The Press. — London, England, 1854-11-25 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 25, 1854. THE RIVAL DIRECTORIES.• Tin angry rivalry between these publications makes it an invidious task to notice them together. They pretend to occupy exactly the same ground. Cer tainly they are both London Directories, but com parison between them would be as unjust as between any two kinds of a commodity at widely different prices—calico at 4d. and 7d. a yard, for example, or tea at 2s. (Id. and 4s. Bd. a pound. The one article is cheaper, the other is better. Watkins's Directory is offered at a pound—Kelly's at thirty, or to non-sub scribers thirty six, shillings. There appears to us just as much of difference in quality between them as might he expected from the difference in price. Kelly's Directory contains the number of 152,410 distinct names or firms. Watkins gives 142,0tX) such names. Here there is a considerable difference in itself. The pages of Kelly extend to 2,020, those of Watkins to 2,480, and much of the print of the former is smaller than that of its rival. As to the binding— an important point in so bulky a volume—any one can see at a glance the superiority of the higher priced book. Mr. Watkins deserves great credit for his highly-ingenious invention of an external index ; but, without infringing on that patent, Kelly's Direc tory is aiso supplied with an index not less conve nient, we think, though undoubtedly less expensive to produce. As to the accuracy of these publications, the term must, in the collection of such an immense mass of details, be merely comparative. From the changes which are daily taking place among the residents of London, no Directory can possibly do more than exhibit an approach to accuracy. The deaths alone, taken at 1,20(1 per week, must evidently be a source of continual change, and the alterations by removal must perhaps be more numerous than through death. It' it were possible, therefore, to produce a perlectly accurate Directory to-day, it would be very inaccu rate to-morrow. But such an enormous volume must be some time in passing through the press; and for every day of that time changes are progressing. By great vigilance it is possible to ensure accuracy on important details near the date l.f publication, but such details, though they show commendable indus try, cannot be taken as a sample of the whole bulk of the work. From the changes in constant progress, then, a considerable deduction must be made from the accuracy otherwise to be expected in any volume so bulky as these. Further, there must of necessity be many mistakes in names and addresses from the great labour inci dent to the compilation of such a mass of them. A private person may receive a dozen letters in a day, and no two of them addressed exactly alike, though they all reach him in safety. A parade of trivial errors, therefore, should count for nothing, as they are incident to the very nature of the book. On this point, also, we must be content with an approach to accuracy. But, making allowance for such unavoidable imper fections, we must express our opinion that Kelly's Directory conies as near to ac' uracy as the most exacting could expect, and much nearer than persons who are at all acquainted with the difficulties of such an undertaking would be inclined to antici pate. The writer states this from a pretty extensive acquaintance with the metropolis, and a pretty close examination of the Directory in its several parts. The information is, on the whole, not only most correctly given, but most conveniently arranged. The Directory is really a most complete analysis of the social and industrial life of London as exhibited outwardly in its offices, residences, trades, and pro fessions. And this London is really a world in itself. By the very ingenious map prefixed to Kelly's Directory we see in an instant that the plan—and London may be said to branch out on every side much farther—extonds eight miles from east to west, and four and a half from north to south. This gives an area of thirty-six square miles, or 21,000 square acres, densely covered, for the most part, with bricks and mortar. The idea of indexing these apparently innumerable buildings, and of supplying not only the names of the householders, but of classifying them in every manner convenient for reference, would seem ut first sight as difficult a task as to number sands on the seashore, and, indeed, it is only by many years of application that the task has been done so well as we see it at present performed. Kelly's Directory has been fifty-six years in exist ence ; each year has added something to its com pleteness, and the present publication, we are bound to say, exhibits a decided improvement on all its predecessors. It is very questionable whether such a publication can be approached, much less distanced, at a start, or even in a few years. Whether its present excellence may not have been accelerated by competition, we do not stay to inquire. We speak of the volume as it is—as a great boon to