Item, in the Common-Field-Two Welsh nag, twelve long-leg'd sheep, fourteen and twenty coat. Item, in the Proom-close-Three robin-run-hole, four hare hur own coods, if you can catch hur.

:

Item, in the Parn-One half heblet of oate, seven pea, two pean.

Item, in the Study (hur was almost forgot hur!)— One Welsh Pible, two almanac, one Erra Pater, one Seven Champions, for St Taffy sake, twelve pallat, one pedigree.

Item, in the Closet-Two straw-hat, one pouse. Item, more Cattle apout the house-Two tog, three cat, twelve mouse (hur was eat hur toast cheese), 1000 white flea with plack pack.

Item, more Lumber about the house-One wife, two shild, one call hur plack Shack, and t'other little Morgan.

Item, in the Yard, under the wall-One wheel, two pucket, one ladder, two rope.

This Infentory taken Note in the Presence of hur own Cusen Rowland Merideth ap Howel, and Levellin Morgan ap William, in 1749, upon the Ten and Thirtieth of Shun.

The above-named William Morgan dyed when hur had threescore-and-twenty years, thirteen months, one week, and seven days.

A Note of some Legacy of a creat deal of Coods bequeathed to hur Wife and hur two Shild, and all hur Cusens, and Friends, and Kindred, in manner as followeth :

Imprimis Was to give hur teer wife, Shone Morgan, all the coods in the ped-room.

Item-Was to give hur eldest sun, Plack Shack, 40 and 12 card to play at Whipper-shinny, 4 ty to sheat hur cusen; beside awl hur land to the full value of 20 and 10 shillings 3 groats per

annum.

Item-Was to give to hur second sun, little Morgan ap Morgan, hur short ladder under the wall in the yard, and two rope.

Item-Was to give to hur Cusen Rowland Merideth ap Howell and Lewellin Morgan, whom was made hur executor, full power to pay awl hur tets,

when hur can get money.

Saints Cyriacus, Largus, Smaragdus, and their companions, martyrs, 303. St Hormisdas, martyr.

Born-Dominic Baudius, jurist and philologist, 1561, Lisle; Jacques Basnage de Beauval, Protestant theologian and historian, 1658, Rouen; Francis Hutcheson, moral philosopher, 1694, North of Ireland.

Died.-Cardinal Peter d'Ailly, ecclesiastic and author, 1419, Compiègne; Pope Alexander VI. (Roderic Borgia), infamous pontiff, 1503; Dr Antoine Arnauld, celebrated opponent of the Jesuits, and friend of Pascal, 1694, Brussels; Louis François Armand du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu, captor of Minorca, 1788; Sir Richard Worsley

GEORGE CANNING.

(History of the Isle of Wight, 1805, Appledurcombe in Wight; George Canning, statesman, 1827, Chiswick; Thomas Crofton Croker, author of Irish Fairy Tales, 1854, London; John Austin, jurist, 1867.

GEORGE CANNING.

There is a certain moral grandeur popularly ascribed to the doctrinaire which is denied to the statesman. There are few politicians who receive the unreserved admiration accorded to those who have done nothing but write books, or yielded their lives to the advocacy of a single cause. The doctrinaire-the propounder of a fixed set of opinions-advises mankind, but does not undertake to manage them. Through a long series of years he may publish his convictions with pertinacious uniformity, without hindrance and without responsibility. Such consistency is sometimes contrasted with the wavering tactics of the statesman, to the unfair disadvantage of the latter. A statesman sets himself to lead a people, and is less careful to entertain them with his private convictions than to discover what principles they are inclined to accept and to commit to practice. The doctrinaire's business is to proclaim what is true, whether men hear or reject; the statesman's is to ascertain and recommend what is practicable. The statesman is often compelled to defer his private judgment to popular prejudice, and to rest content with bending

what cannot be broken. Sir Robert Peel was a

free-trader long before free-trade was possible. These reserves are inseparable from statesmanship, being a practical man, regards all speech as lost nor need they involve dissimulation. A statesman, labour which is not likely to be reproduced in ship, which does not aspire to lead from good to action. There is, as all know, a base statesmanbetter, but which panders to popular folly for selfish ends. Of this we do not speak. We merely note the fact, that the consistency of the doctrinaire is an easy virtue compared with the statesman's arduous art the first tells what is right; the other

persuades millions to do it. A statesman who has led with any credit a free people, has necessarily encountered difficulties and temptations of which the solitary student has had no experience, and possibly no conception.

