Hamlet.

ON THE ORIGIN OF PAMPHLETS. "Words, words, words." How many subjects owe their birth to a Pamphlet, which, but for the temptation it affords to the expression of temporary feelings, and trivial discussion, (to which local or personal prejudices may have given importance), would have died a natural death, or have been smothered in the attempt to perpetuate them, under the more repulsive garb of even the most tiny volume? Pamphlets are like essences, combining in a narrow compass all the pungency of the subject, of which they treat; where the declamation and violence of the writer are admired while sparingly used, but would be tedious, if not disagreeable, if spread over a wider field. They may be called a species of missile weapons, easily discharged against an adversary; not the less dangerous because they are light, and generally bearing a portion of that fire and spirit to which they owed their existence. Every controversy is preceded by them; like the skirmishers of modern warfare, they are the irregular auxiliaries of literature, which, though not formerly enlisted in its service, may, like wandering guerillas, yet do fearful execution. "From pamphlets," says the Icon Libellorum, "may be learned the genius of the age, the debates of the learned, the follies of the ignorant, the views of government, the oversights of the statesman. They furnish beaux with their airs, coquets with their charms; pamphlets are as modish ornaments to a gentleman's toilet, or to gentlemen's pockets; they are chat to the talkative, stories for nurses, toys for children, fans for misses, poverty to their authors, gain to the lucky, fatal to the unlucky."

The term Pamphlet, however, does not appear to be of older origin than the time of Elizabeth, though that form of writing to which we apply the term, is of great antiquity, if we can trust the Jewish Rabbinical writers. Most of all books were originally published in the pamphlet form. The Scriptures were supposed to have been written in this manner at first, in distinct sheets, or rolls, as they were affixed by the command of Heaven to the doors of the Temple, or Tabernacle. The same may probably be asserted of the mode of divulging the warnings of the minor prophets, from the different occasions which were the subjects of their predictions, and the smallness of their contents. The Heathen writings were generally published the same way, and for that reason were called Centores, and were frequently recited separately. Amongst all fabulous writers the Jewish Rabbins occupy the first place; and the pamphlets, or small treatises, preserving their traditions, collected in their Talmud, and originally published at Venice, amounted to no less than fourteen volumes in folio. Next to them in the rank of fiction, and of magnitude, may be classed the " Legends of the Saints," published by the Jesuits in 1673, and amounting, in the beginning of the last century, to 50 folio volumes, all of which were originally of pamphlet sizes. If we listen to the Jewish writers, they tell us that the pamphlet, or Synagogue roll of their law, was the work of Heaven itself, and finished about 2000 years before the creation of the world! since which time the same authentic chroniclers have imputed a pamphlet to Adam, and one also to each of the Patriarchs.

In the very curious introductory preface of the Bishop of Winchester, to King James's (Ist) Works, he labours hard to relieve

his Majesty from the disgrace of having been an author, (forgetting, it is presumed, that Henry VIIIth had been one before him*), by citing some curious instances, abundantly venerable in point of antiquity. He contends that Enoch had erected two pillars, the one of stone, the other of brick, on which he wrote of the two-fold destruction of the world, by water and by fire.

With equal felicity of illustration, he adduces the Supreme Being as an author, from the tables given to Moses; and Christ is asserted, on the authority of St. Ambrose, to have written that sentence on the pavement of the Temple of Jerusalem," Festucam in oculo fratris cernis, trabem in tuo non vides." To such shifts for an argument will flattery and pedantry carry some of those who wish to please a Monarch.

Almost the whole of the early pamphlets, may be considered to be spurious, and are known to the learned to be the production of the Greek Monks.

The first Christian pamphlets now remaining, are in Latin, viz. "Tertullian's Apollogeticus," and the dialogue styled "Octavius," by Minutius Felix, a Roman lawyer.

Political pamphlets were little known in England till the reign of Philip and Mary,† Caxton having, in the reign of Henry VIth, introduced the 66 Mysterie of Prynting." In 1649, it was ordained, "That the author of every seditious pamphlet, or libel, shall be fined Ten Pounds, or suffer forty days imprisonment. The printer Five Pounds, and his printing press broken," as being the head and front of his offending. "No printing presses to be allowed except in London, or the two Universities; no books to be landed in any other port than London; and to be viewed by the Master and Warden of the Company of Stationers!"-and such was the origin of the incalculably prolific case of Pamphlets.

