P. (continued 3)

55 Geo. 3. c. 101. “An Act to regulate the Collection of Stamp Duties on Matters in respect of which Licences may be granted by the Commissioners of Stamps in Ireland.

s. 13. “And be it further enacted, That no Person or Persons shall keep any Printing Press, or Types for printing in Ireland, without having first taken out a Licence for that Purpose, from the said Commissioners of Stamps, and that the said Commissioners shall, from time to time, under their Hands and Seals, grant such Licence for keeping Printing Presses or Types to such Person or Persons as shall apply for the same, and who shall have performed the Requisites which shall by any Act or Acts from time to time in force in Ireland, be necessary to be performed previous to the granting thereof, which Licence shall state the House where such Press or Presses, or Types, are to be used; and every Person or Persons who shall keep or use such Press, or a Printing Press or Types for printing, without having obtained such Licence, or in any other House save the House so mentioned in such Licence, shall forfeit such Printing Press and Types, and the Sum of Forty Pounds.”

Restrictions.—Ever since the introduction of printing into Europe, the press has been subjected to great restrictions. To show the nature of those restrictions in England, I have inserted two decrees of the Star Chamber, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and the act 13 & 14 Charles 2. c. 33.; the principle of these was revived, with some modification, by the Act 39 Geo. 3. c. 79.

To the 9th volume of the Statutes at Large is prefixed a Preface, or Address from the Editor, Owen Ruffhead, to the Reader, from which the following is on Extract.

“What next claims our Observation is the memorable Act of 13 Car. 2. c. 33. intitled ‘An Act for preventing Abuses in printing seditious, treasonable and unlicensed Books and Pamphlets; and for regulating Printing and Printing Presses.’ By this Act Printers are forbidden to publish any heretical, seditious, schismatical or offensive* Books, and all Books and Pamphlets are to be licensed by particular Licensers appointed according to the Nature of the Subject, and the Number of Printing Presses are hereby limited.

[* “The Word offensive is a Word of dangerous Latitude: But the Words are copied literatim from the Star Chamber Decree, of which mention will be made hereafter.]

“The Troubles which had subsisted in the late Reign, had given Birth to a free Spirit of political Inquiry, which this Statute was calculated to suppress: And it is observable, that this Act is founded on a decree of the Star Chamber†, made in the Year 1637, which it copies without any material Variation, except that by the Decree, Offenders are to be punished as by the Honourable Court of Star Chamber, or the High Commission Court, shall be thought fit; whereas by the Act they are to be punished by Disability to exercise their Profession, and such farther Punishment, not extending to Life or Limb, as the Justices of the King’s Bench, or of Oyer and Terminer, &c. shall think fit. It is remarkable, also, that the Preamble to this Decree of the Star Chamber takes Notice of divers Decrees and Ordinances made for regulating Printers and Printing in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, which are said to have been defective in some Particulars. From hence we may see what early Attempts were made to restrain this invaluable Liberty. So intolerant is the Nature of Power, wherever lodged, that they who have loudest exclaimed against such Restriction as a Badge of Slavery, were no sooner invested with full Sway, than they began to work on the same Principles of Oppression. About the Year 1644, the Parliament made Ordinances for restraining the Press, which were framed on the Plan of the above Star Chamber Decree; and against which Milton published a Treatise called Areopagitica.‡

[† “This Decree is so scarce, that it is imagined there is only one Copy extant, which is preserved in a private Library.

‡ “There is an Edition of the Areopagitica published by A. Millar in 1738, with a sensible and spirited Preface, by Mr. Thomson, Author of the Seasons.]

“This Act was last continued by 1 Jac. 2. c. 17. for seven Years from June, 1685; but being incompatible with the noble Principles of the Revolution, it has never since been, and it is to be hoped never will be, revived.”§

[§ “It is impossible, however, on this Occasion, to avoid lamenting the many flagrant Instances wherein the Liberty of the Press has been lately abused by such wanton and indiscriminate Scurrility, as tends to make publick Censure lose its Effect, and render Men callous to the Stings of Reproof.”]

Decrees of the Lords in the Star Chamber, touching Printers, Stationers, &c. 23 Junii, Eliz. 28. 1585. Orders for them sent to Archbishop Whitgift.

