or tragically, but between both, which decorum I did my best to observe, not to go against art to please the over amorous. To the nest of Babblers I despise any answer.""

There is a copy of this drama in the British Museum.

This and the next - mentioned drama were brought under Dr. Madden's notice by the eminent Irish historiographer, Councellor Prender

gast.

"Hic et Ubique," or the "Humours of Dublin," a comedy (by Richard Head) was acted here in 1663. Among the personages are-Colonel Kiltory; Alderman Thrivewell, Phantastique; Hic et Ubique; Patrick, the colonel's servant; Mrs. Contriver; Miss Cassandra; and Mrs. Sue Pouch, a landlady. Edmund Malone -Shakespeare's Malone-who collected for Lord Charlemont, supplied in MS. the lost title.

The author, the son of a clergyman who had lost his life in the disastrous Irish wars, received his education in England, but was obliged, by want of means, to leave Oxford before receiving a degree. He was bound apprentice to a bookseller, took a wife at an early age, wrote poetry, gambled, went from bad to worse, came to Ireland, got his only play acted and made money by it, and acquired some literary reputation. Returning to England, he printed his play, and dedicated it to the Duke of Monmouth. Unable to support himself by his pen, he resumed bookselling, and might have enjoyed a respectable position in society but for his propensity to irregular conduct. He wrote the "English Rogue," out of which, notwithstanding the lax character of the governors and governed of the country, he was obliged to cut many a passage too highly flavoured even for the palates of Dryden's, Davenant's, Shadwell's, and Etheridge's admirers. After an unhappy and scrambling life, he was lost in a trip to the Isle of Wight in 1678.

Six years before the presentation of Landartha was opened the first Irish theatre, in Werburgh-street. We are not in possession of the names of any of our earliest performers, and Chetwode mentions only one play acted before the abovementioned, namely, the Royal Master, by Shirley, an intimate friend of the manager, John Ogilby. Shortly after the performance of Landgartha occurred the breaking out of the war, and the Werburgh-street house was closed for ever. Hic et Ubique was performed, as mentioned, in 1663, the second year of the revival of the drama in Dublin, Mr. Ogilby having returned from London, and built the Smock-alley (then Orangestreet) theatre, and opened it in 1662.

During the continuance of the great troubles we can scarcely come on the trace of a book published without having reference to them. We now proceed with those, discovered in Dr. Madden's researches, printed after the death of Charles and the breaking-up of the Catholic confederacy, the first being a work in Irish and English, and printed in Dublin, 1652:

"The Christian Doctrine, or the Four Doctrines of the Christian Religion, gathered into Six Principles, necessary for every Ignorant Man to learn. Translated into Irish by Godfrey Daniel, Master in the Arts; and also Brief and Plain Rules for the Reading of the Irish Tongue."

The author of the original English was W. Perkins, and the translator dedicated it to the Parliamentary Commissioners for the Affairs of Ireland. If Praise-God-Barebones and Merciful Strick-al-thro' did not cherish the body of the Irish peasant, they regarded at least the welfare of his soul; there are few earthly conditions, how bad soever, which might not be worse. The types used in printing this catechism were those which had been sent by Queen Elizabeth to Ireland, 1571, to pro

duce Kearney's Irish Catechism, before mentioned. After this second doctrinal book was printed, the types were unwarily sold to a zealous Roman Catholic ecclesiastic, who conveyed them to Douay; and, for many years later, little tracts, printed with them, were conveyed to Ireland, and read by the natives.

In 1653, the Cork press issued "Scripture Evidence for Baptism of Infants of Covenanters; the substance of two Sermons preached in that city in the same year." The title throws very little light on the purport of the work. The most unforced meaning of it would imply evidence taken from Scripture that the Covenanters bap tised their children. But as Scripture is not commonly adduced to prove the occurrence of any modern facts, this explanation will not hold water. Could an Episcopalian have preached the sermon. to convince Covenanters of the necessity of baptising their children? or would one of Cromwell's preachers have held forth to convince Papists and Malignants that his people were not unmindful of the ordinance?