George Canning, whilst one of the ablest European statesmen of the present century, was not doctrinally far in advance of his generation; yet for England he did much worthy service, and through his genius English principles acquired new influence the world over. He was born in Marylebone, London, on the 11th of April 1770. His father was a young gentleman, whose family had cast him off for making a poor marriage; and, while Canning was an infant, he died, it is said, of a broken heart. His mother commenced schoolkeeping for her support, but it did not pay, and success. An uncle meanwhile intervened, and sent then she tried the stage, but with little better Canning to Eton, where he quickly made his mark by his aptitude for learning, and by starting, at the age of sixteen, a small periodical work, entitled The Microcosm It was written by himself and three school-fellows, and was published at Windsor, weekly, from November 1786 to August 1787. Canning's articles, in their elegance and wit, foreshadowed the future man. The Microcosm provoked

the Westminster boys to commence The Trifler. To their first number they prefixed a caricature representing Justice in the act of weighing their merits against the Etonians, the latter being aloft, while their rivals rested on the ground. Young Canning took his pen, and thus interpreted the symbol:

'What mean ye by this print so rare,

Ye wits-of Eton jealous-
But that we soar aloft in air,
And ye are heavy fellows?'

From Eton he passed to Oxford, and thence to Lincoln's Inn, with the intention of studying for the bar; but such was his readiness in debate, that his friends persuaded him that politics were his true vocation. At this time he was on familiar terms with Sheridan and Fox, and other leading Whigs, but to their disappointment he sought alliance with Pitt, and under his auspices he entered parliament in 1793. As soon as by trial Pitt had tested the quality of his young recruit, he placed him on active service, and left him to bear the brunt of some formidable attacks. Canning enjoyed and grew under this discipline, and found wit and eloquence equal to all demands. With the Anti-Jacobin periodical-begun in 1797 and concluded in 1798, to resist and ridicule democratic opinions he was largely concerned, and its best verses and jeux d'esprit were written by him. His Needy Knife-Grinder, a burlesque of a poem by Southey, is known to everybody, being a stockpiece in all collections of humorous poetry. In 1800, Canning was married to Joan Scott, a daughter of General Scott, who brought with her a dowry of £100,000.

Canning's life, from 1793 to 1827, is inwrought with the parliamentary history of England, sometimes in office, and sometimes in opposition. He was a steady enemy of the French Revolution and of Napoleon; he advocated the Irish union, the abolition of the slave trade, and Catholic emancipation; but resisted parliamentary reform, and the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts. As secretary of state for foreign affairs, he was peculiarly distinguished. His sympathies were heartily liberal; and the assertion of Lord Holland, that Canning had the finest logical intellect in Europe,' seemed to find justification in his state-papers and correspondence, which were models of lucid and spirited composition. Against the craft of the Holy Alliance he set his face steadily, and was always ready to afford counsel and help to those who were struggling after constitutional freedom. With real joy he recognised the republics formed from the dissolution of Spanish dominion in America, and one of his last public acts was the treaty which led to the deliverance of Greece from the Turks.

Canning was only prime minister during a few months preceding his death. On the resignation of the Earl of Liverpool, through illness, Canning, in April 1827, succeeded him as premier; and as a consequence of his known favour for the Catholics, Lord Eldon, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel, and other Tories threw up their places. Canning had, therefore, to look for support to the Whigs, and with much anxiety and in weak health he fought bravely through the session to its close in July, when he retired to the Duke of Devon

NEWSPAPERS IN 17TH CENTURY.

shire's villa at Chiswick, and there died on the 8th of August 1827.