Whereas sundrie decrees and ordinances have, upon grave advice and deliberation, been made and published for the repressing of such great enormities and abuses as of late (most men in tyme past) have been commonlye used and practised by diverse contemptuouse and disorderly persons, professing the arte or misterie of printing and selling of books; and yet, notwithstanding, the said abuses and enormities are nothing abated, but (as is found by experience) doe rather more and more increase, to the wilful and manifest breach and contempt of the saide ordinances and decrees, to the great displeasure and offence of the queen’s moste excellent majestie; by reason whereof sundrie intolerable offences, troubles, and disturbances, have happened, as well in the church as in the civile government of the state and commonweale of this realme, which seem to have growen, because the paynes and penalties, conteyned and sett downe in the said ordinances and decrees, have been too light and small for the correction and punishment of so grievouse and heynouse offences, and so the offenders and malefactors in that behalfe have not been so severely punished as the qualitie of their offences hath deserved; her majestie, therefore, of her moste godlie and gracious disposicion, being careful that speedie and due reformacion be had of the abuses and disorders aforesaid, and that all persons using or professing the arte, trade, or mysterie of printing, or selling of books, should from henceforth be ruled and directed therein by some certeyn and knowen rules or ordinances, which should be inviolablie kept and observed, and the breakers and offenders of the same to be severely and sharplie punished and corrected, hathe straytly charged and required the most reverend father-in-God, the archbishop of Canterburie, and the right honourable the lordes, and others of her majesties privy council, to see her majesties said most gracious and godlie intention and purpose to be dulie and effectuallie executed and accomplished. Whereupon the said most reverend father, and the whole present in this honourable cowrte, this 23rd day of June, in the twenty-eighth year of her majesties reign, upon grave and mature deliberation, have ordeyned and decreed that the ordinances and constitutions, rules and articles, hereafter following, shall, from henceforth, by all persons, be duly and inviolablie kept and observed, according to the tenor, purporte, and true intent and meaning of the same, as they tender her majesties high displeasure, and as they wyll aunswere to the contrarie at their uttermoste peril. Videlicet.

Imprimis, That every printer, and other person, or persons whatsoever, which at this tyme present hath erected, or set up, or hereafter shall erect, set up, keepe, mainteyn, or have anye printing-presse, rowle, or other instrument, for imprinting of books, chartes, ballades, pourtrayctures, paper called damask-paper, or any such matters or things whatsoever, shall bring a true note, or certificate of the saide presses, or other printing instruments allreadie erected, within tenne days next coming, after the publication hereof; and of the saide presses, or other printing instruments hereafter to be erected, or set up, from tyme to tyme, within tenn dayes next after the erecting, or setting up thereof, unto the master and wardens of the companie of stacioners, of the cittie of London, for the tyme being, upon payne that everye person fayling, or offending herein, shall have all and everie the said presses, and other instruments, utterlye defaced and made unserviceable for imprinting for ever; and shall also suffer twelve moneths imprisonment without bayle or maynprise.

2. Item, That no printer of bookes, nor any other person or persons whatsoever, shall set up, keepe, or mayntain, any presse or presses, or any other instrument, or instruments, for imprinting of bookes, ballades, chartes, pourtrayctures, or any other thing or things whatsoever, but onelye in the cittie of London, or the suburbs thereof (except one presse in the universitie of Cambridge, and one other presse in the universitie of Oxforde, and no more) and that no person shall hereafter erect, sett up, or maynteyne in any secrett, or obscure corner, or place, any such presse or instrument before expressed; but that the same shall be in suche open place or places, in his or their house or houses, as the wardeins of the saide Companie of Stationers, for the tyme being, or suche other person, or persons, as by the saide wardeins shall be thereunto appointed, may from tyme to tyme have readie accesse unto, to search for and viewe the same; and that no printer or other person, or persons, shall at any time hereafter withstande, or make resistance to, or in, any suche view or search, nor denye, or keepe secrett any suche presse, or other instrument, for imprinting, upon payne that every person offending in any thing contrarie to this article, shall have all the saide presses, and other printing instruments, defaced, and made unserviceable for imprinting for ever; and shall also suffer imprisonment one whole year, without bayle, or maynprise, and to be disabled for ever to keepe any printing-presse, or other instrument for printing, or to be master of any printing-howsse, or to have any benefite thereby, other than onelye to worke as a journeyman for wages.

