The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-16 00:00:00

MORNING ADVERTISER, DUMBER. 2, 1848

This remarkable, bulky, and well-known work, with the publica-
tion for 1849 (now on the eve of being issued), reaches Its fiftieth,
or jubilee year; and, as if duly to celebrate that signal event,
Messrs. Kelly (for the proprietor) appear to have made, if possible,
not only extra but extraordinary exertions to distinguish it, by pre-
. seining indisputably the amplest, the most clearly arranged, and the
most conspicuous and utilitarian compilation of the kind that is
• known to the world. Its multifarious merits are such that it is an
essential, not only to the• commercial community of London, and
all the millions who are in communication or connexion with this
great mercantile centre of that world, but must be in continuous
request wherever parties have communications with England —and
Where is the civilized, or half civilized land that has not such inter-
Coarse ? To describe its contents and peculiarities at this advanced
Period of its history, would be a very uncalled for claim upon the
l'eader's attention. Still we cannot forbear to mention that, since
the work has fallen into the hands of the present management,
it rapidly improved, beat all competitors out of the field,
liald is become as valuable, zorrect, and (comparatively speak-
as compact, and yet as full and complete a work, as
the merchants, bankers, commercial and trading community, could
desire. In fact, it leaves no directorial want unsupplied. It is a
Marvellous publication, as any one must admit who is competent to
judge of the vastness and peculiarities of this metropolis. In its
• minuteness, it is an astonishing reality. What is it? It is a Direc•
tort' and guide to the streets, the professions, the trades, &c., of
pdon ; it is a just reflection of the capital and community of the
commercial world. To achieve this great object, no labours seem to
have daunted or tired, and no watchfulness or expenditure appears
to have impeded those who were engaged in preparing this volumi-
nous and perfect London Directory."

LOB.B, DECEMBER. 5, 1848.
The " London PosOt-office Directory" has commenced its fiftieth
Tear of a most useful existence. The present volume resembles its
latter predecessors in general form, look, and arrangement, being di-,
tided lute the heads of Official, Street; Commercial, Trades, Law
court, Parliamentary, Postal, City, Conveyance, Banking, &c., &c.
Under those heads we have a vast mass of well-digested and com-
pactly arranged information, so classified and methodised, that one
att hunt up a man if we know the smallest fragment of primary
!act about hini; and then searching for him under the several
heads that may apply, we may find out what he is, where he isp and
ranchelse about him. If he be in the Official Directory, we find
h._9w he got his place ; if he be a man of business, what that business
3, and where he carries it on ; if he be a lawyer, what rank ho
holds—whether he has any other appointment, &c. ; if he be in Par-
-I,l:tient, what place he represents, where he is to be found when in
~41W31, and where he lives in the country. Then to lind'how to send
tan a letter, we turn to the Postal Directory, and though he had
fled to the uttermost parts of the earth, we have the requisite infor-
mation about postages, post days, and all routes by ship, mail,
steam-boat, and railroad ;orif we wish rather to pursue him in per-
son, what
remote corner of the world is there, the means of reaching
which is not opened up to as in the Conveyance Directory? We are
able to indentify our individual and particular John Suit, h from the
lon
fact about of his
namesakes if we knew any single distinguishing
int, and to pounce upon him infallibly in Ids private
Thouse'i his office, in his shop, or wherever he may be.
Then there is a capital map of London to help us in
00? researches, together with an almanack, lists of inns,
ti'd Mach else, to its more than two thousand closlly printed pages.
•.‘ is not to be expected that such a book as this should be altoge-
er free from errors. Some few omissions and inaccuracies may be
found, but taken altogether it is a volume of wide and remarkable
dutility, Nay, even as a work of amusement, we think, it is not to be
elPised ; and half an hour may be very agreeably spent in researches
into the occupations and abiding places of one's acquaintances and
mends. Such a search is, indeed, the best test of its general accuracy ;
and though there may be a few exceptions, as a general rule it bears
Ws test thoroughly well.