There is no uncertainty as to the laudable object of the next book, known to have been printed in the same city next year (1654):

"Inquisitio in Fidem Christianorum Hujus Seculi (An Inquiry into the Faith of the Christians of this Age), Authore Rogero Boyle (12mo), Corcagiæ, 1654."

John Crook, printer, in Dublin, 1666, not having the fear of Independents or Fifth-Monarchy Men before his eyes, printed in that year a new edition ofthe "Boke of Common Prayer (4to), according to the use of the Catholick Church of Ireland."

Few printers in Dublin, much less Cork, would care in our days to bring out an edition in folio of the HOLY COURT. Yet it was published in the latter city in that form in 1667.

In Cork, was also published, in

1675, "The Wish: being the Tenth Satire of Juvenal, a Pindaric Poem." Printed by Benjamin Tooke. From the dedication, it is evident that the book was printed in the city of Cork, though the name does not occur on the title-page. It was dedicated to the Protestant gentry, nobility, and soldiery of Ireland, but more especially to the worshipful the mayor, aldermen, common council, and inhabitants of the city of Cork. Dr. Madden deserves more gratitude for preserving the memory of a literary gem of this kind than for a dozen declarations, proclamations, and vituperations of parties at feud with each other. Here are his remarks :

"This very singular poetical brochure is in small 4to (pp. 34), descriptive of the character of the natives, their manners, peculiarities, and their modes of expressing themselves, illuminated by specimens of their conversation, intermixed abundantly with phrases in common use in the Irish language. There are evidences in the poem of close observation of the Irish character, and most intimate acquaintance with the modes of thought and expression of the lower orders of the Irish people."

This pamphlet, as well as the one about to be mentioned, was in the Charlemont Library. Our authority does not acquaint us of their present whereabouts.

This second production of that year, 1675, came from the brain of an English soldier, and was entitled,

"The Moderate Cavalier, or the Soldier's Description of Ireland, and of the Country Disease, with receipts for the same."

From Gloster's siege till Arms lay down

In Trewroe's field, I for the Crown
Under St. George marched up and down,
and then, sir,

For Ireland came, and had my share
Of blows not lands, gained in that warre;
But God defend me from such fare, again,

sir !

"A Book fit for all Protestants in Ireland. Printed,anno Domini, 1675."

"The Moderate Cavalier" treats the Irish soldiers, fighting loyally for their common sovereign, more ill-naturedly than would a poetical partisan of Ireton himself. Why should he call himself a Cavalier at all?

Our southern capital also boasts the issue in 1679, of "The Surprising and Remarkable Predictions of the Holy, Learned, and Excellent James Ussher, late Archbishop of Armagh. Printer, William Smith."

Dr. Madden has been so fortunate as to meet with some of the genuine MS. news-letters of the date to which we have reached ::

"Some of these I have found in the possession of Mr. Willis, of Ormond-quay. Each is one foot in length and ten inches in breadth. Two of them are dated, 19th July, 1672, and 8th October, 1678, and are written on both sides. The 'Newsletter' is a MS. newspaper, briefly stating the chief events of the time, was circulated in manuscript during the infancy of journalism, and was, in fact, the original and pattern which has been improved into our present newspapers. The form and style of these letters remained for many years in printed gazettes and newsletters, but copies of the true manuscript newsletters are now rarely seen."

Our authority, now approaching the era of the first issue of printed newpapers in Ireland, thought it expedient to give an account by itself of the first publishing of Irish-printed copies of the English Scriptures, for the late execution of which here it is not very easy to account. Bishop Bedell's Irish version of the New Testament was printed in London in 1681, and that of the whole Bible in 1685.

About the year 1630, William Bedell, Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh, securing the assistance of a Mr. King and the Rev. Denis Sheridan, began the translation of the Bible into

Irish, intending to have it printed in his own house. King, however, being cast into prison in 1638, at the age of eighty, and the rebellion breaking out, nothing was achieved but the MS. copy. The bishop died, much lamented by his Roman Catholic neighbours, on the 7th February, 1642. Most of his papers were destroyed, but the Scripture MS. fortunately escaped.