M. Guizot, in an account of An Embassy to the Court of St James's in 1840, relates a curious anecdote of Canning's death, in connection with a description of Lady Holland. He writes: 'Lady Holland was much more purely English than her husband. Sharing with him the philosophic ideas of the eighteenth French century, in politics she was a thoroughly aristocratic Whig, without the slightest Radical tendency, proudly liberal, and as strongly attached to social hierarchy, as faithful to her party and her friends. This person, so decidedly incredulous, was accessible, for her friends and for herself, to fears childishly superstitious. She had been slightly ill, was better, and admitted it. "Do not speak of this," she said to me, "it is unlucky." She told me that, in 1827, Mr Canning, then ill, mentioned to her that he was going for change and repose to Chiswick. She said to him: "Do not go there; if I were your wife, I would not allow you to do so." "Why not?" asked Mr Canning. "Mr Fox died there." Mr Canning smiled; and an hour after, on leaving Holland House, he returned to Lady Holland, and said to her in a low tone: "Do not speak of this to any one; it might disturb them." "And he died at Chiswick," concluded Lady Holland with emotion.'

NEWSPAPER MANAGEMENT IN THE

SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

In the seventeenth century, there was no such term as editor, implying a literary man devoted to the general management of a journal, with a share in such original composition as it required. We only hear of the printer, or at most of the publisher. In those days, the printer found himself surrounded with difficulties, and often, from the imperfection and simplicity of his arrangements, he was thrown into positions by no means dignified.

The following curious notices, &c., are from some of the earliest English newspapers; circ. 1620-1626. 'The Stationer to the Reader.-We should also present you with the French News, but for that some. who neither know what hath past before, nor how businesses depend one vpon another, haue patcht vp a Pamphlet with broken relations, contradicted newes of Sea-fights, and most non-sence Translations of matters of State, wee cannot but informe you, how you haue been wronged, and wee preuented, by those who would thrust out any falsitie, if they were but persuaded that the nouelty will sell it.'

The above is from a paper published in 1622. It is not very clear, certainly, but at anyrate that which the stationer' (publisher) means to convey to his readers may be arrived at without much difficulty. We have copied it literally, as illustrative at once of the typography, orthography, and punctuation of that age.

The annexed quaint notice is from a correspondent of one of these periodicals in the same year. Having given intelligence of the wars at that time being waged abroad, with running comments thereon, the sir, I end a long letter, wherein I haue dilated the writer concludes by saying to the editor: And thus, discourse, by attempting to giue the reasons of each motion, and to describe the persons and places, to giue light to the storie, which you shall doe well to keepe by you, for it will make you the better to

vnderstand whatsoeuer shall be written of these wars.'

Here is another (same year) from a military correspondent to a similar journal, and who seems to have suffered some loss in his calling: Now, courteous Reader, hauing heard the truth of the matter, moderate your griefe, and doe not discourage a young braue warrior, by lamenting for some small losse by him sustained, seeing also that commonly the issues of battailes and warlike actions are variable and inconstant, and that many times it happeneth, that those that the one day haue the worst, the next day haue the better hand.'

In publishing an account of what had occurred to the Spanish fleet in America, in 1623, the translator (and printer) thus apologetically introduces his intelli

gence:

'The Printer to the Reader. This Spanish originall comming to my hands most opportunely, tooke the aduantage of my liking it, and sudden apprehension, that it would please the Reader, whosoeuer: not so much because thereby is proposed a kinde of variety of newes, as in that the glory of God is made apparant in His workes, and wonderfull Prouidence, that can preserue men out of raging seas, and afford His mercy when wee thinke that it is quite denied vs: and although I may incurre an imputation by leaning more to the true sense then to the words as they lye in order: yet I will be bold to say, that the sentences here extended, shall neither receiue exoticke interpretation, nor bee carryed with any wanton hand from the true meaning: be therefore thus fauorable, pray, to reade it without a strict comparison of the originall: and accept of an honest intent, that aymeth as much at the satisfaction of worthy deseruers, as any profit can arise out of so meane a worke.'