WEEKLY DISPATCH, DECEMBER 3, 1848.
4, Thlll stupendous annual has just made its appearance for the fif-
e% time. It comprises, amongst other information, an "
?rectory." a " Street Directory," a " Commercial Directory," a
Trade., Directory," a " Law Directory," a " Court Directory," a
Parliamentary Directory," a " Postal Directory," a " City Direc-
tory," a " Conveyance Directory:. and a " Banking Directory."
zUt although we have thus copied the principal headings from
the title-page, they convey a very faint idea of the mass of varied
information condensed into a space, which, though bulky enough
to all appearances, is still smal, when compared with the in-
%lite amoant of intelligence contained therein. The index
Itself contains several hundred minor headings, all-connected with
the wants or interests, the business or the proceedings, or the corn-
taercial and trading community. The book positively reflects high
honour opon the great city which alike pr 'duces and requires it ;
kid infinite credit is due to the Messrs. Kelly for the manner in
Nvhich they have presented it to the puble. No money can have
teen spared in rendering it accurate, complete, and perfect In all its
Meat details. It is in itself a reflex of the grand-yr, wealth,
,r 1 vast mercantile interests of the great capital of the British
: it catches, as with a daguerreotype, all the features
and Abases of a community numbering two millions of souls. We
it even
say,without hyperbolic flourish, or poetic fiction, that
bas certain morals of its own ; for, though in the abstract, a
Pi ere catalogue cf streets, names, associations, trades, and institu-
tions, yet does it irresistibly raise up in the breast a feeling of
pride
on the part of him who can is any way, however humble,
assodate himself with that mighty metropolis whose interests are
as IL wererepre3enten and registered in this volume. We can fancy
the effect which would be produced upon a s ivage were he, for argu-
Inent'a
offered sake, able to understand English, and if this book were
to his contemplation. You miglt assure him that it related
it 3' to one cit in theritish Islands, and he would exclaim, "No ;
'Mut be a register of entire kingdoms 1"

JOHN BULL, DECEMBER 9, 1848.
Another edition of this extremely useful, and for the amount of
Matter
—AnPressed iu it, extremely cheap publication, now lies before
with testifying, by the multiplicity of its information, to the industry
which it is compiled. A map of London is added, in which we
nrcelve that all the new streets laid down in the course of last year
have been inserted, and the various departments of the Directory
ave been brought up to the latest date. We are happy to find from
the preface that its success is such as to guarantee to the public the
annual republication of a manual which to those engaged in basiness
has become absolutely indispensable.

EXAMINER, DECEMBER 16, 184 S.
It would be curious to compare this fiftieth publication with the
first, and observe by what steps it has grown to its enormous bulk
of more than two thousand pages. But the great evil of a great
book does not apply to Mr. Kelly's Its utility is in the ratio of its
size. It is not one Directory, but a dozen. It is twelve rolled into
one. The Official, the Street, the Commercial, the Trades', the Law,
the Court, the Parliamentary, the Postal, the City, the Conveyance,
the Banking, the Assurance Directories are all accessible within the
sane cover. The reference, by attrnirable classification, and by
careful subdivisions of callings and streets, is rendered so easy, that
It la hardly possible to conceive a person missing the information be
4ecks. At such times as we have hithorto had occasion to use it,
11e have found its accuracy and fulness to be really beyond praise.
Nothing is omitted which it is conceivable that ea
resident in Loudon
should desire to know, of the countless multitudes that dwell around
hi or employed the endless variety of occupations that keep them busily
. The book is a perfect marvel of arrangenient, accuracy,
and Bess of information.

BRITANNIA, DECEMBER 9, 1848.
2148 TaluaLle Directory has reached its fiftieth annual issue, and
& ,eauording to all appearance, it is likely to appear regularly for as
Y more years as London shall continue to. i.e the capital of
Zuegriand. Whatever increase may take place in the metropolis,
It wah.need be no doubt that tis periodical will keep Pace with
.'n we contrast whatit wash with what it is, and remember the
a' improvements which have been made in it with every
spii,,lsive Publication. It now comprises two thousand closely-
essi.—„' Pages, with such an admirable analysis of trades and pro-
suopiy"ei,and such a perfect classification of names and houses, asi to
f_lle most comprehensive guide that can be Desired or ma-
gic every Purpose of reference. The arrangement, indeed, is
%vs, vPiete that the proprietors have only to maintain it in its pre-
pcg,;ollyi. to be certain of enjoying a continuance of that " mono-
wincis h their unrivalled skill, industry, and enterprise in the
et this >ittaatio work has secured for them, Tile