He

In 1678, the Honourable Robert Boyle, taking the scarcity of the Irish New Testament, printed in 1602, into consideration, got a fount of type cast for a new edition. engaged one Reilly, an Irishman, to superintend the press, and, in 1681, 750 copies were issued. About the same time, this nobleman was informed that the Bedell MS. was safe in the possession of Dr. Jones, to whom it had been given by a son of the Rev. Denis Sheridan, above mentioned. The, sheets were found to be out of order, and the services, one after another, of Dr. Saul, Dr. Marsh, Mr. Higgins, Dr. William Huntingdon, and some Irish scholars, were required, to have them replaced, carefully copied, and sent piecemeal to Mr. Reilly, in London, where the printing was executed. In the spring of 1686, an edition of 700 copies was published, the nobleman having contributed £700 towards the expense.

In this and other portions of his work the historian has received most valuable assistance through the previous researches of the Rev. Henry Cotton, Archdeacon of Cashel, who has devoted the best part of a long life to the consideration of Irish literature of the past centuries, and the treasures contained in the great libraries of the empire. His "Typographical Gazetteer," Oxford, 1831, is a work in the highest estimation among our archæological students.

Belfast, though now so much in advance of other Irish provincial cities, could boast of the production of no printed book till 1696, when James Blow and his brother-in-law,

Patrick Neill, printers of Glasgow, set up a press there. Neill dying soon after his coming to Belfast, Blow continued the business, and, as has been supposed by many literary persons, printed the first edition of the Bible in Ireland, 1716. Mr. William Pinkerton, F.S.A., has given in Notes and Queries, March 11th, 1865, strong proofs that this opinion is incorrect. Dr. Madden's researches have led to the same result; the nonexistence of a copy in any of the public or private libraries, yet examined, being rather strong evidence of the alleged edition never having taken place. There is a probability, as Dr. Madden hints, of Blow having printed the work in question, sold the stock to the Dublin publisher, and allowed the following imprint on the title page. A copy with this imprint is in the British Museum, and another in the possession of Dr. Madden.

"DUBLIN: printed by A. (Aaron) Rhames, for William Binauld, at the Bible, in Eustace Street; and Eliphal Dobson, at the Stationers' Arms, in Castle Street. MDCCXIV."

The next Dublin edition of the Scriptures was given by Boulter Grierson, in 1739.

The Venerable Archdeacon Cotton published, in 1855, a work with the following title:"An Attempt to Show what has been done by Roman Catholics for the diffusion of the HolyScripture in English. By the Rev. Henry Cotton, Archdeacon of Cashel Oxford, University Press, 1855."

From this tract it appears that thirty-three editions in English of the whole Bible or of the New Testament were published between 1582 (date of the first issue of the New Testament at Rheims) and 1800. Dr. Madden quotes six other editions omitted by the learned Protestant dignitary. Ten of these, including the six omitted ones, were avowedly printed in Dublin; eleven were undated, and of these, six were probably published in the same city. One

translation of the New Testament by Dr. Cornelius Nary, who kept up for some time a controversy with the Archbishop of Tuam (circa 1715), was independent of the standard Rhemish Version, so was the translation of the New Testament, 2 vols. by Dr. Witham; Douay, 1730.

Preceedence being thus afforded to sacred literature, we return to profane-at least, worldly-productions.

SOME OLD DUBLIN PRINTERS.

In 1700 Patrick Neill and Co. (James Blow) printed a book bearing the following title:-"The Bible the best New-Year's Gift, containing the contents of the Old and New Testaments in verse." The still extant copy of this work is carefully preserved among the archives of the first Presbyterian congregation, having been presented to the Belfast' meeting house, in 1705.

In 1714, James Blow printed at Belfast, the warks (sic) of Sir David Lindsay (see "Marmion "), and reprinted the work last mentioned.

