It becomes our duty to acquaint our readers that the present Number of
the IRISH PENNY JOURNAL, which will complete a volume, will also be the
last presented to them, at least by its original projectors and prevent
proprietors. Our readers will hardly deem it necessary that we should
trouble them with any detail of the circumstances which have led to this
determination; it will be sufficient to state, that while the success
of the work has in some respects even exceeded the anticipations of its
proprietors, it has disappointed them in others. The sale of the Journal,
although great and steadily progressing in those distant localities
where any increase of sale was least to be expected, has been either
stationary or diminishing in those portions of the kingdom for whose use
and advantage it was especially intended, and to which, therefore, the
proprietors naturally looked for the greatest degree of encouragement.
However humbling it may be to the national feeling of most of our Irish
readers, the fact must be acknowledged, that the sale of the Journal in
London alone has exceeded that in the four provinces of Ireland, not
including Dublin; and that in other cities at the other side of the
Channel it has been nearly equal to half the Irish provincial sale.
And it may be added that in London, as well as in most other cities
in the sister island, the sale has to the present moment continued to
increase, while in all parts of Ireland, with the exception of the
metropolis, it has gradually declined. In short, nearly two-thirds of
the amount of sales of the IRISH PENNY JOURNAL have been effected out
of Ireland. Whatever may be the cause of this result, it is sufficient
for the proprietors to have ascertained, that the object which they had
originally in view in starting this little publication, have not been
attained to the extent which they had anticipated, and that, under such
circumstances, it would be visionary in them further to indulge hopes
which there is so little probability of ever being realised.
The proprietors have only therefore to take a respectful leave of
their numerous readers and supporters, and return their grateful
acknowledgments to all who have taken an interest in their publication.
To the Press of the British Empire such an expression of gratitude is
especially due, for from those influential organs of public opinion it
has received during its progress the most cheering encouragement, and
this, too, wholly unmingled with even a portion of censure or dispraise.
That such commendations have not been altogether undeserved, and that the
promises made in the original prospectus have not been left unfulfilled,
the proprietors fondly anticipate will be the permanent opinion of
the public; and they indulge, moreover, the pleasing conviction, that
the volume now brought to a termination will live in the literature
of Ireland as one almost exclusively Irish, and possessing what may
be considered as no trifling distinction for such a work--a spirit
throughout its pages wholly national, and untinctured by the slightest
admixture of prejudices either political or sectarian.
* * * * *
Printed and published every Saturday by GUNN and CAMERON, at
the Office of the General Advertiser, No. 6, Church Lane,
College Green, Dublin.--Agents:--R. GROOMBRIDGE, Panyer Alley,
Paternoster Row, London; SIMMS and DINHAM, Exchange Street,
Manchester; C. DAVIES, North John Street, Liverpool, JOHN
MENZIES, Prince’s Street, Edinburgh; and DAVID ROBERTSON,
Trongate, Glasgow.