The Sun. — London, England, 1817-12-18 00:00:00

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL GLEANINGS. FOR THE SUN. ~ 4 bon chienil xe tient jamais unhon tos'." MR. Eorroß,--Your notice, in a former num ber o(your interesting Paper, of the attention which the approaching publication of the Rev. T. F. DLBULN's Bibliographical Decameron had excited in the public mind, induced me to avail myself of the earliest opportunity of examining that celebrated performance. Returning home alone this evening, Y found on my arrival the three Volumes of that splendid Work. I had little re lish for my , lonelydinner, which being soon dis patched, 1 sat down with . a keen appetite to the feast which,frotogeneral reputation, this literary prednetion.was- so likely to furnish. - My first object was, with the utmost care, to Cut open the leaves, which, from the excellency of the paper, required a tolerable sharp and smooth knife. I then proceeded to examine, with a pair of the best glasses of Mr. JONES, the eminent Holborn optician, all the numerous and beanti• `lot Engravings and Cuts which adorn the First Volume of the Work. After feasting most luxuriously on these dainties and delicious mor sels, I ventured to open the leaves of the Second Volume, which though not so splendid as the first, will prove, I have no doubt, equally gratify ing to the TRUE lovers of Bibliography ; but in tinning over the pages of the Second Volume, whether from there being fewer pretty pictures in it, than in its predecessor, or from a natural eutiosity to know the opinion this learned Writer entertained of modern Printers, of whom he pro mised to TALK ! I caught a few passages en pas sant that surprised me, and I was induced to look over-those pages in the Second Volume, in which the Author has in part performed his promise of noticing the British Printers of the present day. He has however omitted many of them, who were entitled to distinguished attention, and he has brought into notice some of a secondary order, - whose names might have been allowed quietly to sink into oblivion, without any loss or injury to the Republic of Letters ;—whilst the productions of other Houses hose been indiscreetly drawn into comparison with some of the finest specimens of ,printing, front the Presses of individuals who, though named in the work, are slightly praised. It would be as invidious to particularize some of the inferior Presses which Mr. DIBDIN has eulogized, as it would be an act of injustice to forbear mentioning some of those Printers whose names he has on►itted.—Why be stopped short in his pilgrimage in that delicious parterre " Black Horse Alley" is ,not obvious—he must have known, and therefore ought to have COMMUlli cated to his country readers, that there were Print ing Establishments to the eastward of that choice and cleanly situation, which were entitled to he named, from the correct and beautiful specimens of printiog they had given to ,the world. his parsimonious notice of the Printers of Scotland, and total disregard of the-English Provincial Prin ters, is equally unaccountable, many of them hav ing producer! finer specimens of printing than the Presses of the Printers of !he Statutes and the Votes I—The- individuals - interested in those ex tensive 10,stablishments, the public must esteem and value for their integrity and moral worth : hut when their works are so unnecessarily brought forward and contrasted With the productions of other printers, it must occur to them, as it will to others, that an over-zealous injudicious friend is more dangerous than an avowed ene my.—Until very lately, it is undet stood, the former of these Establishments dirt not print FINE Works ; and therefore to have thrown them in to the vantage-ground on the present occasion, can only give a more immediate direction to the ptiblic eye, and• make their inferiority the more al►parent. Neither Mr. RAMSAY'S or The Wey bridge Press should have been passed over WI. noticed. From the latter, being more within our ken, have come beautiful specimens of printing, particularly the Regent's Classics, not more so front their elegance than their accuracy. Indeed, there is great indiscretion in the contrasts which Mr. DIBDIN has made. For instance, let him rook at SURTEES's Durham, and - compare it with the Lordis and Einiete of Dr. IVutTsxen—aye, indeed, even with The Ducatus Leodiensis, by DEWHURST, at a Yorshire Press, and he will feel the force and justice of this observation. The Lordis and Elmete, printed by Mr. DAVI SON, is certainly his chef-d'ouvre, and one of the fittest specimens of modern printing. IVlrilst un fortunately SURT . LES's Durham. is very ioferior,apd in many places incorrect, front the negligence of the printer. _ _ If it were necessary, Tconld adduce many other instances of indifferent printing front the Presses which this worthy writer so laboriously praises and recommends to his readers—even some of the very books he has mentioned, but I will not follow his example, and fill your pages with a catalogue of specimens of bad modern printing, as he has very idly filled about ten pages of the se cond Volume of his Work, with a list of the Books printed by his mutual Friends, Messrs. BULMER and BeNst,EY. For these .worthy men I have a great respect—hut, whilst holding them so promi nently up to public view, hi should have done jus tice to many of the other Houses. Some of them of ANTIEN date ; —stich HS the RIVINGTONS, BALDwINS, BROOKES, &c. &c.—But why those illustrious men, BASKERviLLE and FouLts, should Lave come in for so small a share of the praise of this great arbiter of Ancient and Modern Printing I must leave to himself to explain ; and why Mr. DUNCAN, of Glasgow, should have been reserved for a squeeze into a short Note at the end of this division of the Work is rather problematical, for he certainly deserved a station in the text as well RS Mr. BALLANTYNE, who is styled THa JENSON of the North ! ! Again, Mr. DIADIN'S indiscriminate praise of Mr. BuLmea's Press occupies thirteen pages, 'which 1 should have preferred to see filled with a concise, correct, and honest account of the pre siont state of printing throughout Great Britain. The anecdote of " The todoni Hum" is very stale. 1 do not recollect whether it is in KETT'S Flowers of Wit, or in Sir RICHARD PHILLIP'S Jest. Book; but it is not unlikely. However, I re member that somewhere about the time this silly anecdote ~ was first spoken of, and which it pro bably. gave rise to, it was considered polite and fashionable in the vicinity of The Shakspeare Gallery, to style the Establishment in Cleveland- Row, " THE BULMERINO PRESS," in order, it is presumed, hat it might sound fine, and be on a par with the Italian Press of BoDow, to which it was so sillily compared. The sly wipe in the Second Vo!nine at the Heads of some of the Public Schools, may be, in some instances, well grounded. 1, however, think Mr. Di BDI would, on inquiry, find they have more taste and regard for the early printed Books they possess, than an Eastern Chapter had, when they sold to an eminent Collector some extremely rare Books, to raise a fund to buy modern ones. But why, in Mr. DISHES'S enumeration of " the Public Schools " in the Note alluded to, are Read ing and Shrewsbury included ; and the Charter- I-loose and Merchant Taylors' omitted, I cannot conjecture, unless'.the 'Author means to insinuate there is a stronger degree of " BLACK. LETTER " feeling in Mr. Russet.r. and Mr. CHERRY, than in the Masters of the oilier Institutions. Although it is verging towards midnight, I can • not withstand the temptation of extracting part of the note in p. 313 of the second volume. It shews the Author's readiness to avail himself of every opportunity to introduce his favourites ; but at the SEIM time it heightens the contrast, and renders more glaring the omissions of the names of individuals who may have incurred his resentment or his displeasure. But mind ye, gentle Reader ! all this may be imaginary—and there fore do not suppose I either have the inclination or wish to injure the Author or prejudice the sale of his hook ;—on the contrary, I think it an in valuable work, and that it ought to find a place in the library of every rational collector. But now for THIS SAID NOTE on the Printer of Paulus Jovius's History of his own Times, the Dibdininn ancestor of that popular, pleasing, and elegant Poet of Scotland, ‘VALTER SCOTT 1 find the same ornament in titles prefixed to Paulus Jovius's History of his own Times, printed at Venice in 12mo. by ‘VALTER ScoTT—(Venetiis, spud GOAL-, TERUM SCOTTUM)—an ancestor, 1 make no doubt (and of such an ancestry no man need be ashamed) of the PRESENT ILLUSTRIOUS Poet of the same name." This edition of Paulus Jovius was printed in 1559, for the first volume-1553, for the se cond volume—and 1554 for the third volume. For the accuracy of this assertion of Mr.'Scores descent, I cannot take upon myself to vouch, and therefore I refer it to those Learned Societies who are the sacred depositories of the genealogies of illustrious Scotsmen. Wednesday Night. ANDREAS GOTHICIE. IRELAND. CATHOLIC BOARD. DUBLIN, Dec. 15.