Guildhall, London, built 1410.
About 1430, Laurentius, of Haarlem, invented the art of Printing,
which he practised with separate wooden types. Guttenburg afterwards
invented cut metal types: but the art was carried to perfection
by Peter Schoeffer, who invented the mode of casting the types in
matrices. Frederick Corsellis began to print at Oxford, in 1468, with
wooden types; but it was William Caxton who introduced into England the
art of printing with fusile types, in 1474.
Shillings first coined in England, 1505.
Silk stockings first worn by the French King, 1543; first worn in
England by Queen Elizabeth in 1561.
Tobacco first brought from Virginia into England, 1583.
Watches first brought into England from Germany, in 1597.
Regular Posts established from London to Scotland, Ireland, &c., 1635.
The Plague rages in London, and carries off 68,000 persons, 1665.
The great fire of London began, September 2nd, and continued three
days, in which were destroyed 13,000 houses, and 400 streets, 1666.
Tea first used in England, 1666.
The Habeas Corpus act passed, 1678.
William Penn, a Quaker, receives a charter for planting Pennsylvania,
1680.
Bank of England established by King William 1693.
The first public Lottery was drawn same year.
The first British Parliament, 1707.
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, London, rebuilt by Sir Christopher
Wren, in 37 years, at one million expense, by a duty on coals, 1710.
Westminster Bridge, consisting of 15 arches, begun 1738, finished in
1750, at the expense of 389,000_l._, defrayed by parliament.
Commodore Anson returns from his voyage round the world, 1774.
The British Museum erected at Montagu House, 1753.
149 Englishmen are confined in the black-hole at Calcutta, in the East
Indies, by order of the Nabob, and 123 found dead next morning, 1755.
LEGENDS AMONG SAVAGE NATIONS.
It is curious to note how savages endeavour to account for the
prodigies of nature. In the island of Samoa, one of the Sandwich group,
there is the following legend.
Mafuie is their god of earthquakes, who was deemed to possess great
power, but has, according to the Samoans, lost much of it. The way in
which they say this occurred is as follows:--One Talago, who possessed
a charm capable of causing the earth to divide, coming to a well-known
spot, cried, "Rock, divide! I am Talago; come to work!" The earth
separating at his command, he went down to cultivate his taro patch.
His son, whose name was Tiitii, became acquainted with the charm, and
watching his father, saw him descend, and the earth close after him. At
the same spot, Tiitii said, "Rock, divide! I am Talago; come to work!"
The rock did not open, but on repeating the words and stamping his foot
violently, the earth separated, and he descended. Being a young man,
he made a great noise and bustle, notwithstanding the advice of his
father to be quiet, lest Mafuie would hear him. The son then asked,
"Who is Mafuie, that I should be afraid of him?" Observing smoke at
a distance, he inquired the cause of it. Talago said, "It is Mafuie
heating his oven." Tiitii determined to go and see, notwithstanding
all the persuasions of his father, and met Mafuie, who inquired who he
was, "Are you a planter of taro, a builder, or a twister of ropes?" "I
am a twister of ropes," said Tiitii; "give me your arm, and I shall
show you." So, taking the arm of Mafuie, he twisted it off in a moment.
Such a practical illustration of his powers soon made Mafuie cry out,
"Na fia ola, na fia ola!"--I desire to live, I desire to live! Tiitii
then took pity upon him, and let him go. The natives, on feeling an
earthquake, exclaim, "Thanks that Mafuie has but one arm! if he had
two, he would shake the earth to pieces."
ORIGIN OF THE WORD LADY.
It was the custom at the time of the Plantagenets, and previously, for
ladies of distinction and wealth regularly to distribute money or food
to the poor. The title of _lady_, is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, and
literally signifies _giver of bread_. The purse, with similar meaning,
was named as a receptacle for _alms_, and not as an invention for the
preservation of money.
ANECDOTES IN SERMONS.
The fashion which once prevailed of introducing historical anecdotes
into addresses from the pulpit, is illustrated by the following extract
from a sermon by the Martyr Bishop Ridley:--
Cambyses was a great emperor, such another as our master is; he had
many lord-deputies, lord-presidents, and lieutenants under him. It is
a great while ago since I read the history. It chanced he had under
him, in one of his dominions, a briber, a gift-taker, a gratifier of
rich men; he followed gifts as fast as he that followed the pudding,
a hand-maker in his office, to make his son a great man; as the old
saying is, "Happy is the child whose father goeth to the devil." The
cry of the poor widow came to the emperor's ear, and caused him to flay
the judge quick, and laid his skin in his chair of judgment, that all
judges that should give judgment afterward should sit in the same skin.