Some have derived the term pamphlet from Pamphilus, a Presbyter of Caesaria; but this is a mistake. Caxton spells the word paunflet, and it means a small book, stitched par un filet, i. e. with a single thread.

CIRCULATING LIBRARIES.

These valuable repositories of literature are not of modern invertion. The first collections consisted of religious works alone, and were lent out gratuitously.

Pamphilus was a Presbyter of Caesaria, and lived A. D. 294. In this distinguished person were united the philosopher and the christian. Born of a very eminent family, and large fortune, he might have aspired to the highest honours of this world; but, on the contrary, he withdrew himself from those flattering prospects, and spent his whole life in acts of the most disinterested benevolence.

His unfeigned regard and veneration for the Scriptures were as remarkable as his unwearied application in whatever he undertook. Being a great encourager of learning and piety, he not only lent books to read (especially copies of the Scriptures), but when he found persons well disposed, made them presents of his manuscripts, some of which were transcribed with the greatest accuracy by his own hand. He founded a library at Caesaria, which, according to

* See "Defensor fiidii."

+ The term Pamphlet was, however, not used commonly, till after. wards.

Isidore of Seville, contained 30,000 volumes. This collection seems to have been formed merely for the good and use of the church. Another author also authenticates the existence of this library; and St. Jerome particularly mentions his collecting books for the purpose of lending them to read; and Dr. A. Clarke remarks, "this is, if I mistake not, the first notice we have of a circulating library." The benefits to be derived from a good circulating library, are too numerous, as well as obvious, to need any comment.

ORIGIN OF POETRY IN GENERAL.

History informs us Poetry began with shepherds, whose god was Pan; having from their many leisure and abstracted hours (while tending their flocks), a fit opportunity for such a pursuit. Hence, they first composed couplets, next verses, and these they perfected themselves in, and sung, while following their daily occupations. Thence came the Bacchanalian rites, and their sacrifice to their gods of a He Goat, which took their rise, we are told, from Bacchus, who, one day, whilst entering his vineyard, discovered an animal of that species in the act of destroying a favorite vine, which in his rage he instantly killed. In these ceremonies, the hinds of that day smeared their faces with the lees of wine, and acted and sung various verses expressly composed for the occasion.

These were the first actors and song-smiths, and their successors have done honour and credit to the invention.

Eschylus and Thespis taught the age

What good, what profit, did commend the stage."

PARADISE LOST.

Milton possessed a fine figure, and, when a young man, was extremely handsome. In one of his wanderings when in Italy, being of a very pensive cast, he sat himself down under a tree, and commenced reading, but soon fell asleep. During his slumber two females, who were observed at a distance by two of his companions, stopped on coming near to him; and one of them wrote on a slip of paper the following lines, which she laid on his breast, and with her companion immediately disappeared :—

"Occhi, Stelle mortali,

Ministri de mici mali
Se chiusi m'uccedite,
Apperti che farete "

which may be translated-" Beautiful eyes, mortal stars, authors of my misfortunes! if you wound me being closed, what would ye do if open?" It is said, that Milton was so sensitive on the subject, that he roamed over half of Europe in search of the fair charmer, but in vain; and which induced him to write that sublime poem, and from the circumstance that had occurred to him, entitled it "Paradise Lost." Milton was born in the city of London, was Latin Secretary to Cromwell, and was buried in Cripplegate Church.

THE FIRST BOOK.

According to chronologists, the First Book is supposed to have been written in Job's time. Thirty thousand books were burnt by order of Leo, in 761. A very large estate was given for one book on Cosmography, by king Alfred. Books were sold from £10 to £30 each in 1400. The first printed book was the vulgate edition of the Bible, in 1462; the second was Cicero de Officiis, 1466; Cornelius

Nepos, published at Moscow, was the first classical book printed is Russia, April 29, 1762. In the year 1471, when Louis XI. borrowed the works of Rasis, the Arabian physician, from the Faculty of Medicine, in Paris, he not only deposited in pledge, a quantity of plate, but was obliged to give the surety of a nobleman for their restoration. When any person made a present of a book to a church, or monastery, the only libraries during several ages, it was deemed a donative of such value, that he offered it at the altar, pro remedia animae suae, in order to obtain forgiveness of sins.

NEWSPAPERS.

Before Newspapers were introduced, such as were desirous of procuring information on political subjects, engaged writers of News Letters, who forwarded the occurrences of the day to their employers.