3. Item, That no printer, nor other person or persons whatsoever, that hath sett up anye presse, or instruments for imprinting within six moneths last past, shall hereafter use, or occupie the same, nor any person or persons shall hereafter erect, or sett up any presse, or other instrument of printing, till the excessive multitude of printers, having presses alreadie sett up, be abated, diminished, and by death given over, or otherwise brought to so small a number of masters, or owners of printing-howses, being of abilitie and good behaviour, as the archbishopp of Canterburie and bishopp of London, for the tyme being, shall thereupon think it requisite, and convenient, for the good service of the realme, to have some more presses, or instruments for printing erected, and sett up; and that when, and as often as the said archbishopp and bishopp, for the tyme being, shall so think it requisite and convenient, and shall signifie the same to the said master and wardeins of the said companie of Stationers, for the tyme being; that then, and so often, the saide master and wardeins, shall (within convenient tyme after) call the assistants of the saide companie before them, and shall make choice of one, or more (as by the opinion of the saide archbishopp and bishopp, for the tyme being, need shall require) of suche persons being free stationers, as for theyr skill, abilitie, and good behaviour, shall be thought by the saide master, wardeins, and assistants, or the more parte of them, meet to have the charge and government of a presse, or printing-house; and that within fowerteen dayes next after suche election, and choice, the saide master, wardeins, and fower other at the least of the assistants of the saide companie, shall present before the high commissioners in causes ecclesiastical, or sixe or more of them, whereof the saide archbishopp, or bishopp, to be one, to allowe, and admitt everie suche person so chosen and presented, to be master and governoure of a presse, and printing-housse, according to the same election and presentment, upon payne that everie person offending contrary to the intent of this article, shall have his presse, and instruments for printing, defaced, and made unserviceable, and allso suffer imprisonment, by the space of one whole yeare, without bayle, or maynprise. Provided allwayes, that this article, or any thing therein conteyned, shall not extend to the office of the queene’s majesties printer for the service of the realme; but that the said office, and offices, shall be, and continue at the pleasure and disposicion of her majestie, her heires, and successors, at all tymes, upon the death of her highnes’s printer, or otherwise.

4. Item, That no person, or persons, shall imprint, or cause to be imprinted, or suffer by any meanes to his knowledge, his presse, letters, or other instruments, to be occupied in printing of any booke, worke, coppie, matter, or thing whatsoever, except the same booke, worke, coppie, matter, or any thing hath bene heretofore allowed, or hereafter shall be allowed, before the imprinting thereof, according to the order appointed by the queene’s majesties injunctions, and be first seene and perused by the archbishopp of Canterburie, and bishopp of London, for the tyme being, or one of them (the queene’s majesties printer for some special service by her majestie, or by some of her highnes privie councell thereunto appoynted; and suche are, or shal be priviledged to print the bookes of the common lawe of this realme, for suche of the same books, as shal be allowed of by the two cheefe justices, and cheefe barons, for the tyme being, or any two of them, onelye excepted) nor shall imprint, or cause to be imprinted, any booke, worke, or coppie, against the forme and meaning of any restraynte, or ordinance conteyned, or to be conteyned, in any statute, or lawes of this realme, or in any injunction made, or sett forthe by her majestie, or her highness privie counsell, or againste the true intent and meaning of any letters patent, commissions, or prohibicions, under the great seale of Englande; or contrarie to any allowed ordinaunce, sett downe for the good governaunce of the Company of Stationers, within the cittie of London; upon payne to haue all suche presses, letters, and instruments, as in or about the imprinting of any suche bookes, or copies, shall be imployed or used, to be defaced, and made unserviceable for imprinting for ever; and upon payne allso, that everye offender, and offenders, contrarie to this present article, or ordinaunce, shal be disabled (after any suche offence) to use, or exercise, or take benefite by using, or exercising of the arte, or feate of imprinting; and shall moreover susteyne sixe moneths imprisonment without bayle, or maynprise.

5. Item, That every suche person, as shall sell, utter, or putt to sale wittingly, bynde, stitch, or sowe; or wittinglie cause to be solde, uttered, put to sale, bounde, stitched, or sowed, any bookes, or copies whatsoever, printed contrarie to the intent and true meaning of any ordinaunce, or article aforesaid, shall suffer three moneths imprisonment for his, or their offence.

