WILLIAM, an ingenious though unsuccessful artist (a goldsmith in Edinburgh), who deserves to be noticed on account of his attempt to introduce an improvement in the art of printing. The invention, first practised by Ged in 1725, may be shortly described. From any types of Greek, Roman, or other character, he formed a plate for every page, or sheet, of a book, from which he printed, instead of using a type for every letter, as is done in the common way. This was first practised, but on blocks of wood, by the Chinese and Japanese, and pursued in the first essays of Foster. "This improvement," says James Ged, the inventor's son, "is principally considerable in three most important articles, viz. expense, correctness, beauty, and uniformity." In July 1729, William Ged entered into partnership with William Fenner, a London stationer, who was to receive half the profits, in consideration of his advancing all the money requisite. To supply this, Mr John James, an architect at Greenwich, was taken into the scheme, and afterwards his brother Mr Thomas James, a letter-founder, and James Ged, the inventor's son. In 1730, these partners applied to the university of Cambridge for the printing of Bibles and common prayer books by blocks instead of single types; and, in consequence, a lease was granted to them, on the 23rd April 1731. In this attempt they invested a large sum of money, and finished only two prayer books, when it had to be relinquished, and the use was afterwards given up. Ged imputed his disappointment to the villany of the pressmen, and the ill treatment of his partners, particularly Fenner, whom John James said he was advised to prosecute, but declined it. He returned to Scotland in 1736, where he gave his friends a specimen of his performance, by an edition of Sallust printed according to his method, tabellis seu laminis fissis. But being still unsuccessful, and having failed in obtaining redress from Fenner, who died insolvent, he was preparing again to set out for London, in order to join with his son James as a printer there, when he died, on the 19th October 1749. The date of his birth is unknown.