Periodical Newspapers first came into general use in England, during the wars of the usurper Cromwell; they were used to disseminate among the people sentiments of loyalty or rebellion, according as their authors were disposed. We seem to have been obliged to the Italians for the idea; and perhaps it was their gazettas, from gazerra, a magpie, or chatterer, which have given a name to these papers. Honest Peter Heylin, in the preface to his Cosmography, mentions, that "the affairs of each town, or war, were better presented to the reader in the Weekly News Books." The first Newspaper, however, was in the reign of Elizabeth, and was called the English Mercury," one of which may be seen in the British Museum, dated July 28th, 1588.

In a Leicester journal for 1750, about which time the paper was established, so great was the dearth of News Matter, at that period, that the editor was compelled to have recourse to the Bible to "help him out;" and actually extracted the First Chapter of Genesis, and so continued the extracts in the succeeding numbers, as far as the Tenth Chapter of Exodus!

The journal above alluded to was then printed in London, and sent down to Leicester for publication!

Newspapers were first stamped in 1713.

THE POPE'S BULL.

This name, which is now applied exclusively to instruments issuing out of the Roman Chancery, is derived from the seals which were appended to them being formerly of gold Bullion. Bulls were not originally confined to the popes alone, but were also issued by emperors, princes, bishops, and great men, who, till the thirteenth century, sometimes affixed seals of metal, as well as of wax, toedicts, charters, and other instruments, though they were equally called Bulls, whether they were sealed with one or the other. The popes continue to the present day to affix metal or lead seals to their bulls, and only when they wish to bestow any peculiar marks of grace and favour on sovereigns or princes, are seals of Bullion or gold affixed, The bull of pope Clement VII. conferring the title of Defender of the Faith on Henry the Eighth, had a seal of gold affixed to it. Bulls containing matter of grace and favour, were suspended by strings of red and yellow silk; but denunciatory and punitive bulls were hung by hempen cords.

BIBLES.

In the reign of Edward the First, the price of a fairly written Bible was twenty-seven pounds. The hire of a labourer was but

three halfpence a day. The purchase of a copy would, of course, have taken such a person the earning of fifteen years and three months of constant labour. It will be seen from a preceding article, that the first printed book was a vulgate edition of the Bible, in 1462.

MAPS.

George Lilly, the son of the famous grammarian, who lived some time at Rome with cardinal Pole, published the first map that ever was drawn of this island. It was published, 1539, twenty years before his death.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE BIBLE HISTORY.

The Bible history commenced 430 years B. C. The Septuagint version was made in 284; first divided into chapters, 1253. The first English edition, was in 1536; the first authorized edition in England was in 1539; the second translation was ordered to be read in churches, 1549; the present translation finished, September, 1611; permitted by the pope to be translated into all the languages of the Catholic states, February 28th, 1759; the following is a dissection of the Old and New Testament:

The Apocrypha has 183 chapters, 6,081 verses, and 125,185 words. The middle chapter, and the least in the Bible, is the 117th Psalm; the middle verse is the 8th of 118th Psalm; the middle line is the 2d Book of the Chronicles, 4th chapter, and 16th verse; the word and occurs in the Old Testament 35,535 times; the same word in the New Testament occurs 10,684 times; the word Jehovah occurs 6,855 times.

Old Testament. The middle book is Proverbs; the middle chapter, the 29th of Job; the middle verse is the 2d Book of Chronicles, 20th chapter, and 18th verse; the least verse is the 1st Book of Chronicles, 1st chapter, and 1st verse.

New Testament. The middle is the Thessalonians, 2d; the middle chapter is between the 13th and 14th of the Romans; the middle verse is the 17th of the 17th chapter of the Acts; the least verse is the 35th of the 11th chapter of the Gospel by Saint John.

The 21st verse of the 7th chapter of Ezra has all the letters of the alphabet in it.

The 19th chapter of the 2d Book of Kings, and the 37th chapter of Isaiah, are alike.

The Book of Esther has 10 chapters, but neither the words Lord nor God in it.

The 26th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, is generally considered as the finest piece of reading extant.-Chronology, or Historian's Companion.

ORIGIN OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT INTO ENGLISH.

Wycliffe, who exercised the right of private judgment in England, a century and a half before Luther taught it as a principle in Germany, may be said to have been the first dissenter from the church of Rome.