent was granted to him m
i8o5 for an improved mode of forming
script types, and in 1823 a further
patent was granted for a new system of
executing, in typography, various kinds
of maps and charts. After having travel-
led in Italy, Greece, and Spain, Firmin
retired in 1827 from the active super-
intendence of his great establishment.
In 1830 the Government offered him the
position of director of the Royal Printing-
office, which, however, he declined. He
was decorated with the medal of the
Legion of Honour, and appointed Printer
to the King and to the French Institute.
The Government had his bust in marble
placed in one of the halls of the Im-
perial Printing-office, and a medal in his
honour was struck after his death. His
portrait, painted by his friend Girodet,
is hung in the gallery of the Louvre. A
medal was struck at Paris in honour of
Firmin Didot in 1839. On the obverse
is a bust, nearly full face ; to the right, in
modem costume, with the name on either
side in bold letters : " Firmin Didot."
On the reverse is a heavy wreath of
laurel-leaves, tied at foot with a ribbon,
within which is the inscription — " Ste-
phanonim Aemulus musarum cultor."
In 1806 he published a translation, of

which he was the author, of the Bucolics
of Virgil. The book is interesting from
a typographical point of view, not only
because of its being translated by the
printer, but because the latter also en-
graved and cast the tyi)es. It is also
remarkable for the use of the character
called "Anglaise," which appeared for
the first time in the dedication of the
book to Pierre Didot, the author's elder
brother. The volume concludes with a
long bibliographical and typographical
note. He also printed M. Brun's
" Manuel de Typographie Fran5aise "
(Paris : 1825), a masterpiece of printing,
and possessing the peculiarity of not
containing a single divided word.

Ambroise Firmin, the son of Firmin,
and a great-grandson of the founder of
the house, was born at Paris on Decem-
ber 20th, 1790. He died February 22nd,
1876, in his eighty-sixth year. In 1814,
on the establishment of peace, Ambroise
Firmin-Didot determined to visit Eng-
land, with a view to ascertain the pro-
gress made in this country in regard to
the arts of printing and paper-making.
The knowledge he acquired by this
journey led to his being the first to
introduce into France the iron press
invented by Lord Stanhope and named
after him. In 1823 he resided in Greece,
and to his initiative was due the esta-
blishment of the " Comite Grec." In
1827 Ambroise Firmin Didot entered
upon the management of his father's
establishment, in conjunction with his
brother, Hyacinthe Didot, under the
partnership name of Firmin-Didot freres.
M. Ambroise Firmin Didot, like several
of his predecessors, distinguished him-
self as a punch-cutter and type-founder.
He introduced two new founts, one being
what he called "English cursive" and
the other an improved Greek. Much to
his regret, he had to sell to the Societe de
la Fonderie Generale that branch of his
business which was connected with type-
founding. His works, however, remained
the most complete in France, and were,
perhaps, the only office where all the
branches of printing and its many ramifi-
cations were conducted under one head ;
for it embraced not only publishing and
printing, but paper-making, on the largest
scale. The mills are situated at Mesnil,
near Dreux, and at Sorel (Eure-et-Loire),
where the processes are conducted in the
most approved manner In conjunction
with his brother Hyacinthe, he published a
number of magnificent works ; among them
the "Univers Pittoresque," the "Ency-
clopedic Moderne,"and the " Dictionnaire
de Conversation et de Lecture." One of

The Didot Family.

AMBROISE FIRMIN DIDOT, I79O-1876.

8

The Didot Family.

the best-known works of the firm was the embodiment of the honour and glory of

" Nouvelle Biographic Generale," edited the printing profession in France. He

by Dr. Hoefer, which was begun in 1853 was also, in every respect, a "learned

and finished in 1866, forming in itself printer," and in correspondence with the

a small library of 46 volumes. At the principal savants of his time. He tra-

French Exhibitions of 1844 and 1849, ^s
a member of the jury, he was charged
with the compilation of a report on all
the industries connected with typography.
In 1 85 1, by the unanimous wish of the
international yxry, he was selected to
draw up a similar report concerning
the first Great Exhibition at London.
This report, printed at the Imperial
Printing-office, forms a comprehensive
and sagacious review of the condition
of the art of printing all over the
world at the time of its compilation. It
is even more than this, for it gives a
risumi of the past history of typography,
lithography, &c., and some suggestions
of great v^ue as to their future progress.
He also wrote the " Essay on Typo-
graphy," the address to the French
Readers' Society, and the "Treatise on
Wood-engraving," besides the important
work on Aldus Manutius. In fact, he
was at once a designer and engraver of
types, a publisher, and a typographer
Chamb

veiled extensively, and was known as an
eminent philo- Hellenist. Our space does
not permit of our further naming his
achievements in literature, arts, and
science. In addition to his exceptionally
fine collection of engravings, the cata-
logues relating to which are cited above,
M. Didot left a magnificent library.

Alfred Firm in is the son of Am-
broise. He was bom in 1828, and is a
well-known litterateur, as well as a
printer. He translated from the Greek,
m 1852, " Les Fragments inedits de
Nicolas de Damas," recently discovered,
and comprised in the Didots' " Biblio-
theque Grecque."

HvACiNTHE is the younger brother of
Ambroise Firmin-Didot, and was born in
1794, and educated at the college of St.
Barbe. Since 1 857 he has been the director
of the Didot printing-office. He is a Che-
valier of the Legion of Honour, member

of the Municipal Council of the Eure, and
member since 1X27" of 'the'cliambrr ' 0/ discharges various municipaUffices
Commerce, and since 1832 of the Council '^ ""
of Manufactures. Since 1 848 he had been
a member of the Municipal Council of
Paris. At all the Exhibitions his establish-
ment obtained gold medals. He was the
honorary president of the Paris Publishers,
Printers, and Paper-makers' Club. De-

Paul Firmin is the son of Hyacinthe.
He was bom in 1826, and has de-
voted much attention to chemical investi-
gations, with the view of improving the
manufacture of paper. He published in
1855, jointly with M. Barruel, "Un
nouveau Mode de Blanchiment des

corated with the order of the Legion of Chiffons et des Plantes textiles, par
Honour in 1825, he was named as an I'adjonction du gaz acide carbonique,"
officer 13th November, i86o. He sue- in 8vo. This is a work which led to
ceeded his father as printer to the Insti- several improvements in the processes of
tute of France in 1855. It may therefore paper-making, especially in the bleaching
be said, with the strictest justice, that he of rags and of paper-stuff made from
was worthily regarded as the personal fibrous plants.

In order that the reader may the more readily understand the relationship of the
various members of the Didots, we here insert a family Pedigree.

Denis Didot.

I

Francois Didot, b. 1689, d. 1757.

Frangois Ambroise, 1730-1804.

Pierre Frangois, 1 732-1 793.
I

Pierre, 1761-1853, Firmin, 1764-1836. Henri^ 1765-1852. St. Leger. Didot jun.

Jules,

1794-1871.

Henri, d. 1876. Edouard.

Ambroise Firmin, 1790-1876.
AKred Firmin, 1828.

Hyacinthe Firmin, 1794.
Paul Firmin, 1826.

Friedrich, 1 799-1 836.

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