The Ottawa free trader., 1876-11-04

WILLIAM BRADFoRD-The name of Will
liam Bradford brings before US the handsome.
delicate youth OF nineteen, who was honored
with the personal friendship of the mature
and far.sighted William Penn. Less than
two hundred years ago, the i!lustrlous two
landed upon American soil at a romantic
point Just below the city of Philadelphia (that
Centennial capital not yet having an exist
encc) ana walked arm in arm 10 the nearest
habiiation
William Bradford had learned his trade
with the celebrated Andrew Soule, of Lon
'don-whose daughter he afterward married.
and was the first printer in this country south
OF Boston. 1t was he who introduced the art
CT printing into New York; and, after serv-
Ing the government as public printer for
long series of years, established the pioneer
OF all the newspapers which have since graced
our docr.steps and breakfast tables. He was
also the founder of the first paper-mill in
America, and the father of book. binding and
copperplate engraving. He was of noble
birth, as appears from his escutcheon; for
although forbidden by his art from writing
himself drmiger0 he always sealed carefully
with arms.
He returned to England after his visit of
exploration, but within three years took up
his permanent abode on this side of the wa
ter, bringing over quaint little printing
press. His first issue was an almanac. In
the record of remarkable events by which he
particularized certain days, he inserted the
paragraph, The beginning of government
here by the Lord Penn" The Quaker rulers
of Pennsylvania, who eschewed all manner
OF high'sounding titles, were offended, and
summoning the audacious young printer be,
fore them, ordered him to blot out the words
Lord Penn" They then proceeded to in
terdlct his printing any thing in the future
but what shall have lycence of we Council"
The next year 1GSG) he printed Burnyeat's
Epastle, four pages, small quarto. In 1858,
seventeen years before Ben amin franklin
was born, William Bradford published the
Temple Of Wisdom, which includes Essays
and Religious Medtations of Francis Bacon"
A few months later he issued the first Bible
ever printed in this country, and the Book of
Common Prayer. The Bible sold for twenty
shillings; the Bible and Book of Common
Prayer bound together, for twenty-five shil-
lings.
Such an enterprise, projected and success
fully executed by young man of twenty
four, in a remote wilderness a thousand
leagues from the genial influences of elder
civilization, was sufficient alone to have EN-.
balmed his memory with enduring honor.
Yet William Bradford did more, He not
only established and sustained the press in
the middle colonies of America, but he was
the first man in this or any other country to
maintain its freedom against arbitrary power.
From "Tombs in Old Trinity" by MAR
TIA ]. LAME, in Halper'S Magazine J0r No
gem6er.
Sometimes the cash value of Edwin Booths
lips are greater than when lisping Shakes
peare. Thus, when travelling recently in a
parlor.car there was a lady more re.
markable for cloud" style and the oppres
sive gorgeousness of her jewelry than for re.
fnement This "water.hy'' not only conceived
the most intense passion for the pet of the
stage, but took especial pains to make 1t man
ifest-an interest that seemed to be only the
more intiamed by the apparent profound In
difference of Mr.. Booth to her presence. She
repeatedly stated, among other things, that
she would give 500 dollars to kiss that di.
vine Booth Just once" At Omaha a poor
emlgrsnt attracted the attention of the travel
ers as they returned to the car after dinner.
He had started for California, but had been
robbed while asleep, and was without funds
to go on or even procure food. Our Ameri'
can Hamlet's generosity in days of his gold.
en- fortune is proverbal. Mr.. Booth put his
hand into his pocket, through sheer force Of
habit and without word, handed the poor
devil 800 note. AS he did this his eye fell
upon his gorgeous admirer, who was stand.
ing near. With the sweeping stride of the
melancholy Dane he went up abruptly TO her
and asked, Did you say you would give 800
to kiss me?' The lady staggered for mo-
ment, but with the true western determination
not to be blutfed, replied, Il did" and open
ed plethoric purse defianty. The star de-
liberately passed his arm around her neck,
and giving her a sounding smack, held out
his hand for the fee. This was given him.
Booth wheeled around forced it into the EN-.
igrant's hand, saying, simply, There's an
other" and without changing his counte-
nance or taking any further notice Of the Ia.
dy, passed into the car.