Surely it was a goodly sign, a goodly monument, the sign of the judge's
skin: I pray God we may once see the sign of the skin in England.
STATE OF LONDON IN 1756.
The state of the police regulations in the metropolis at the above
date, is exhibited in the following extract from an old magazine:--
"At one o'clock this morning (Oct. 4, 1756), the Hon. Captain Brudenel
was stopped in his chair, just as it entered Berkeley-square, from
the Hay-hill, by two fellows with pistols, who demanded his money; he
gave them five-sixpences, telling them he had no more, which having
taken, they immediately made off. The captain then put his purse and
watch under the cushion, got out, drew his sword, and being followed
by one of the chairmen with his pole, and the watchman, pursued them
up the hill, where the Hon. Captain West, who was walking, having
joined them, one of the fellows having got off, they followed the other
into Albemarle-mews, where finding himself closely beset, he drew a
pistol, and presented it, upon which the captain made a lunge at him,
and ran him through the body. The fellow at the same time fired his
pistol, which, the captain being still stooping, went over his head
and shot the watchman through the lungs; at the instant the pistol was
discharged, while the fellow's arm was extended, the chairman struck
it with his pole and broke it; he was then seized and carried with
the watchman to the round-house in Dover-street, where Mr. Bromfield
and Mr. Gataker, two eminent surgeons, came; but the captain would
not suffer the villain to be dressed, till he discovered who he and
his confederates were; when he acknowledged they were both grenadiers
in Lord Howe's company. The poor watchman died in half an hour after
he was shot; and the soldier was so disabled by his wound that he was
carried in a chair to Justice Fielding, who sent him to New Prison,
where he died."
FROM A HANDBILL OF BARTHOLOMEW FAIR IN 1700.
The following extract is worth notice, inasmuch as it shows that in the
matter of amusement, the tastes of the lower orders of the present day
are not much improved since the last century:--
"You will see a wonderful girl of ten years of age, who walks backwards
up the sloping rope driving a wheelbarrow behind her; also you will see
the great Italian Master, who not only passes all that has yet been
seen upon the low rope, but he dances without a pole upon the head of a
mast as high as the booth will permit, and afterwards stands upon his
head on the same. You will be also entertained with the merry conceits
of an Italian scaramouch, who dances on the rope with two children and
a dog in a wheelbarrow, and a duck on his head."
PASSAGE THROUGH THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA SUGGESTED THREE HUNDRED TEARS AGO.
_Ancient Globe._--In the Town Library (_Stadt Bibliothek_) of Nuremberg
is preserved an interesting globe made by John Schoner, professor of
mathematics in the Gymnasium there, A.D. 1520. It is very remarkable
that the passage through the Isthmus of Panama, so much sought after in
later times, is, on this old globe, carefully delineated.
HEIGHT OF MOUNTAINS.
The perpendicular height of Snowdon is, by late admeasurements, 1,190
yards above the level of the sea. This makes it, according to Pennant,
240 yards higher than Cader Idris. Some state Whernside, in Yorkshire
to be the highest mountain in South Britain, and more than 4,000 feet.
Helvellyn is 3,324 feet, Ben Lomond 3,262. Mont Blanc rises 15,680
feet; the American Chimborazo is 20,909 feet, the highest ground ever
trodden by man; and the mountains of Thibet above 25,000 feet, the
highest at present known.
INTRODUCTION OF THE WEEPING WILLOW INTO ENGLAND.
The _Salix Babylonica_, that is the Willow of Babylon, or our English
weeping Willow, is a native of the Levant, the coast of Persia,
and other places in the East. The manner of its introduction into
England is curious; the account is as follows: Pope, the celebrated
poet, having received a present of Turkey figs, observed a twig of
the basket, in which they were packed, putting out a shoot. The twig
he planted in his garden: it soon became a fine tree, and from this
stock, all our weeping Willows have descended. This species of Willow
is generally planted by a still pool, to which it is a beautiful
appropriate ornament; and when in misty weather, drops of water are
seen distilling from the extremities of its branches, nothing can be
more descriptive than the title it has obtained of _the weeping Willow_.
