GEORGE CANNING. THE BOOK OF DAYS. NEWSPAPERS IN 17TH CENTURY, the Westminster boys to commence The Trifer. | shire's villa at Chiswick, and there died on the To their first number they prefixed a caricature Sth of August 1827. 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, From Eton he passed to Oxford, and thence to 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 thes 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. Caming 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 M. Gairst, in an account of An Embassy to the Court of St James's in 1840, relates a curious anecdite 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 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 writer concludes by saying to the editor: And thus, sir, I end a long letter, wherein I haue dilated the 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 I vnderstand whatsoeuer shall be written of these wars.' Here is another (same year) from a military corre spondent 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 Bome 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 so 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 AUGUST 9. St Romanus, martyr. St Nathy, or David, priest in Ireland. St Fedlimid, or Felimy, bishop of Kilmore, confessor, 6th century. Born.-Izaak Walton, author of The Complete Angler, 1593, Stafford John Dryden, poet, 1631, Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire; John Oldham, satirical poet, 1653, Shipton, Gloucestershire; Thomas Telford, eminent engineer, 1757, Westerkirk, Dumfriesshire. Died. Simon Ockley, orientalist (History of the Saracens), 1720, Swavesey; Robert Potter, translator of Eschylus, &c., 1804, Lowestoff, Norfolk; Mrs Charles Mathews (Madame Vestris), celebrated vocalist and actress, 1856, Fulham. IZAAK WALTON. Uncanonized, Izaak Walton is the patron saint of anglers. About scarce another author centre memories of such unmixed gentleness and peace. To speak of Walton is to fall to praising him. As the funeral of a son of the Right Honourable the Earl of Galloway; wherefore his lordship's pardon and family is humbly craved.' W. E. Charles Lamb says: 'It might sweeten a man's temper at any time to read the Complete Angler.' Of Walton's early life little is known beyond the fact that he was born at Stafford in 1593. It is presumed he was apprenticed in London to a sempster or linen-draper, for soon after coming of age he had a shop of his own in the Royal Exchange, Cornhill. In this situation he could hardly have had elbow-room, for the shops in the Exchange were but 74 feet long by 5 wide. From this, in 1624, he moved to a house on the north side of Fleet Street, two doors west of the end of Chancery Lane,' thus under the very shadow of Temple Bar. In the crowd and din of the junction there of Fleet Street and the Strand, it is a piquant reflection at this day, that an author whose name is wedded with green fields and quiet waters once abode. Subsequently he removed round the corner to the seyenth house on the west side of Chancery Lane. In this neighbourhood Walton tasted much sorrow. He married at Canterbury, in 1626, DRYDEN-THE WEAPON SALVE. Angling, too, that solitary vice, Whatever Izaak Walton sings or says; The quaint, old, cruel coxcomb, in his gullet Should have a hook, and a small trout to pull it.' Rachel Floud, maternally descended from Arch-have subjected him to the charge of cruelty. bishop Cranmer. Seven children were the fruit of Hence Byron writes in Don Juan of-this union, but they all died in childhood, and last of all the mother also, in 1640. The narrow accommodations which London tradesmen then assigned to their families are sufficient to account for such tragic results. Meanwhile Walton's business as linen-draper prospered; and for recreation he used to go a-fishing with honest Nat, and R. Roe.' His favourite stream was the Lea, a river which has its source above Ware, in Hertfordshire, and gliding about the country to the north-east of London, falls into the Thames a little above Blackwall. Amidst the troubles of the civil war, while London was generally parliamentarian, worthy Izaak remained a steady royalist and churchman. Having accumulated a small independence, and anxious, it is supposed, to escape from the scene of so many domestic afflictions, and from possible annoyance on the score of his faith and politics, he gave up shopkeeping, about 1643, and retired into the country. In 1646, he contracted a second marriage with Anne Ken, sister of the saintly bishop of Bath and Wells. She died in 1662, leaving her husband a son Izaak and a daughter Anne to comfort him in his prolonged old age. Walton was fifty when he gave up business, and forty years of leisure remained for his enjoyment. Authorship he had begun before he left his shop. In the parish church of St Dunstan he had been a hearer and, as he says, 'a convert' to the preaching of Dean Donne, the poet. An intimate friendship ensued between the divine and the linen-draper, and when Donne died in 1631, Walton was tempted into writing his elegy; and to a collection of the dean's Sermons, published in 1640, he prefixed The Life of Dr John Donne. His success in this piece of biography led on to other efforts of the same kind, as inclination and opportunity offered. In 1651, appeared his Life of Sir Henry Wotton; in 1662, The Life of Mr Richard Hooker; in 1670, The Life of Mr George Herbert; and in 1678, The Life of Dr Sanderson. These five biographies, brief yet full, written in sympathy yet with faithfulness, with reverence, modesty, and discretion, have been accepted as choice miniatures of the several worthies who are their subjects, and are reprinted and read to this day with unabated admiration. Not the Lives, however, but The Complete Angler or Contemplative Man's Recreation is Walton's true title to fame. It was published