Readers of "Red Gauntlet " need scarcely be told that the rigid loyalist and his young relatives belonged to the respected family of the Griersons of Larg. Some of the younger folk of the Irish branch even in our own days fancy that when one of the family is under a feeling of anger or resentment, the fatal horse-shoe mark appears in his forehead. Early in last century a branch of this family removed to Dublin; and we find George Grierson established as a printer at the "Two Bibles," in Essexstreet, in 1709. There is extant a tract printed by him in 1715-16, entitled, "The Freeholder's Answer to the Pretender's Declaration." It is preserved in the Irish Tracts, MSS. room, Trinity College.

In June, 1866, a tract with the following title was sold at Mr. Lewis's (formerly Sharpe's) sale room, Dublin:

"Catechism in Irish with the English placed over it in the same

Karakter; together with Prayers for Sick Persons, and a Vocabulary explaining the Irish Words. Printed by James Blow, Belfast, 1722."

It was secured by the late Dr. Todd for the library of Trinity College.

James Blow did not neglect his native literature. In 1729 he printed, "The Life and Acts of the Most Famous and Valiant Champion, Sir W. Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie, Maintainer of the Liberty of Scotland." Belfast: printed by James Blow, and are to be sold at his Shop, 1729."

Having treated of books, let us say something of their printers and their families.

George Grierson, whom we find established in 1709, married a lady distinguished by her estimable disposition and literary ability. We have seen a finely-printed edition of Tacitus, in four volumes, edited by her. It is said that it was in consequence of the high rank she held in letters that the patent of king's printer was granted to her husband. This lady and Mrs. Thomas Sheridan (née Carpenter) holds distinguished rank among the Irish literary ladies of last century. Dr. Madden thus writes of Mrs. Grierson :

"Mrs. Constantia Grierson was born in the county of Kilkenny, about the year 1706, and was married at an early age to Mr. George Grierson. She was not only a woman of great learning, a writer of several admirable productions in prose and verse, but a compositor of much skill. She, was an excellent classical scholar, well versed in Greek and Roman literature, and not unacquainted with philosophy and mathematics. A striking proof, we are told, was given by her to Lord Carteret of her knowledge of the Latin tongue, in her edition of Tacitus presented to him, and by her edition, also, of Terence to his son, to whom also she presented a Greek sonnet. She wrote many fine poems, but attached so

little importance to them, that few copies were circulated, and they are now scarcely known.

"Learning in her was but obeying a strong natural impulse; all her attainments were by the force of her own genius and uninterrupted application. She was not only happy in a fine imagination, a great memory, an excellent understanding, and exact judgment, but all these were crowned by piety and virtue. She was too learned to be vain and too wise to be conceited." This excellent woman died in 1733 at the early age of twenty-seven.

The Griersons have enjoyed the condition of most respectable, wellto-do Dublin citizens to this day. Curious visitors may still look upon their large printing establishment, Exchange Street, in the neighbourhood of Fishamble Street. Their Bibles and Common Prayer-Books had a large circulation during the last, and the early part of the present century. An octavo edition of their Illustrated Prayer-Book, 1800, is still in much request with elderly ladies and gentlemen, whose sight has not improved with age. George Grierson died in 1753 at the age of seventy-four. His son, George Abraham Grierson, distinguished by learning and conversational powers, was an intimate acquaintance of Dr. Samuel Johnson. He died in 1755, in his twenty-seventh year.

Another of this family, Boulter Grierson, was a printer in Dublin as early as 1716. The name appears in the Dublin Directory, as the King's printer, in 1770. George Grierson is designated in the directories as holding the same office in the years 1782, 1796, 1800.

James Blow, the introducer of printing into Belfast, died in August, 1759, at the age of eighty-three. In Faulkner's Dublin Journal, August 25, 1759, he was recorded as a man of fair, unblemished character, a trusty, good man, exemplary in private life, sincerely pious, and assidu