FINE FOR INSULTING A KING.
The use of gold and silver was not unknown to the Welsh in 842, when
their laws were collected. The man who dared to insult the King of
Aberfraw, was to pay (besides certain cows and a silver rod) a cup,
which would hold as much wine as his majesty could swallow at a
draught; its cover was to be as broad as the king's face; and the whole
as thick as a goose's egg, or a ploughman's thumb-nail.
CARRONADES.
This species of great gun, so much used on board of ships, is generally
accounted a modern invention, taking its name from the Carron foundry
where they were made. In the patent office, however, will be found
a notice dated September, 1727, to the following effect: "That his
Majesty was pleased to grant to Henry Brown, Esquire, a patent for the
sole use and benefit of his new invention of making cannon and great
guns, both in iron and brass, which will be much shorter and lighter,
and with less powder will carry farther than those of equal bore now in
use, and which, it is said, will save great expense to the public."
EXTRAVAGANCE AT ELECTIONS.
On the death of Sir James Lowther, his son William stood for the shire
of Cumberland, and entertained 3,650 gentlemen freeholders at a dinner,
at which were consumed 768 gallons of wine, 1,454 gallons of ale, and
5,814 bottles of punch. Sir James appears to have been eccentric in
some of his habits, for after his decease L30,000 in bank notes were
discovered in a closet, and L10,000 in the sleeve of an old coat.
MARTIN LUTHER'S TANKARD.
This interesting relic of the great Reformer is of ivory, very richly
carved, and mounted in silver gilt. There are six medallions on its
surface, which consist, however, of a repetition of two subjects. The
upper one represents the agony in the garden, and the Saviour praying
that the cup might pass from Him; the base represents the Lord's
Supper, the centre dish being the incarnation of the bread. This
tankard, now in the possession of Lord Londesborough, was formerly in
the collection of Elkington of Birmingham, who had some copies of it
made. On the lid, in old characters, is the following inscription--"C.
M. L., MDXXIIII." This drinking vessel, which, independent of its
artistic merit, was no doubt highly valued as a mere household
possession, brings to mind many recollections of the life of him who
raised himself from a very lowly position to one of great power and
usefulness.
[Illustration: [++] Martin Luther's Tankard.]
Martin Luther, who was the son of John Lotter or Lauther (which name
our Reformer afterwards changed to Luther) and Margaret Lindenen, was
born in the little town of Islebern, in Saxony, on November 10th,
1483. His father was a miner. Luther died in 1546, and princes, earls,
nobles, and students without number, attended the funeral of the
miner's son in the church of Islebern. On this occasion, Melancthon
delivered the funeral oration.
HOT CROSS BUNS.
How strange the following reads from an old journal! and how odd the
state of things to give rise to such an intimation!
1793.
_Wednesday, 27th March._
ROYAL BUN HOUSE, CHELSEA, GOOD FRIDAY.
_No Cross Buns._
Mrs. Hand respectfully informs her friends, and the public, that in
consequence of the great concourse of people which assembled before her
house at a very early hour, on the morning of Good Friday; by which her
neighbours (with whom she has always lived in friendship and repute,)
have been much alarmed and annoyed; it having also been intimated, that
to encourage or countenance a tumultuous assembly at this particular
period, might be attended with consequences more serious than have
hitherto been apprehended; desirous, therefore, of testifying her
regard and obedience to those laws by which she is happily protected,
she is determined, though much to her loss, not to sell _Cross Buns_ on
that day, to any person whatever; but Chelsea Buns as usual.
Mrs. Hand would be wanting in gratitude to a generous public, who, for
more than fifty years past, have so warmly patronized and encouraged
her shop, to omit so favourable an opportunity of offering her sincere
acknowledgments for their favours; at the same time, to assure them she
will, to the utmost of her power, endeavour to merit a continuance of
them.
LOCUSTS.
The locusts are remarkable for the hieroglyphic that they bear upon the
forehead. Their colour is green throughout the whole body, excepting a
little yellow rim that surrounds their head, and which is lost at the
eyes. This insect has two upper wings, pretty solid. They are green,
like the rest of the body, except that there is in each a little white
spot. The locust keeps them extended like great sails of a ship going
before the wind. It has besides two other wings underneath the former,
and which resemble a light transparent stuff pretty much like a cobweb,
and which it makes use of in the manner of smack sails, that are along
a vessel. But when the locust reposes herself, she does like a vessel
that lies at anchor; for she keeps the second sails furled under the
others.