—0 n Saturdaythere wag a meeting, of the !lonian Catholic 111/,ard, ►then Owen O'Conor, Esq. was called to the Chair. RFMONSTRANCE TO THE POPE. Vie usual preliminary forms having been gone through, Mr. O'Gonatata, who acted as Secretary in the absence of Mr. Hay, stated, that Mr. Hay had received a letter from the Abbe O'Conor, dated Paris, November 12, 1817, which men tioned, that the Abbe bad made inquiry, agree ably to Mr. 11-'s desire, respecting the transmission of the Remonstrance of the Catholics of Ireland to the Pope, under cover to Cardinal Litta, throuali the Post-Office of the French capital, and had been assured, that if it was put into that Office (and of this fact there appears to be no doubt), it had certainly been forwarded to the Holy See—for, added the Abbe O'Conor, they are extremely particular in the French Post-Office. The letter concluded by expressing an opinion, that it was not necessary to take any further pro ceeding on the subject of the Packages, and that Mr. Hay would shortly hear of their having safe ly arrived at Rome. The Rev. Mr. Hayes having - been introduced, and a motion made, that the Rev. Gentleman be requested to make a Report of his Mission to the Holy See, having been, carried, Mr. HAYES rose, and delivered a Report of the transactions of his Mission, from are clay upon which the Remonstrance to the Holy See had been confided to his charge, September 16, 1815, until the forcible deportation from the Holy City in the course. of the last summer. He read the Report front a written paper, which was directed to be printed. The Rev. Mr. HAves having concluded his Re port, and handed it to the Secretary, a resolution of thanks to that gentleman, for the zeal, fidelity,. and talent with which he had conducted his im portant mission to the Holy See, was moved and passed. It having appeared that a balance is_due to Mr. Hayes of the expellees which he was compelled to incur, a notice was given of an intention to submit a plan, at the next meeting, for the purpose of raising a sum to liquidate this debt. THE RHEMISH NOTES. The Committee appointed to prepare a disa vowal of the intolerant doctrines contained in the Notes to the Rheimish edition of the Bible, put off their report to Thursday next.—The Meeting ad journed to Thursday. A correspondent witnessed a very interesting scene at Oporto, on Sunday the 2d November last, the opening of an English chapel for the celebra tion of Divine service, the first and only Protest ant church in the Peninsula. Besides the mer chants, the British, and Dutch Consuls attended, several English Officers in the Portuguese ser vice, Masters of vessels, travellers, and seafaring men joined the congregation. The Chaplain (a truly excellent Divine) delivered a very appro priate and impressive discourse on the occasion, which was heard with deep attention. The sacred edifice is a small but elegant building, and reflects great credit on the piety and taste of the British 'actors.--(Morning. Paper.) ONLY ONE DAY TO DRAW.—NEXT SATURDAY.— FOUR PRIZES OF TWENTY THOUSAND POUNDS, &c. IN THE WHEEL. Te CORRESPONDENTS. We are obliged to defer till To-morrow the excellent Answer to Mr. TAMLYN'S Letter on CERTIFICATED CONVEYANCERS. IV For PeovtrictAL JouaNALs, see our Last Page. THEATRICAL REGISTER. Performed Last t. TUEATRI ROYAL, Daugs-LANF..-01;iwitteel at Last: Prin cipal Characters by 11 , 1 r. li. Johnston and Miss Byrne.. Al- ter which, The Falls of Clyde. THEATRE ROYAL, CovENT-GARnEN.—Kiiw John : King John, Mr. Young; the Lady Constance, Miss O'Neill. After winch, Husbands and Wives. ARRIVED—I Dublin, IWaterford. DUE-i France, 1 Lis bon, 2 Hamburgh, I Holland, 4 Waterford. