PUBLISHERS. the world. Wynkyn de Worde, and Pynson, and "learned John Day,' ," were all of the Stationers' Com pany. INTENTIONAL ERRATA. Besides the ordinary mistakes which take place in printing, there are others which are sometimes purposely committed, in order to have an opportunity of introducing into the Errata, what could not have been permitted in the body of the work. In those countries, for instance, where the Inquisition exists, and particularly in Rome, the use of the word Fatum, or Fata, in any printed work is forbidden. An 193 author who wished to make use of the latter, adopted this scheme :He printed the word throughout his book, Facta; and then, in the Errata, he placed a notice, For Facta, read Fata. A similar expedient was resorted to by Scarron. He had composed some verses, to which he had prefixed a dedication in these words:-"A Guillemette, chienne de ma soeur.' Some time after, having quarrelled with his sister, just as he was preparing for the press a collection of his poems, he maliciously printed among the Errata of the book, For "Chienne de ma soeur," read "Ma chienne de soeur." PUBLISHERS. THE HARPERS OF NEW YORK. In 1826, James and John Harper worked as journeymen in a printing-office in New York. They were distinguished, like Franklin, for industry, temperance, and economy. The well-known editor of the Albany Evening Journal worked as a journeyman printer at that time in the same establishment. "James," says he, "was our partner at the press. We were at work as soon as the day dawned; and though, on a pleasant summer afternoon, we used to sigh occasionally for a walk upon the Battery before sundown, he never would allow the balls to be capped' until he had broken the back of the thirteenth 'token.'" the rallying cry of a new political party, whose irresistible enthusiasm and overwhelming numbers speedily elevated him to the chief magistracy of the great metropolis of the western world.-(Arvine.) WILLIAM HUTTON, THE BOOKSELLER. William Hutton, well known in the literary world as a bookseller, struggled in early life with innumerable difficulties. His own account of his first adventure as a bookseller is a good specimen of that spirit of indomitable perseverance which is ever the forerunner of success. He determined to set up in that character in the town of Southwell, about fourteen miles from Nottingham. Here he accordingly opened a shop, with, as he expresses it, about twenty shillings' worth of trash for all his stock. What is the sequel? The journeyman printer of 1826 has become the head of one of the first-if not "I was," says he, "my own joiner, the first-publishing houses in the put up my shelves and furniture, world; a man of ample fortune, and and in one day became the most enjoying the confidence of his fel- eminent bookseller in the place." low-citizens in an eminent degree. Being employed, however, during It was in 1844 that, in the city in the other days of the week, in workwhich he was first known as a jour-ing at Nottingham as a bookbinder, neyman printer, his name was made he could only give his attendance at N Southwell on Saturdays, that being besides, quite enough for the literary wants of the place. "Throughout a very rainy summer, I set out," says he, "at five every Saturday morning, carried a burden of from three pounds' weight to thirty, opened shop at ten, starved in it all day upon bread, cheese, and a half pint of ale, took from one to six shillings, shut up at four, and, by trudging through the solitary night and the deep roads five hours more, I arrived at Nottingham at nine, where I always found a mess of milk porridge by the fire, prepared by my valuable sister." This humble attempt, however, was the beginning of his prosperity. Next year he was offered about two hundred pounds' weight of old books, on his note - of-hand, for twenty-seven shillings, by a Dissenting minister, to whom he was known; and upon this he immediately determined to break up his establishment at Southwell, and to transfer himself to Birmingham. He did so, and succeeded so well, that by never suffering his expenses to exceed five shillings a-week, he found that by the end of the first year he had saved about twenty pounds. This, of course, enabled him to extend his business, which he soon made a very valuable one. Birmingham was to Hutton what Philadelphia was to Franklin. The first time he had ever seen it was when he entered it after running away from his uncle's, a wearied and a homeless wanderer, with scarcely a penny in his pocket, and not a hope in the world to trust to. Yet in this place he was destined to acquire, some years after, an ample fortune, and to take his place among the most honoured of its citizens. Daniel and reveal were in it, and teenth century, André Pujom. He that was sufficient to satisfy her in- read, in his own name, the anagram spirations. The court attempted to "Pendu à Riom" (the seat of cridispossess the spirit from the lady, minal justice in the province of while the bishops were in vain rea- Auvergne), felt impelled to fulfil soning the point with her out of his destiny, committed a capital the Scriptures, to no purpose, she offence in Auvergne, and was acpoising text against text. One of tually hung in the place to which the deans of the arches, says Hey- the omen pointed. lin, shot her through and through with an arrow borrowed from her own quiver; he took a pen, and at last hit upon this excellent anagram: Dame Eleanor Davies, ON NAPOLEON. The following anagram on the original name of Napoleon I., the most renowned conqueror of the age in which he lived, may claim a place among the first productions The happy fancy put the solemn of this class, and fully shows, in court into laughter, and Cassandra the transposition, the character of into the utmost dejection of spirit. that extraordinary man, and points Foiled by her own weapons, her out that unfortunate occurrence of spirit suddenly forsook her; and his life which ultimately proved either she never afterwards ven- his ruin. Thus: "Napoleon Bonatured on prophesying, or the ana- parte" contains—“No, appear