QUEEN ELIZABETH'S LAWS.
The following extract from a very old book is truly curious:--
"Queene Elizabeth, in the xiiii and xviii yeres of hir gracious rayne,
two Actes were made for ydle vagrante and maisterlesse persons, that
vsed to loyter, and would not worke, should for the first offence
haue a hole burned through the gristle of one of his eares of an
ynch compasse. And for the second offence committed therein, to be
hanged. If these and such lyke lawes were executed iustlye, treulye,
and severelye (as they ought to be,) without any respect of persons,
favour, or friendshippe, this dung and filth of ydlenesse woulde
easily be reiected and cast oute of thys Commonwealth, there woulde
not be so many loytering ydle persons, so many Ruffians, Blasphemers,
Swinge-Buckelers, so many Drunkards, Tossepottes, Dauncers, Fydlers,
and Minstrels, Dice-players, and Maskers, Fencers, Theeves,
Enterlude-players, Cut-purses, Cosiners, Maisterlesse Seruantes,
Jugglers, Roges, sturdye Beggars, counterfaite Egyptians, &c., as there
are, nor yet so manye Plagues to bee amongst vs as there are, if these
Dunghilles and filthe in Commonweales were remooued, looked into, and
cleane caste oute, by the industrie, payne, and trauell of those that
are sette in authoritie, and haue gouernment."--"_A Treatise against
Dicing, Dauncing, Vaine playes or Enterluds._" _Black Letter; no date._
THE INVENTION OF TYPES.
The honour of the invention of movable types has been disputed by
two cities, Haarlem and Mentz. The claims of Haarlem rest chiefly
upon a statement of Hadrien Junius, who gave it upon the testimony
of Cornelius, alleged to be a servant of Lawrence Coster, for whom
the invention is claimed. The claims of Mentz, which appear to be
more conclusive, are in favour of Peter Schaeffer, the assistant and
son-in-law of John Faust, better known as Dr. Faustus. The first
edition of the _Speculum humanae salvationis_ was printed by Coster at
Haarlem, about the year 1440, and is one of the earliest productions of
the press of which the printer is known. The celebrated Bible, commonly
known as the Mentz Bible, without date, is the first important specimen
of printing with moveable metal types. This was executed by Gutenberg
and Faust, or Fust, as it is sometimes spelt, between the years 1450
and 1455. The secret of the method then becoming known, presses were
speedily established in all parts of Europe, so that before the year
1500 there were printing-offices in upwards of 220 different places in
Austria, Bavaria, Bohemia, Calabria, the Cremonese, Denmark, England,
Flanders, France, Franconia, Frioul, Geneva, Genoa, Germany, Holland,
Hungary, Italy, Lombardy, Mecklenburg, Moravia, Naples, the Palatinate,
Piedmont, Poland, Portugal, Rome, Sardinia, Upper and Lower Saxony,
Sicily, Silesia, Spain, Suabia, Switzerland, Thessalonica, Turkey,
Tuscany, the Tyrol, Venice, Verona, Westphalia, Wurtemberg, &c.
This vast and rapid extension of the art, combined with the skill which
the earlier printers displayed in it, seems to be totally incompatible
with the date assigned to the invention, and it is more than probable,
that the art having been long practised in private under continued
attempts at secrecy, it at length broke into publicity after it had
already attained a considerable degree of perfection.
THE PROTEUS ANGUINUS.
It has been satisfactorily proved that the polypus cannot see its
prey, but is only aware of its presence by the actual agitation of
the water, from its remaining altogether passive when a thin piece
of glass is interposed between them. There are many Monads, which,
without possessing any trace of an eye, are yet susceptible of light.
An equally extraordinary phenomenon presents itself in the Proteus
Anguinus. This singular animal is found in the subterranean lakes of
the interminable stalactital caverns in the limestone range of the
Carniolan Alps, where the author saw it. In appearance it is between a
fish and a lizard; it is of a flesh-colour, and its respiratory organs,
which are connected with lungs, so as to enable it to breathe above or
below the water, form a red crest round the throat, like a cock's comb.