the mercantile community of this vast city, and as most creditable • Post-office London Director y,18:15. Loudon: Kelly and Co. Watkins's Commercial and General London Directory and Court Guide for 105. London : Longmana. THE PRESS. to the ceaseless energy, enterprise, and vigilance of the proprietors. The only question is, whether improvement has not gone too far, whether successive additions have not made the book more bulky, and therefore more expensive, than the great mass of traders require. These additions do, no doubt, add very materially to the completeness of the work and facilitate reference, yet perhaps a smaller book might answer the purposes of general traders nearly as well. Watkins's Directory, however, does not, as we think it might have done, proceed on a different plan. It takes Kelly's huge volume, which sets compet►tion at defiance, as its model, and attempts to produce a directory substantially the same, but cheaper. For the price it is a wonderful production, but this must not blind us to its inferiority. We notice errors in it which hardly came under the class of inexcusable errors. For example, there is a row of four houses known as Park prospect, Westminster, overlooking St. James's-park, and with the entrance in Little Queen-street, but not forming part of that street.. Turning to Kelly's Directory, we find in the " Streets," under its proper heading, the name of " Park-pros pect," with a d►rection, " Great Queen-street, part of Little Queen-street"; and, turning to the latter, we find that, between the numbers thirteen and nine teen of that street, the intervening numbers being blank, Park-prospect is correctly placed and the names of the residents given. But in Watkins's Directory no reference whatever is made to Park prospect. In Little Queen-street, the space between thirteen and nineteen is left wholly blank, nor do we anywhere find the names of the residents inserted. Obviously, general inaccuracy can only be inferred from particular instances. The houses in this case are good ones and of old date, the residents are in the rank of professional life, and the omission argues carelessness, not in details, which would be pardon able, but in what may be called the skeleton of the work. It is disagreeable to point out errors in an undertaking on which great care must have been be stowed, but in this instance, which we can hardly suppose stands alone, the agent employed must have been in fault. In one respect, the plan of Watkins seems inferior to that of Kelly. In the latter, the suburbs to a cer tain range are comprehended as part of the metro polis—in the former they make a distinct part of the book. Thus, if we refer to the name of Abbot, the eminent brewers at Bow, we find it in every division of Kelly among the commercial names, the brewers, &c.; but in Watkins it appears in the suburbs only, though the firm is to all intents and purposes a me tropolitan one. As this new Directory is recommended by its cheap ness alone, it is worth consideration whether the ob ject could not have been more completely attained by greater compression and a simpler plan. Generally, the names are given three times over, and are often repeated more frequently. For most trading pur poses, a directory of ranks, officials, professions, and trades, the names, of course, placed alphabetically, with a directory of streets, which might be arranged in dist►icts, would be sufficient for all general pur poses. Such information, with other details most commonly required, might be given in a volume less than one half the size of these huge tomes, which, in all but large establishments, are felt to be unne cessarily cumbersome and expensive. For such a work there appears room, but we doubt whether the reduction in the price of Watkins's Directory is suffi cient to create any considerable number of new buyers, or allow it to successfully compete with its more costly but more complete rival. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. BOOKS. Mirth and Metre. Routledge. On the Choice and Cookery of Fish. Longman and Co. The Peasant-Boy Philosopher. H. Mayhew. Rogue. The Golden Legend. H. W. Longfellow. Ditto. The Keepsake. Miss Power. Ditto. The Court Album. Ditto. Poems. W. S. Sanders. Longman and Co. Tamerton Church Tower. Poems. By G. Patmore. J. W. Parker and Son. The Church and her Destiny. J. Biden. Aylott and Co. Lyric Notes of the Russian War. Bell. Text Book of Geology. D. Page, F.G.S. Blackwood and Sons. Maydays at Lynmere. C. F. Mackenzie, M.A. Hatehard. Esperanza. Anne Bowman. Routledge. Ancient and Modern Fish Tank. Rev. C. Badham. J. W. Parker and Son. Grant and Griffiths. Knight and Co. Waterlow. Faggots for the Fireside. British Almanac. Boudoir Almanac. PAMPHLETS The Weekly Reporter. Wildey and Scns. The True Functions of Workmen in Art. 3. Ruskin. Smith and Elder. Seeley!. Stanford. Sermon. Rev. J. Scott. Map of Sevastopol. IT is REPORTED that Cardinal Wiseman, as the most learned member of the Sacred College since the death of Cardinal Mai, will most probably succeed to the office of Vatican Librarian, if such should be found compatible with his occupations elsewhere. Ike ilrama. IiAYMARKIT.