SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
471
Neither Ballard nor Chalmers could discover the year of her death, hut merely state that she was living in 1605. It is, honever, proved that she survived till 1613.*
It was not until this period that the literary education of women, of the middle class of society, beeran to prevail in England ; few were taught more than to read, but at this time, writing was superadded, with music, dancing, and French; and it is a singular fact that neither of Shakspeare's daughters could write.
1621, Dee. Z)t«rf, Andrew Hart, one of the most distinguished of the early typographers of Scotland. He flourished in the retgn of James VI. Previous to 1600, he was in the habit of importing books from abroad ; he was at this time exclusively a bookseller. From a mere bookseller he seems gradually to have become a pnblisher: several books were printed in Holland about the yea-s 1600 and 1601, " at his expense." Finally, he added the business of printing to his other dealings. The productions of his press specify that his shop was in the High-street of Edinburgh, on the north side, opposite the cross ; being, by a strange chance, the identical spot from which Mr. Archibald Constable, two hun- dred years after, issued so many noble efforts of Scottish genius. Hurt's edition of the bible, 1610, has also been admired for its fine typogra- phy. He also published a well-known edition of Barbour's Bruce. In addition to all other claims upon our praise. Hart was a worthy man. He died in a good old age, as we learn from a notice in Boyd of Trochrig's OWtuary.f
1622. New and Merry Progno$ticaHon,demud after the finest fashion.
Made and written for this present yeare, Br four witty Doctors as shall appeare, Spendall, Whoball, and Doctor Dews-ace, With them Will. SomDer takes hU place. They have consulted all in deede, To solace them, that this shall reede.
This is a poetical tract of the greatest rarity. It b in 4to,and embellished' with wood cuts. A copy, in morocco, was lately offered for £8 8«.
16!22. Greevoia Gronet for the Poore. Done by a well wisher, who wisheth that the Poore of England might be provided for, as none should need to go a begging within this realme.
The poore aiBlcted axe.
So that they perish fast ; If now no order taken be.
Then mine comes at last.
Printed for Michael Sparre.
This tract is assigned to Thomas Decker, but upon no sufficient authority. It is inscribed, by the printer, " to the right honourable, right wor- shipful], and worthy company of the Virginia and Sommer Hand plantations." He calls it a poor fatherless volume.
- See the Bibliograpkiml and Rttrotptettue Mllteellanf,
LrOodon. 1830. post sto.
t Le moy de Dec. 1 631, monmt a Edln. le ion homme, Andrew Hart, imprimeur et libraiie ; decede en bonne rieillesse ; homme de blen et notre anden amy.
1622. Died, John Baron Napier, of Mer- chiston, in Scotland, where he was born in 1550. An able mathematician and theologian, the fore- runner of Newton, and iuventor of logarithnu* with teeret inr>entioru.-\ Mr. Chalmers observes, that the reforms and revolutions of Scotland had no happy influence on her genius and literature, during several ages. But a few individuals arose, who by devoting their lives to useful studies, amidst &naticism aud turbulence, would do honour to any country. The foremost was Napier, whose logarithnu and leeret inveruioiu however, " did little honour to his genius, and proved less useful to mankind."
1622. The Belgicke Pitmire stinging the sloth- ful sleeper, and bringitig the diligent to Fast, IVatch, Pray, ire By Thomas Scot. 4 to.
1622, Aug. 23. The Certain News of the pre. sent week, edited by, and printed for Nathaniel Butter, at the Pyde Bull, St. Austin's gate.
This b a small quarto of eighteen pages, with the following advertisement at the end of it : — " If any gentleman, or other accustomed to buy the weekly relations of newes, be desirous to continue the same, let them know that the writer, or transcriber rather of this newes, hath pub- lished two former newes, the one dated the second, the other the thirteenth of August, all which do carry a like title, with the arms of the king of Bohemia, on the other side of the title- page, and have dependence one upon another: which manner of writing and printing he doth purpose to continue weekly, by God's assistance, from the best and most certain intelligence. Farewell, this twenty-three of August, 1622."
This publication is deemed uie first weekly newspaper in England. The thirty years' war, and the exploits of the great Gustavus Adolphus, excited the curiosity of all classes, and the occasional pamphlets which had been issued, were now converted into weekly intelligence.
The following statement of the progress of " publick news and papers^ when they first began ; their progress, increase, and uses and abuses to the people," is taken from the Harleiau manu- scripts. 6910.
" In the days of King Henry VII. we had none that ever I could see, that is to say, in single sheets, except some invectives against the pope and the church of Rome. It is true there were several tracts wrote against cardinal Wol- sey ; but they were in books in octavo ; and several other relating to several matters, as about the sacrament, against Gardiner, bishop Bonner, &c.: but these might rather be called ubels than
- The Mirifici Logitrith morum CtmonU Dmeriptio was
printed by Andro Hart, at Edinborgli. iSu, 4ta., and was dedicated to Charles, Prince of Wales.
t The secret inventions were a Immiug mirronr, a won. derfui piece of artillery, and a war chariot. " These inven- tions," says Napier, besides devices of taUing under the water, and strata^ms for burning the enemies ships, by the grace of God and worlcs of expert ctaftemen. I hope to perform."
t Many of these were rather pamphlets and not con- tinued pnblications ; bat sin^e sheets, merely printed as attacks or answers on temporary occurrences, on the spur of the occasion.
VjOOQ IC