6. Item, That it shall be lawfull for the Wardeins of the saide companye, for the tyme being, or any two of the saide companie thereto deputed, by the saide Wardeins, to make searche in all work-howses, shopps, ware-howses of printers, booke-sellers, booke-bynders, or where they shall haue reasonable cause of suspition; and all bookes, copies, matters, and things printed, or to be printed; contrarie to the intent and meaning of these present ordinances, to seaze and take to her majesties use, and the same to carrie into the Stacioners-hall in London; and the partie, or parties, offending in printing, selling, uttering, bynding, stitching, or sowing any such bookes, copies, matters, or things, to arrest, bring, and present before the said highe commissioners in causes ecclesiasticall, or some three, or more of them, whereof the said archbishop of Canterburie, or bishopp of London, for the tyme being, to be one.

7. Item, That it shall be lawfull to and for the aforesaide wardeins, for the tyme being, or any two by them appoynted, without lett, or interruption of any person, or persons whatsoever, to enter into any howsse, work-howsse, ware-howsse, shopp, or other place, or places; and to seaze, take, and carrie away all presses, letters, and other printing instruments, sett up, used, or imployed, contrarie to the true meaning hereof, to be defaced, and made unserviceable, as aforesaid; and that the saide wardeins shall so often as need shall require, call the assistants of the saide companie or the more parte of them into their saide hall, and there take order for the defacing, burning, breaking, and destroying of all the saide letters, presses, and other printing instruments aforesaide; and thereupon shall cause all suche printing presses, or other printing instruments, be defaced, melted, sawed in pieces, broken, or battered, at the smythes forge, or otherwise to be made unserviceable; and the stuffe of the same so defaced, shall redelyver to the owners thereof agayne, within three moneths next after the taking, or seazing thereof, as aforesayde.

8. Item, That for the avoyding of the excessive number of printers within this realme, it shall not be lawfull for any person or persons, being free of the Companie of Stacioners, on using the trade or mysterie of printing, booke-selling, or booke-bynding, to have, take, and keepe hereafter, at one tyme, any greater number of apprentizes, than shall be hereafter expressed; that is to say, every person that hath been or shall be master, or upper wardein of the companie, whereof he is free, to keepe three apprentizes at one tyme, and not above; and every person that is, or shall be under wardein, or of the liverie of the companie whereof he is free, to keep two apprentizes, and not above; and every person that is, or shall be of the yeomanrie of the companie whereof he is, or shall be free, to keep one apprentise (if he himself be not a journeyman) and not above. Provided allwayes, that this ordinaunce shall not extend to the queen’s majesties printer for the tyme being, for the service of her majestie, and the realme, but that he be at libertie to keepe and have apprentizes, to the number of sixe at any one tyme.

9. Item, That none of the printers in Cambridge, or Oxford, for the tyme being, shall be suffered to have any more apprentizes, than one at one tyme at the moste. But it is, and shall be lawfull, to, and for the saide printers, and either of them, and their successors, to have, and use the help of anye journeyman, being freemen of the cittie of London, without contradiction; any lawe, statute, or commaundement, contrarie to the meaning and due execution of those ordinaunces, or any of them, in any wise notwithstanding.

July 11, 1637.—“A decree of the Star Chamber concerning printing,” was published by authority, restricting the number of printers to twenty, besides his majesty’s printer, and the printers allowed for the universities. The letter-founders were at the same time restricted to four.

The allowed printers at this time were, Felix Kingstone, Adam Islip, Thomas Purfoot, Miles Flesher, Thomas Harper, John Beale, John Legat, Robert Young, John Haviland, George Miller, Richard Badger, Thomas Cotes, Bernard Alsop, Richard Bishop, Edward Griffin, Thomas Purslow, Richard John Raworth, Marmaduke Hodkinsonne, John Dawson, John Parsons.

The letter-founders were, John Grismand, Arthur Nichols, Thomas Wright, Alexander Fifeild.

13 & 14 Charles 2. c. 33. intituled “An Act for preventing Abuses in Printing Seditious, Treasonable and Unlicensed Books and Pamphlets, and for Regulating of Printing and Printing Presses.

