The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-30 00:00:00

r„

SHIPPING GAZETTE, DECEMBER 14, 1849

The perseverance and enterprise of Messrs. Kelly and Co. have
again been manifested in the publication of the " Post-office Direc-
tory," which comes forth at the appointed time with, if possible,
increased claims upon the patronage of those whom it concerns.
The energy which has been shown, for half a century past, upon
the production of this gigantic volume, has established such a com-
plete system of machinery as to ensure a degree of accuracy in the
periodical correction of the several branches of information whieli
It is its province to supply, that a few years ago would have been
thought impossible. But there is no mistake in the matter. The
Directory of Messrs. Kelly is a masterpiece of unwearied industry,
and the only book of a professedly useful and practical character
that the merchants and traders of the city of London can NOT do
without. It presents at one view an immense compendium of facts,
ar anged with such admirable precision and method as to he surely
and immediately available. The book is divided into a circle of
Directories, each having a specific head—namely, of Government
Officials, Streets, Merchants and Tradespeople, Trades, Lawyers,
Placemen, Peers and Members of Parliament, Post-office and Civic
Functionaries, Conveyances, Banking-houses, and Assurance-offices.
The plan thus adopted is replete with advantages, for, if you have
forgotten the name of any individual whose residence you desire to
know, you find him under his occupation; the latter branch of
analysis giving also a comprehensive tableau of the number of
persons engaged in each of the multitudinous avocations carried on
within the boundaries of the metropolis. The reputation which the
" Post-office Directory" enjoys has not been gained without
warrant. It has proved itself to be immeasurably superior to all
other attempts which have from time to time been made to super-
sede it ; and it may now be fairly viewed as a book of reference
beyond the remotest possibility •f rivalry. That it will maintain
this position there can be no doubt, for every year corroborates the
public faith in its truth, and witnesses the continuance of that close
and critical supervision, without which its credit and its value
would greatly diminish.

COURT JOURNAL, DECEMBER, 22, 1849.
Amongst the many instances of metropolitan industry and skill,
we can point to none more remarkable and useful in its way than
the " Post-office London Directory." We have but to draw atten-
tion to the vast extent of this metropolis, 'with its great mass of
population, embracing all ranks, professions, and trades, and we
may form some notion of the immense labour and energy which
must have been expende4 before such materials could have been got
into such- a systematic form as that at one glance we can be made
acquainted with every street, every house, and every individual,
whether amongst the nobility, gentry, merchants, professional men,
traders, and tradesmen, with the private residences and places of
business of each, within the metropolis and its immediate environs.
This publication is not simply one Directory, but comprehends an
" Official Directory," a " Street Directory," " Commercial Direc-
tory," " Trades' Directory," " Law Directory," "Court Directory,"
" Parliamentary Directory," " Postal Directory," "City Directory,"
"Conveyance Directory," "Banking Directory," &c. The "Street
Directory" furnishes the names of the residents in each street or
place. The " Commercial Directory" has all these latter in com-
plete alphabetical order, while the nobility and gentry will be found
in similar arrangements in the "Court Directory." The " Trades'
Directory" exhibits all the members of each of the two thous•ond
trades, classified distinctly—the sub-divisions of each being suitably,
distinguished. The " Law Directory "is devoted to the classifica-
tion of the members of the profession, together with the general
legal matters appropriate to a work of this character; while the
" rarliamentary Directory " furnishes all requisite information
as to Peers and and Members of Parliament, and as to
tneir town residences and country seats. The " Postal Directory"
gives full instruction on the subject of Money Orders, and of the
transmission of letters and newspapers to all parts of the world.
The "Conveyance Directory" is devoted to the important subject
which its title indica es, as are the "Banking" and "Assurance
Directories." Such a mass of similar information was never exhi-
bited, until the appearance of this work; and when we look at its
stupendous appearance we are proud to encourage the undertaking
upon national grounds.

BELL'S WEEKLY MESSENGER, DECEMBER 22, 1849.
No book in existence conveys such a vivid and impressive idea of
the magni,ude, wealth, and almost infinite occupations of the dwellers
in the metropolis of the world, as the volume now before no. and
which has establishe i for its compiler a reputation which will last as
long as England shall continue to hold her position among the
nations of the earth. Without a careful examination of the contents
of this immense volume, it would be impossible to form anything
like a correet idea of its value, or of the labour which must have
been spent in its compi ation. Certainly no merchant or tradesman,
no public or private company, ought to be without a copy. Under
ifs twelve separate Directories, London and its professions and
trades are so fully and accurately classified, that nothing legitimately
belOnging to either of these heads will be looked for in vain.