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT TWELVE o'Cl,fiCK. Bank Stock ....294' India Bunds 995. 100 s . -pr. 3 per Cent. Red. 82i41i Exch. Bills l7s. 245.. pr. 4 per Cents. ..... 99ligi Cons. for Account..... Waif Bank L. Ann...... il 1-lath HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning, 12 minutes after 11. f Evening, 37 minutes after 11. THE SUN. SVILEM QUIS DICERE FALSU In AUDEAT ? LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1817. We received last night the missing Paris Papers of Saturday last. Those of Monday, which were due this morning, have not come to hand. The only Speaker in the discussion on Friday on the Projet regarding the Press, which the Journals we received yesterday morning (lid not enable us to notice, was M. de CHAUVELIN, who opened the debate on that day. He maintained, that the freedom of the Public Press was essential to a re presentative, system, and having gone over all'the points borne upon by the liberty of expression of public opinion through the medium of the Press, he contended, that in every relation it was advan tageous, and that; in the present period of tran quillity, there could be no solid objection to its exercise. He therefore opposed the Projet. The next Speaker was the Count de BEUONOT, whom we noticed yesterday. We are sorry to find it stated, that the plague is making great ravages in Dalmatia. It is again mentioned, and with more confi dence, That the Prince of the Peace has obtained permission from the Court of Vienna to pUtchase an estate, and establish his residence in the Aus trian dominions. FRENCH FIVE PER CENTS. Friday 63f. 80c. They rose on Saturday, as we stated yesterday, to 64 1. 5 c. A Paper of this morning recurs to the report circulated a few days since of a change in the French Ministry, but with some variations. It is now said, that " M. Da CtizE has not yielded up the place of Minister of Police, but he is about to enter on the Household. The functions of the Bureau of Police are to be fulfilled by the Minis ter of the Interior, Minister of the Household, &c. M. MOLE has actually taken the port folio of the Interior, and M. LAIN E has re►ired."—We are not aware that there is any authority for this state- anent. This morning we received Norfolk Papers to the 18th of November. The following Extract is the only article of importance : (From Me Norfolk Herald of Nov. 17.) Arrived last evening the sloop Hermit, Capt. BLAIR, in four days, from St. Mary's, which gives the following intelligence respecting Amelia Island : the United States brig Saranae had return ed to St. Mary's from a cruize, and. had brought several prizes in with her ; there was a current re port when the Hermit sailed, that the Patriot‘ were about to make an attack upon St. Augustine by water. The Morgiana brig, with her tender and one large vessel, had sailed, and were to be joined by se veral other armed vessels, when the attack was to be made. Captain B. could not ascertain the strength of the Patriotic Army, nor any other intelligence respecting the affair. Amelia Island was still sickly when he left, the 13th. We have received Quebec Papers to the sixth ult. which is the latest arrival from that quarter, and from which we shall give some interesting Eac. tracts. We are glad to learn, that the injury produced by the late dreadful hurricanes in the West Indies is not so great as was apprehended, so far as re lates to the property affected by that deplorable event. Doubti have been entertained with respect to the truth of the statement of the loss of the Indian, bound to South America, and we should rejoice 'to be enabled to say that there was any reason to suppose that statement to be incorrect. We fear, however, from the details in the following ac count, that there can no longer be any questi on its to the identity of the ship lost : " PLYMOUTH, DEC. 16.—8 y accounts hrod lit by the Malvina, BROOKS, from Norway to Tries te ' (that put in here leaky, having been on shore un the Coast of France), the ship lost on the Coo sf ' supposed to be the Indiana, proves to be the III: dian, of London, for South America ; she stated to have been completely wrecked, 1 14 ; only the after-part remained, and that many Ja i ' bodies were seen in the cabin, particularly sel c : ral Ladies, so that it is feared all on board l risked ; she is described at about 600 tons, Iv y painted white. Horses and accouttemen , s we lt also seen on the shore, supposed to have cog° from her." The Trial of Mr. HONE, the Bookseller, colli e on this morning at Guildhall, on the first prose' cution against him for a blasphemous p trody?