in 1653, the year in which Oliver Cromwell was declared Protector, and Walton lived to see it pass through four other editions-namely, in 1655, 1664, 1668, and 1676. How often it has since been reprinted, annotated by admiring editors, and extolled by critics of every mind, time would fail to tell. The Angler has long ago taken an undisputed place among English classics, and to speak of its abounding poetry, wisdom, and piety would be to repeat criticism which has passed into commonplace. The advices which Walton gives for the treatment of live-baitas, for instance, the dressing of a frog with hook and wire, needle and thread, using him as though you loved him, that is, harm him as little as you may possible, that he may live the longer,' and the recommendation of a perch for taking pike, as the longest-lived fish on a hook' 65 But people in the seventeenth century concerned themselves little or nothing with animal suffering. Boyle, a good Christian and contemporary of Walton's, records experiments with animals in the air-pump with a coolness which makes us shudder. The Puritans objected to bull and bear baiting, not, as Lord Macaulay observes, in pity for bull or bear, but in aversion and envy at the pleasure of the spectators. Strange as it may seem, compassion for animals is a virtue, the coming in of which may be remembered by living men. Blessed with fine health, Walton carried the vigour of manhood into old age; in his eightythird year, we find him professing a resolution to begin a pilgrimage of more than a hundred miles, to visit his friend Cotton on the Dove in Derbyshire. In the great frost of 1683, which covered the Thames with ice eleven inches thick, split oaks and forest trees, and killed the hollies, and in which nearly all the birds perished, old Izaak died in his ninety-first year. He was at the time on a visit to his daughter Anne, at Winchester, and in Winchester Cathedral he lies buried. In a will made a few months before, he declared his belief to be, in all points of faith, as the Church of England now professeth;' a declaration of some consequence, he asserts, on account of 'a very long and very true friendship with some of the Roman Church.' DRYDEN-THE WEAPON SALVE. What a blurred page is presented to us in the life of Dryden-in one short year bemoaning Cromwell and hailing Charles-afterwards changing his religion, not without a suspicion of its being done for the sake of court-favour-a noble, energetic poet, yet capable of writing licentious plays to please the debased society of his age-a gentleman by birth, yet fain to write poetical translations from the classics for Jacob Tonson at so much a line! Notwithstanding all short-comings, Dryden is not merely a venerated figure in the literary Pantheon of England, but one not a little loved. We all enter heartily into the praise of Glorious John.' Dryden had many enemies; no man could write in those days without incurring hatred. Hence it arose that the following notice appeared in a London newspaper in December 1679. instant, in the evening, Mr Dryden, the great poet, Upon the 17th was set upon in Rose Street, in Covent-Garden, by three persons, who called him a rogue, and other bad names, knockt him down, and dangerously wounded him, but upon his crying out "Murther!" they made their escape. It is conceived that they had their pay beforehand, and designed not to rob him, but to execute on him some cruelty, if not popish vengeance. Soon afterwards the following advertisement was issued: Whereas, &c., &c., if any person shall make discovery of the said offenders, to the said Mr Dryden, or to any justice of peace for the liberty of Westminster, he shall NEWSPAPER MANAGEMENT IN THE BOOK OF DAYS. came to the office. An amusing illustration of this primitive system of reporting occurs in the Caledonian Mercury for March 3, 1724: 'We hear,' says the THE SEVENTEE paper, that my Lord Arniston, one lords of session, is dead' In next this apologetic, but certainly very awk ENGLISH COUNTY GENTLEMAN 'It was by mistake in our last that Lord Arniston was dead, occasioned by the rendezvous of coaches hard by his lordship's lodging, that were to attend AUGUST 9. St Romanus, martyr. St Nathy, or David, priest Ireland. St Fedlimid, or Felimy, bishop of K confessor, 6th century. Born.-Izaak Walton, author of The Complete! 1593, Stafford; John Dryden, poet, 1681, 4 Northamptonshire; John Oldham, satirical p Shipton, Gloucestershire; Thomas Telford, engineer, 1757, Westerkirk, Dumfriesshire Died.-Simon Ockley, orientalist (H Saracens), 1720, Searesy; Robert Potter, Eschylus, &c., 1804, Lowestof, Narell Mathews (Madame Vestris), celebrat. 1 actress, 1856, Fulham. IZAAK WALTON. Uncanonized, Iraak Walton is t of anglers. About scarce anoth memories of such unmixed g To speak of Walton is to fail to made ..T. The eventful whether the d or would not upon the freedom sides of the Thames ly at Gravesend and of boats was established the passage. There was y Fort, in which more than ps were assembled. After the troops assembled in London, wn to encourage those encamped her energetic demeanour filled enthusiasm. Riding on a wararmour on her back, and holding Deon in her hand-with the Earls Leicester holding her bridle-rein, she thus:-My loving people, we have by some that are careful of our beed how we commit ourselves to gudes, for fear of treachery. But I o not desire to live to distrust my Loving people. Let tyrants fear! I behaved myself that, under God, I ... my chiefest strength and safeguard in ts and good-will of my subjects; and, dave come amongst you at this time, By recreation and sport, but being ae midst and heat of the battle to live A you all-to lay down for my God, o, and for my people, my honour and ven in the dust. I know that I have A of a weak and feeble woman; but I hat of a king, and of a king of England 43 |