It has no eyes, but small points in the place of them, and light is so
obnoxious to it, that it uses every effort to exclude it, by thrusting
its head under stones. It is reported also to exist in Sicily, but is
known nowhere else.
BUMPER.
[Illustration: [++] A Bumper.]
The jolly toper is so fond of the thing we call a _bumper_, that he
troubles not himself about the name, and so long as the liquor is but
fine and clear, cares not a farthing in how deep an obscurity the
etymology is involved. The sober antiquarian, on the contrary, being
prone to etymology, contemplates the sparkling contents of a full glass
with much less delight than he does the meaning, the occasion, and the
original of the name. The common opinion is, that the _bumper_ took
its name from the _grace-cup_; our Roman Catholic ancestors, say they,
after their meals, always drinking the Pope's health in this form, _au
bon Pere_. But there are great objections to this; the Pope was not the
_bon Pere_, but the _Saint Pere_; amongst the elder inhabitants of this
kingdom, the attribute of sanctity being in a manner appropriated to
the Pope of Rome, and his see. Again, the grace-cup, which went round
of course, after every repast, did not imply anything extraordinary,
or a full glass. Drinking-glasses were not in use at the time here
supposed, for the grace-cup was a large vessel, proportioned to the
number of the society, which went round the table, the guests drinking
out of one cup, one after another.
COFFEE.
From a number of the "_Public Advertiser_," of May 19 to May 26, 1657,
we have 'In Bartholomew-lane, on the back side of the Old Exchange, the
drink called _Coffee_ is advertised as to be sold _in the morning_, and
at _three of the clock_ in the afternoon.'
QUAINT RECEIPTS.
The following Receipts are taken from a work entitled, "_New
Curiosities_ in _Art_ and _Nature_, or a _Collection_ of the most
valuable _Secrets_ in all _Arts_ and _Sciences_. Composed and
Experimented by Sieur Lemery, Apothecary to the French King. London:
John King, Little Britain. 1711."
_To make one Wake or Sleep._--You must cut off dexterously the head of
a toad alive, and at once, and let it dry, in observing that one eye be
shut, and the other open; that which is found open makes one wake, and
that shut causes sleep, by carrying it about one.
_Preservative against the Plague._--Take three or four great toads,
seven or eight spiders, and as many scorpions, put them into a pot well
stopp'd, and let them lye some time; then add virgin-wax, make a good
fire till all become a liquor, then mingle them all with a spatula, and
make an ointment, and put it into a silver box well stopp'd, the which
carry about you, being well assured that while you carry it about you,
you will never be infected with the plague.
We give the above as indicating the delusions which prevailed with
respect to certain nostrums as late as the year 1711.
EXECUTION OF GOVERNOR WALL IN 1802.
As the following account, by a gentleman who witnessed the scene,
avoids all disgusting details, we give it as containing a description
of some of the circumstances which attended the execution, at the
commencement of the present century, of a criminal of the higher class.
The wretched man was hung for murder and barbarity: his victims were
the men he had under his charge as Governor of the Island of Goree:--
"As we crossed the Press-yard, a cock crew; and the solitary clanking
of a restless chain was dreadfully horrible.
"The prisoner entered. He was death's counterfeit, tall, shrivelled,
and pale; and his soul shot so piercingly through the port-holes of
his head that the first glance of him nearly petrified me. I said in
my heart, putting my pencil in my pocket, God forbid that I should
disturb thy last moments! His hands were clasped, and he was truly
penitent. After the yeoman had requested him to stand up, 'he pinioned
him,' as the Newgate phrase is, and tied the cord with so little
feeling that the governor, who had not given the wretch the accustomed
fee, observed 'You have tied me very tight;' upon which Dr. Ford,
the chaplain, ordered him to slacken the cord, which he did, but not
without muttering, 'Thank you, sir,' said the governor to the doctor:
'it is of little moment.' He then observed to the attendant, who had
brought in an immense iron shovel-full of coals to throw on the fire,
'Ay, in one hour that will be a blazing fire,' then turning to the
doctor, questioned him: 'Do tell me, sir: I am informed I shall go down
with great force; is it so?' After the construction and action of the
machine had been explained, the doctor questioned the governor as to
what kind of men he had at Goree:--'Sir,' he answered, 'they sent me
the very riff-raff.' The poor soul then joined the doctor in prayer;
and never did I witness more contrition at any condemned sermon than he
then evinced.