—The one-act play by Mr. Samuel Lover, which was heralded forth at this theatre with some degree of pomposity, turned out a lamentable failure. Weak in composition, hastily written, and containing sentiments utterly opposed to the truth, The Sentinel of Alma was condemned by the audience upon the first night, and after two further repro , 44 sentations was fi nally withdrawn. On Thursday ' evening, however, a petite comidie by Mr. Bayle Bernard was brought out with such decided success as made amends for the previous failure. The Balance of Comfort contains a very wholesome moral; viz., " that some consideration for another is neces sary to happiness in this world," which is to be in ferred front the history of Mr. and Mrs. Torrington, a young couple who have been married—but not mated, from their uncongenial tastes. One is for a mi l life of excitement and travel, the other for quiet and, -. seclusion; and, after repeated differences, they it length determine to separate, and leave each other free to follow the bent of their respective inclina dons. After a two years' separation, the hushana. r e turns, and each in that period have had amp time for reflection and regret. Neither will ailm' this, and the struggle between affection and pride skilfully and effectively portrayed. They punish eack .. other by their affected indifference, until at length, from a variety of incidents, the woman's gentle na ture overcomes her pride, and acknowledges that she yet loves him, and the curtain falls upon the re united couple. This little piece is so well written, and so skilfully arranged, that an extraordinary in terest is felt for the result. It is a case so com monly met with in life, and is hero so truly repre sented, that, barring the incident of the duel, which is rather out of place, The Balance of Comfort is one of the most natural and pleasing works of its cl that has for some time been seen upon the stage. Sr. JAMES . B.—Bulwer's Money has been performed here during this week, but The School for Scandal proves a greater attraction. The acting of Mrs. Seymour as Lady Teazle, is remarkable for the girl like simplicity which she throws into her voice and manner upon every occasion except in the library scene. Here she appears, not as the simple girl, ready to commit any extravagance or folly in order to be " in fashion," and listening to Joseph's specious reasoning with an indistinct conception of what he really means, but rather as the cool woman of the world, who, perfectly understanding what he intends, merely balances in her own mind the value of her character against her inclination, and has her con science fur a moment, though but for a moment, pricked by his appeal to " honour." This, it strikes us, is not the true interpretation of the character. Lady Teazle was not a woman of the world in heart, though she strove to be in speech and manner ; hers was a good nature, " frotte de petits Oates " but still not one that could not have comprehended ;he full extent of Joseph Surface's meaning. Mr. Ranger as Sir Peter is a good successor to Farren : he makes up well, and acts the character thoroughly, but is a little too boisterous in his mirth when detailing the joke of the "French milliner." An old man like Sir Peter would chuckle and wheeze immensely, but he would be physically incapable of jumping up off the stage to show his mirth. Mr. Vandenhoff is a good Charles Surface, but Joseph, the cool, skilful, polished hypocrite, is but indifferently supported by Mr. Stuart ; he is too gross in his hypocrisy, and hi s none of that suaviter in modo so indispensable to the perfect interpretation of the character. The other characters are tolerably well acted, and the d 1 and scenery are both in excellent taste. The h was well attended, and the call unanimous for Teazle and Sir Peter. THE l'enicess's.—The usual melodramatic rm• tine at this theatre has been varied this week with • solitary performance of The Rivals. The Corsica Brothers, and The Courier of Lyons, with Faust Marguerite having been performed on every evening. McEux.—This theatre is to open on Monday next, under the management of Madame Vestry, and the performances to consist of the well-known Game of Speculation, a new comic drama entitled A Comical Countess, and the farce of My Fellow Clerk. AnEr.rni.—A new farce, The Railway Belle, with but little real wit in dialogue, though full of irresis• tibly comic situations, was brought out at this theatre on Monday last with great success. The characters wire sustained by Mr. Rogers and Mr. Selby with great spirit, and Miss Wyndham was the most charming of " station girls." The Serious Family, Bond Fide Travellers, and the insufferable Slow Maw, have also been performed during the week. Otxxric.—The Beulah Spa, The Trustee, and The Blighted Being, have been repeated every night during the week without any additional novelty. 1123 I .