John Johnson (1777–1848) worked for a private press at Lee Priory, Kent, which published limited editions of poetry, prose and pamphlets, but was not financially successful. Moving to London in 1824, Johnson produced this two-volume work on printing, which had become a popular topic in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The work was published in several formats, and contemporary reviewers noted Johnson's highly ornate typography and use of engravings more than the contents. Volume 1 deals with the history of printing, listing printers working in England up to the end of the sixteenth century, and Volume 2 describes contemporary practice and new developments in the industry such as the use of steam presses and the stereotype process.