“Whereas the well government and regulating of Printers and Printing-Presses is matter of publick care, and of great concernment, especially considering, that by the general Licentiousness of the late Times, many evil-disposed Persons have been encouraged to Print and sell Heretical, Schismatical, Blasphemous, Seditious and Treasonable Books, Pamphlets and Papers, and still do continue such their unlawful and exorbitant practice, to the high dishonour of Almighty God, the indangering the Peace of these Kingdoms, and raising a disaffection to his most excellent Majesty and his Government: For prevention whereof, no surer means can be advised, than by reducing and limiting the number of Printing-Presses, and by ordering and settling the said Art or Mystery of Printing by Act of Parliament, in manner as herein after is expressed:

s. 2. “The King’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the consent and advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, doth therefore ordain and enact, and be it ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no person or persons whatsoever shall presume to Print, or cause to be Printed, either within this Realm of England, or any other his Majesty’s Dominions, or in the Parts beyond the Seas, any Heretical, Seditious, Schismatical or offensive Books or Pamphlets, wherein any Doctrine or Opinion shall be asserted or maintained, which is contrary to the Christian Faith, or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England, or which shall or may tend, or be to the scandal of Religion, or the Church, or the Government or Governors of the Church, State or Common-wealth, or of any Corporation or particular person or persons whatsoever; nor shall Import, Publish, Sell or Disperse any such Book or Books, or Pamphlets, nor shall cause or procure any such to be published or put to sale, or to be Bound, Stitched, or Sewed together.

s. 3. “And be it further ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no private person or persons whatsoever shall at any time hereafter Print or cause to be Printed any Book, or Pamphlet whatsoever, unless the same Book and Pamphlet, together with all and every the Titles, Epistles, Prefaces, Proems, Preambles, Introductions, Tables, Dedications, and other matters and things thereunto annexed, be first Entred in the Book of the Register of the Company of Stationers in London, Except Acts of Parliament, Proclamations, and such other Books and Papers as shall be appointed to be Printed by virtue of any Warrant under the King’s Majesties Sign-Manual, or under the Hand of one or both of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State; and unless the same Book and Pamphlet, and also all and every the said Titles, Epistles, Prefaces, Proems, Preambles, Introductions, Tables, Dedications, and other matters and things whatsoever thereunto annexed, or therewith to be Imprinted, shall be first lawfully Licensed and Authorized to be Printed by such Person and Persons only as shall be constituted and appointed to License the same, according to the Direction and true meaning of this present Act herein after expressed, and by no other; (that is to say) That all Books concerning the Common-Laws of this Realm, shall be Printed by the special Allowance of the Lord-Chancellor, or Lord Keeper of the Great-Seal of England for the time being, the Lords Chief-Justices, and Lord Chief-Baron for the time being; or one or more of them, or by their, or one or more of their appointments; And that all Books of History concerning the State of this Realm, or other Books concerning any Affairs of State, shall be Licensed by the Principal Secretaries of State for the time being, or one of them, or by their, or one of their appointments; And that all Books to be Imprinted concerning Heraldry, Titles of Honour, and Arms, or otherwise concerning the Office of Earl-Marshal, shall be Licensed by the Earl-Marshal for the time being, or by his appointment, or in case there shall not then be an Earl-Marshal, shall be Licensed by the three Kings of Arms, Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy, or any two of them, whereof Garter Principal King of Arms to be one; And that all other Books to be Imprinted or Reprinted, whether of Divinity, Physick, Philosophy, or whatsoever other Science or Art, shall be first Licensed and allowed by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Bishop of London, for the time being, or one of them, or by their or one of their Appointments, or by either of the Chancellors, or Vice-Chancellors of the Universities of this Realm for the time being; Provided always, that the said Chancellors, or Vice-Chancellors of either of the said Universities shall only License such Books as are to be Imprinted or Reprinted within the Limits of the said Universities respectively, but not in London or elsewhere, not medling either with Books of Common-Laws, or matters of State or Government, nor any Book or Books, the right of Printing whereof doth solely and properly belong to any particular Person or Persons, without his or their Consent first obtained in that behalf.