` The defendant conducted his own cause, and twelve o'clock was making his defence, havin; then been speaking for a considerable time. SHIP NEWS. Mot TROSE, DEC. I4.—The Forth, GatAve** of Aberdeen, bound to Leith, in making this Barbour, about one o'clock to-day, got on tb o Amet, and in little more than an hour she upset , and all on board perished. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 16.—8 y the Brown, arrives here yesterday, we learn that she experienced severe hurricane on the 21st October, when 0' Martinique, which lasted six hours : she pickte, up three of the crew of the schooner Mary,witieb bad been blown out of Martinique. The Steno:Kt from Calcutta, was on shore in the Rock Gut-." she has been lightened, and got off without mage. Put back the Knight of Kerry, for Sli t ;t with loss of main-top-mast. TEIGNMOUTH, DEC. 16.—A letter from POOP mouth to the Collector of Exeter states, that 0 boat had been picked up, about a mile and a halt from that port, on the 9th inst., with the nail° " Tates -Hill, of Exeter, A NDERSON," on it° stern. On the Bth, a brig was seen on her side , between two and three leagues from this port. it adds, that a brig is an shore near St. Ives—care and crew saved. Arrived at this port the Meted' rius, ROSINDALL, from Lisbon for Abberg, with sails split. FALMOUTH, DEC. Is.—Arrived the Jong M i l , helmina, PARTERTION, from Rollind, and int isi discharge ; Blucher, M'Leon, from Leith fd Buenos Ayres, with loss of bowsprit, and part 0 1 her cargo damaged ; the Edisher, from Londos for Buenos Ayres, and the Golden Grove, froes ditto for the Cape ; and the American ship Hun' ter, DAVIS, in 25 days, from Norfolk. PORTSMOUTH, DEC: 17.—Put back his Majes' ty's ships Andromache and Falmouth. Arrives his Majesty's ship Tigress ; also the Mars, We' LERTU, from Havre, with loss of main boom ; and the Courier, MANUEL, trom St. Maloes. Went out of harbour the Sarah transport, for Malta , and Christiana transport for ditto, with victualling stores. This morning it blew pike a gale, but we have not heard of any damage. DEAL, DEC. 17.—Arrived, and sailed for the River, the Perseveragee, PROPERT, from Que' bee ; Duke of York, WELLER, from Honduras; and Ridlap, STUD, from Lisbon. Came down from the River the Rapid, for Barbadoes ; Are. dersons, for St. Vincent's ; Richard, for Deme• rara ; Merlin, for Jamaica ; Prince of Orange! for Pernambuco ; Neptune, for Botany Bay; John, for Marseilles; Elizabeth, for Rio Ja.• neiro ; Vittoria, for Ceylon, FOrt St. George, &c.; and George, for Tobago,--The Lord Lynedoch East Indiaman lost an anchor last night. LEITH, DEC. 15.—Seliaral vessels have beef obliged to run on shore—names not known. BATH, DEC. 16.—The QUEEN and the Prim. cess BLIZAtETH visited the Pump Room agaitl this morning. The Duke of (LARENCE, though better titan he was last night, was still too much indisposed to be able to attend his august Rcla. tives. Notwithstanding the rain poured almost in torrent's, the Pump Room was very full s' early as eight o'clock. In consequence of th# heavy and incessant rain, the QUEEN'S intended excursion to . the seat of Sir C. CopatteoTort is postponed, and no part of the Royal Family have been out since their return front the Pump noon , in the morning. BRIGHTON, DEC, 16.—The REGENT, owing to the inclemency of the weather, is obliged to take exercise in the Riding School. Workmen are be sily employed in the interior of the Pavillion every night till ten o'clock, for the purpose, it is s aid, of getting apartments ready for her MAJESTY' who is expected immediately after Chris mas The Duke of MONTROSE arrived at the Paeilioo at four o'clock this afernoo_n, and dined with the REGENT. On- Saturday next the Lottery will finish when the Foua Grand Prizes of £20,000, and all the other Capitals, must be drawn. A fes✓ Tickets and Shares are still on Sale at both of WEBB's fortunate Offices, 9, Curnhill, and 11, Ludgate-street. evt fOl thi Ittt of th, tff ti, let It)