not gram perpetually reminded her on Elba." hearers of her state-and we hear no more of this prophetess! WILLIAM OLDYS. The following anagram on the well-known bibliographer, William Oldys, may claim a place among the first productions of this class. It was written by Oldys himself, and found by his executors in one of his manuscripts :— "W. O. In word and WILL I AM a friend to you, TU DOCES. A singular pun is produced in the following words, which were inscribed on a tea-chest: "Tu doces, which is the second person singular of the verb doceo, to teach, and, when literally translated, becomes Thou Tea-Chest." PUNNING IN FRENCH. Mr. Moore records in his diary of table-talk, as a specimen of French punning, that the following was And one friend OLD IS worth a hun-among the Potierana lately pub dred new.' BURNEY'S ANAGRAM ON NELSON "PENDU A RIOM." None of the anagrams of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries exceed in felicity Dr. Burney's on Lord Nelson: "Horatio Nelson, Honor est a Nilo." lished:-"Il a l' esprit seize," i.e., treize et trois (très etroit). Mercer (says he) told me of a punster, who had so much the character of never opening his mouth without a pun, that one day, upon his merely asking some one at dinner for a little spinage, the person stared, looked puzzled, and said, "Je vous demande Of all the extravagances occa- pardon, monsieur, mais, pour cette sioned by the anagrammatic fever, fois, je ne comprend pas." The when at its height, none probably quickness of the French at punning equals what is recorded of an ec- arises (Mr. Moore adds), very much centric Frenchman in the seven-from their being such bad spellers. Not having the fear of orthography before their eyes, they have at least one restraint less upon their fancy in this sort of exercise. PUNNING IN LATIN. Thomas Moore notes in his diary, that dining at Bowles's, his host mentioned that at some celebration at Reading school, when the patrons or governors of it (beer and brandy merchants), were to be welcomed with a Latin address, the boy appointed to the task, thus bespoke them, "Salvete, hospites selebeerimi," and then turning to the others, "Salvete, hospites celebrandi." Among our collection of ingenious literary productions, Dean Swift's celebrated Latin puns deserve a place; they will live with the language, for they have never been excelled. This species of composi READING. ALFRED THE GREAT LEARNING Alfred the Great ascended the throne in 872. Born when his country was involved in the most profound darkness and deplorable condition, and when learning was considered rather as a reproach than an honour to a prince, he was not taught to know one letter from another till he was above twelve years of age, when a book was put into his hand, by accident more than by previous design. Judith, his step-mother, was sitting one day, surrounded by her family, with a book of Saxon poetry in her hands. With a happy judgment, she proposed it as a gift to him who would first learn to read it. The elder princes thought the reward inadequate to the task, and retired from the field of emulation. But the mind of Alfred, captivated "Mollis abuti, "Moll is a beauty, Has an acute eye, by the prospect of information, and pleased with the neatness of the writing and the beauty of the illuminations, inquired if she actually intended to give it to the person who would soonest learn to read it. His mother repeating the promise, with a smile of joy at the question, he took the book, found out an instructor, and learned to read it, recited it to her, and received it for his reward. It is said that he imbibed such a passion for reading that he never stirred abroad without a book in his bosom. He founded and endowed schools (among others Oxford), and brought teachers of learning from all parts of the world, purchased books, ordered the Bible to be translated into the AngloSaxon, undertaking the version of the Psalms himself, but did not live to complete it; and, in short, encouraged education and learning equally by precept and example. J. Williams, in his the result of this mysterious proof Missionary Enter- ceeding, followed her closely. On he following interest- receiving the square from her, he said : rection of this chapel “Stay, daughter: how do you know that this is what Mr. Williams wants?' "Why,' she replied, 'did you not give me a chip just now? 666 Yes,' said the astonished warrior, 'but I did not hear it say anything.' "If you did not, I did,' was the reply, for it made known to me what he wanted; and all you have to do is to return as fast as possible.' "With this the chief leaped out take this, go to our of the house, and catching up the give it to Mrs. Wil- mysterious piece of wood, he ran through the settlement with the chip in one hand and the square in the other, holding them up as high as his arm would reach, and shouting as he went singular-looking man, quick in his movead been a great warone of the numerous ad fought he had lost "See the wisdom of these Enggiving me an inex-lish people: they can make chips talk! they can make chips talk!' k with the other, he at! She will call me cold me, if I carry a eplied, 'she will not; go immediately, for I me to be in earnest, asked_ust I say?' e nothing to say; the all I wish.' ook of astonishment , he held up the piece said this speak? Has it him to take it immenot spend so much ng about it. On ar "On giving me the square, he wished to know how it was possible thus to converse with persons at a distance. I gave him all the information in my power; but it was a circumstance involved in so much mystery, that he actually tied a string to the chip, hung it around his neck, and wore it for some time. During several following days, we frequently saw him surrounded by a crowd, who were listening with intense interest while he narrated the wonders which the chip had performed." FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS The principal amusement of Frederick's leisure hours, at all periods of his life, was his library. The house he cave it to plan for his reading in general |