Star.
London, England, 1830-04-23 00:00:00

The large class which is designated as Statutes and Parliamen-
tary Proceedings, includes Acts of Parliament as formerly printed
from the exemplified Statute Roll of each Session, now flow the
Acta as fast as they receive the Royal Assent. The Journals of the
House of Lords, under the title of Rolls of Parliament, may be
said to commence in the reign of Edward the First (A.D. 1278):—
The Journals of the House of Commons do not commence till the
reign of Edward the Sixth (A.D. 1547), and then with such irregu-
lar appearance of uncorrected Minute Books, as leaves no room to
suppose that earlier Minutes were thought worthy of preservation.
A chasm occurs in the reign of Elizabeth, which is supplied by the
compilation of Sir Simonds d'Ewes, and perhaps was caused by his
obtaining the use of the MS. Jownal for that purpose. The Journal
of the House of Lords, and of the Howe of Commons of Ireland, to
the Union of 1800, are placed next; and then the printed Parlia-
mentary proceedings of the House of Commons of the United King.
dotn, perfect to the present time. Before the Union with Ireland,
it was customary to insert reports, estimates, and other material pa.
pen, in the Journals, which will in some measure account for the
small number of other printed volumes anterior to that event.—
There was, however, a selection made in the year 1773, of valuable
Reports ofCommittees not printed in the Journals • which reports
appear in four large volumes; and in the year 1803, 11 additional
volumes of such reports were selected by a Committee, who ex-
pressed their sense of the necessity of a well-digested index of the
whole. This task was readily undertaken by Mr. Hansard, whose
services as printer to the Muse commenced with the earliest of these
16 volumes ; and he has furnished an analysis of the several sub-
jects, under 19 heads. Moreover, under the name of a Heneral
Index, he has produced such a breviate or precis as might have
formed marginal contents to the reports; an instance of persevering
labour and intelligence not often surpassed. He has also inserted
with the Index a list of reports on more than 60 subjects, inserted
in the Journals during the last century (1716-1401), but not re-
printed ; a very useful list, as otherwise 1. new would think of
searching at all beyond a collection of 15 volumes, for what those
volumes might be supposed to contain."
A similar task was undertaken by Mr. Hansard, in consequence
of his offering his services for that purpose to the Committee of I
Printed Papers (1825), who thereupon directed an arrangement to
be made of the Reports of Commissioners, as well as of Select Com-
mittee, of the House, front the Union to that time. This has been
accomplished by Mr.Hanaard to the extent of 154 volumes, analysed
under his direction are equal in quantity to 79 volumes such as the
former; but the labour of completing a " Breviate" of this pest
mass of matter was not commensurate, a larger proportion of the
modern Reports being Appendix matter, greatly swollen by the
custom of employing a shorthand writer in imitation of Election
Petition Committees, who sit judicially. Questions and answers in
the °berme of such convenience were better considered, and, when
entered on the Minute Book if the Committee Clerk, were read to
the parties, and corrected on the spot. This evidence was seldom
printed, and passed through the minds of the Committee into their
Report. In effect, the evidence annexed to the Reports of recent
Select Committees (1801-1629) is four times that in the earlier
collection, as compared with the length of the actual Reports in
those periods respectively. Mr. Hansard died in October, 1f228,
before the completion of his second task, which devolved on his
sons, who have finished it carefully according to his instructions and
example. The breviate is nut thrown into alphabet, as in the for-
mer case ; in tact, alphabetical arrangement suits a large series of
Reporta on the same subject, but the marginal order is more conve-
nient in all other cases.

The same Committee on Printed Papers (18255) " considered
that a similar classification might with much utility be adopted as
to other papers." This Mr. Hansard accomplished by a labenous
incorporation of his Sessional Lists into one alphabet ; and be not
only fulfilled the wislie.s of the Committee (to the extent of 152 vo-
lumes). but added a similar classiAcation (to the amount of 86
volumes) of 13.115, as printed in their through the HOlialls
all to die cad of the Scaslun 1828, now placed in the 11braty,
Is e whole amounting to 363 volumes. The printed parliamentary