612
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
taken, consists'* of two sheets of small folio, whereof no less than two paget are occupied with the title we have extracted. It will be seen, from the proposal therein contained, that the entire income of the paper, — to meet every ex- pense, including its delivery to subscribers, — no trifling matter, we may in^r, in the then im- perfect state of the post-office deliveries, and which must have rendered special messengers in- dispensable to its circulation ; the entire income amounted to no more than 25«. each number, or £3 15s. per week.
1715, Oct. 16. London Pott, No. 1. Printed by Benjamin Harris,* in Gracechurch-street.
1715, Nov. 14. Glasgow Courant, containing the occurrence both at home and abroad, No. 1. Glasgow, printed for R. T. and sold at the print- ing-house, in the college, and at the post-office. It was a small 4 to, printed on bad paper, in one column, three times a week, for the benefit of the country, price three halfpence. At No. 3, the title was changed to the West Country Intelli- gence ; containing the news both at borne and abroad. A collection is in the college library.
1715, Dec. 3. Weekly Remarks and Political ReJUctiont upon the most material News, Foreign and Dotnesttck, No. 1. The Courant was at this time the only daily paper in London.
1715. Dee. 17. The Town Talk, in a series of Letters to a Lady in the Country. By sir R. Steele. It extended only to nine numl>ers, and expired February 13, 1716.
1715, Dec. 20. St. James's Evening Post, or Nightly Pacquet, printed by J. Applebee for Samuel Jackson, over against Bridewell Bridge in Blackfriars, No. 1 . After the publication of this paper, Baker changed his title to the St. James's Post.
1715. Penny Post, No. 1.
1715. Felix Farley's Bristol Journal. This was the first newspaper printed in Bristol.
1715. The Hermit, the Silent Monitor. The Pilgrim. The Inquisitor. The Surprise. The Miscellany. The Restorer.
1715, Dec. 23. Freeholder, No. 1. This paper has been justly termed a political Spectator ; it stands at the head of its class, and was written by Addison to evince the enormity of rebellion, and to repel the prejudices of ignorance and faction. It was published every Monday and Friday, and having reached fifty-five numbers, closed June
- Be was a bitsk asserter of English Ubertiea, and once
printed a book with that very title. He sold A Prota- ttuU Peiitiont in Iting Charles's reign, for which they fined him ^500, and set him once In the pillory) but his wife, (like a kind rib,) stood by him to defend her hosband aoainst the mob. After this rhaving a deal of mercury in Ub natural temper,] he txavclled to New England, where he followed bookseUing, and then coffee selling, and then printlog, bat continued Ben Harris still ; and is now both bookseller and printer, in Oracechurch-strect, as we Hod bjr his London Po»t ; so that his conversation is general, (bat never impertinent,) and his wit pliable to aU inven- ttoD. Butyethis vanity, (If he has any,) gires no allay to his wit, and Is no more than might Justly spring from conadoas virtue ; and I do him bnt Justice in this part of his character, for In once travelling vrith him from Bury Hair, I found him to be the moat ingenuous and innocent companion that I had ever met with.— Z)»n<(»i.
29, 1716. The literary merit of this paps' is of the highest order, and its political moaeratioa is also entitled to no inferior encomiom. At a period when scurrility and abuse were tboof^ more efficient, in proportion as they were keen and bitter, this work presented a specimen of what urbanity with wit and argument migbt efi°ect. Though sir Richard Steele is said to have declared, that the ministnr in employing Addisoo had chosen a lute, when tbeyshould Wve selected a trumpet, the Freeholder, it is aclmowledged, proved of essential service to the government, and contributed towards the promotion of its tranquillity and establishment. With this paper Addison concluded his labours as an essayist.
1716,Jait.26. Died,T)ASiEU Wiluams,D.D. an eminent divine among the nonconfonnisti, and founder of the valuable library, in Red Cross-street, London. He was born at Wrex- ham, in Denbighshire, in 1643 or 1644, and very early in life formed the resolution of devot- ing himsielf to the Christian ministry amongst the nonconformists, which considering the seven- ties of an intolerant government, were called forth against the dissenters, and must be regarded as a striking illustration of the decision of his character. His first employment was pastor of the Presbyterian church, in Wood-street, Dub- lin; but the troubles of Ireland, in 1687, led him to resign and retire to London. After the revolution he was elected pastor of a numerous congregation in London. Dr. Williams deserves the high praise of employing a large fortune, (which he had partly obtained by marriage,) in relieving the necessities of his less fortunate brethren ; and at his death left considerable benefactions to several public institutions for the diffusion of knowledge and the propagation of the gospel.
Possessing an extensive collection of valuable books, he conceived the idea of forming a Public Library, for the use of his brethren, who were excluded by their nonconformity from the stores of literature at the imiversities. His friend. Dr. Bates, had also been, during a long and studions life, as Mr. Howe expressed it, "an earnest gatherer, and, as the phrase is, devoiuer of books," with which he had so great an ac- quaintance, that an eminent divine, a dignitary of the church, said, " That were he to collect a library, he would as soon consult Dr. Bates as any man he knew." Such a collection was of course most desirable, and on the decease of its possessor, Dr. Williams purchased it for £500, or £600, to be added to his own valuablelibnuy.
By his last will, dated June 26, 1711, Dr. Williams appointed his books, after duplicates and useless volumes were removed, to be for a public library, "whereto such as his trustees appoint shall have access, for the perusal of any book in the place where they are lodged."
The apartments are capable of receiving forty thousand volumes, though the catalogue ctm- toins only about half that number. TUs libnrv contains many rare tracts, early editions, aai costlv works in the collection. Of the rare
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