Publications of William Lewis

Note: The following printer, bookseller, or publisher lists are works in progress. They are generated from title page imprints and may reproduce false and misleading attributions or contain errors.

What does "printed by" mean? How to read the roles ascribed to people in the imprints.

In terms of the book trades, the lists below are sorted into up to four groups where: the person is designated in the imprint as having a single role:

  1. "printed by x"; or
  2. "sold by x"; or
  3. "printed for x" or "published by x";

or as having the seller and printer roles in combination, or an absence of the printer's name following "London: printed:" or "London: printed,":

  1. "printed and sold by x"; or "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x"; or "printed: and sold by x"; or "printed, and sold by x";  and so on.

On this last point, trade publishers may seem to have "printed" or "published" the work, though they did not own the copyright. The lists below reflect only the information on the imprint, except where ESTC provides extra information.

See also "The Meaning of the Imprint."

Printed by William Lewis

  • By His Excellency Thomas Carleton, esq: ... To [blank] you are forthwith, by yourself or your deputy, to admeasure and lay out for [blank] and make a due return into the secretary's office within [blank] from the date hereof ... the nature and quality of the said lands ... Given under my hand, at Parr-Town, this [blank]. [St. John: printed by William Lewis and John Ryan, 1785?]. ESTC No. W43092. Grub Street ID 352717.

Printed for William Lewis

  • Jacob, Hildebrand. Brutus the Trojan; founder of the British empire. An epic poem. Written by Hildebrand Jacob, Esq;. London: printed for William Lewis in Russel-Street, Covent-Garden, MDCCXXXV. [1735]. ESTC No. N15633. Grub Street ID 5340.
  • Considerations on A letter to the Mayor of ---- , in relation to a bill now depending in Parliament, for the encouragement of seamen employed in the Royal Navy, &c.&c.&c. London: printed for William Lewis, in Russel-Street, Covent-Garden, 1758. ESTC No. T112647. Grub Street ID 164613.