Another writer of the same period, at the conclusion of his intelligence as to 'the State of Affairs of Europe,' oddly says: In this manner stand the affaires of Europe, which I cannot compare better then to a wounded man, newly drest, and in great danger of life, so that vntill his second opening, and taking the aire, the surgion himselfe cannot tell what will become of him but if you, gentle Reader, affect to vnderstand (by way of indulgencie and desire of his well-doing) the state of his health & body, I wil myselfe attend the next dressing, & according to the effect of the surgery certifie you, what hope there is of recouery, that is to say, if euer these commanders take the field; these threatning armies meet one another; these prepared forces make any encounter; and these martial affairs come to deciding, I will come toward you with honest information, and not hide my talent in a napkin, but acquaint you with as much as falls to my poore portion to know.'

Here is an apology for some news-letters omitted for want of space:Reader, I cannot let thee haue the letters for want of roome vntill next weeke.' Another journal, of a date somewhat later, contains the following apologetic notice on account of an error: 'Whereas there is notice given in the Gazette published yesterday, that one Mr Fox has been scandalized in this paper: This is to certify that there was never any such relation printed in any intelligence published by Benjamin Harris; but by some others that have counterfeited his title. But as for the mistakes in the elections at Rye, and other places, we do once for all acknowledge that, taking them up on common fame, we have sometimes been mistaken; but we are resolved for the future to be 80 very cautious and careful, as to endeavour not to give the least offence upon this or any other account to any person whatsoever.'

'TOUCHING FOR THE KING'S EVIL.-In 1664 occurs the following announcement on this subject, of course with the direct cognizance of his majesty

THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

Charles II. His sacred majesty having declared it to be his royal will and purpose to continue the healing of his people for the evil, during this month of May; and then to give over till Michaelmas next. I am commanded to give notice thereof, that the people may not come up to the town in the interim, and loose their labour.'

'NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS' IN OLDEN TIMES.At the foot of a newspaper of the early part of the seventeenth century, an invitation to amateurs is given in the following quaint terms :- Ale persons who are pleased to favour us with any comical or sollid stories, may repair to the "Three Kings," Ludgate, and they shall have them very carefully put in.'

The circulation of newspapers may be considered as having reached perfection, when a penny could buy the sheet and another penny insure its quick and safe transmission to any part of the country. In such a state of things, it becomes difficult to imagine or recall the difficulties which beset the obtaining of a newspaper only a few years ago. When we cast back our thoughts twenty years, we find the sheet costing fourpence-halfpenny at the least; when we go back twenty or thirty years more, we find it was sevenpence, the greater part of which sum went into the public exchequer. The number of sheets printed by any journal up to 1814 was usually a few hundreds; only two or three came to thousands. It was, indeed, mechanically impossible that there should be a newspaper circulation above two or three thousand, for, before any larger number could be thrown off, the news would have been cold, and the next number in requisition.

When we go back a century, or a century and a half, we find that the journals of the empire were but a handful. There was not one north of Edinburgh till 1746; there was not one established on a permanent basis in Edinburgh till 1718. News were in those days sent about in private letters, and in the gossip of conversation. The wandering beggar, who came to the farmer's house craving a supper and bed, was the principal intelligencer of the rural population of Scotland so late as 1780. In Queen Anne's time, to receive a regular news-sheet from the metropolis was the privilege of lords, squires, and men of official importance. At an earlier time, this communication was not a printed sheet at all, but a written sheet, called a News-letter, prepared in London, copied by some process or by the hand, and so circulated from a recognised centre. When such a sheet arrived at the hall, with any intelligence unusually interesting, the proprietor would cause his immediate dependants to be summoned, and would from his porch read out the principal paragraphs (see illustration on the following page). So did the news of William's landing at Torbay, of King Charles's restoration, of his father's tragic death, reach the ears of a large part of the people of England. The reader of our national history will have a very imperfect comprehension of it, if he does not bear in mind how slowly and imperfectly intelligence of public matters was conveyed in all times which we now call past, and how much of false news was circulated. In the case of an insurrection, the whole surrounding circumstances might be changed before a fourth of the nation was apprised of what had taken place, or was prepared to move. Or, supposing that a landing was expected on the south coast, in connection with party-movements within the empire, the heads of the conspiracy might all be in the Tower before any one could be sure that the fleet was even in sight.

One peculiarity of the newspaper management of old days is sufficiently obvious to any one who examines the files. There was no adequate system of home-reporting. It seems to have been mainly by private and arbitrary means that a domestic paragraph