s. 4. “And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every person or persons who by virtue of this present Act are, or shall be appointed, or authorised to License the Imprinting of Books, or Reprinting thereof with any Additions or Amendments, as aforesaid, shall have one written Copy of the same Book or Books which shall be so Licensed to be Imprinted or Reprinted with the Titles, Epistles, Prefaces, Tables, Dedications, and all other things whatsoever thereunto annexed; which said Copy shall be delivered by such Licencer or Licencers to the Printer or Owner after the Imprinting thereof, and shall be solely and intirely returned by such Printer or Owner after the imprinting thereof, unto such Licencer or Licencers, to be kept in the publick Registries of the said Lord Archbishop, or Lord Bishop of London respectively, or in the Office of the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor of either of the said Universities, or with said Lord-Chancellor or Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal for the time being, or Lord Chief-Justices, or Chief-Baron, or one of them, or the said Principal Secretaries of State, or with the Earl-Marshal, or the said Kings of Arms, or one of them, of all such Books as shall be Licensed by them respectively; and if such Book so to be Licensed shall be an English-Book, or of the English-Tongue, there shall be two written Copies thereof delivered to the Licencer or Licencers (if he or they shall so require), one Copy whereof so Licensed shall be delivered back to the said Printer or Owner, and the other Copy shall be reserved and kept as is aforesaid, to the end such Licencer or Licencers may be secured, that the Copy so Licensed shall not be altered without his or their privity; And upon the said Copy Licensed to be Imprinted, he or they who shall so Licence the same, shall testifie under his or their Hand or Hands, That there is not any thing in the same contained that is contrary to the Christian Faith, or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England, or against the State or Government of this Realm, or contrary to good Life, or good Manners, or otherwise as the nature and subject of the Work shall require; Which Licence or Approbation shall be printed in the beginning of the same Book, with the Name or Names of him or them that shall Authorize or License the same, for a Testimony of the Allowance thereof.

s. 5. “And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Merchant of Books, and Person or Persons whatsoever, who doth, or hereafter shall Import or bring any Book or Books into this Realm from any Parts beyond the Seas, shall Import the same in the Port of London only, and not elsewhere, without the special Licence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Bishop of London for the time being, or one of them, who are hereby authorized to grant Licences for that purpose, and shall before such time as the same Book or Books, or any of them be delivered forth, or out of his or their hand or hands, or exposed to Sale, give and present a true Note or Catalogue in writing of all and every such Book or Books, unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Bishop of London for the time being, or to one of them, and no Merchant or other Person or Persons whatsoever which shall import or bring any Book or Books into the Port of London aforesaid, from any Parts beyond the Seas, shall presume to open any Dry-Fats, Bales, Packs, Maunds, or other Fardles of Books, or wherein Books are, nor shall any Searcher, Waiter, or other Officer, belonging to the Customhouse, upon pain of losing his or their Place or Places, suffer the same to pass, or to be delivered out of his or their hands or custody, before such time as the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Bishop of London for the time being, or one of them, shall have appointed some Scholar or Learned Man, with one or more of the said Company of Stationers, and such others as they shall call to their Assistance, to be present at the opening thereof, and to view the same; And if there shall happen to be found any Heretical, Seditious, Scandalous, Schismatical, or other dangerous or offensive Book or Books, or any part of such Book or Books printed in English, they shall forthwith be brought to the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Bishop of London for the time being, or to one of them, or to some publick place to be assigned and chosen by the said Lord Archbishop, and Lord Bishop for the time being, to the end the person and persons which Importeth, or causeth the said offensive Books to be Imported, may be proceeded against as an Offender against this present Act; And also that such further course may be taken concerning the same Offensive Book or Books, as by the said Lord Archbishop and Bishop for the time being, shall be thought fitting for the suppressing thereof.

s. 6. “And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons shall within this Kingdom, or elsewhere, Imprint or cause to be Imprinted, nor shall Import or bring in, or cause to be Imported or brought into this Kingdom from or out of any other his Majesties Dominions, nor from any other Parts beyond the Seas, any Copy or Copies, Book or Books, or part of any Book or Books, or Forms of Blank-bills or Indentures for any his Majesties Islands, printed beyond the Seas, or elsewhere, which any person or persons by force or virtue of any Letters-Patents granted or assigned, or which shall hereafter be granted or assigned to him or them, or (where the same are not granted by any Letters-Patent) by force or virtue of any Entry or Entries thereof duly made or to be made in the Register-Book of the said Company of Stationers, or in the Register-Book of either of the Universities respectively, have or shall have the Right, Priviledge, Authority, or Allowance, solely to Print, without the consent of the Owner or Owners of such Book or Books, Copy or Copies, Form or Forms of such Blank-bills, nor shall Bind, Stitch, or put to Sale any such Book or Books, or part of any Book or Books, Form or Forms, without the like consent, upon pain of loss and forfeiture of the same, and of being proceeded against as an Offender against this present Act, and upon the further penalty and forfeiture of Six shillings eight pence for every such Book or Books, or part of such Book or Books, Copy or Copies, or Form or Forms of any such Blank-bills or Indentures so Imprinted or Imported, Bound, Stitched, or put to Sale; The moiety of which said forfeiture and forfeitures shall be to the use of our Sovereign Lord the King, his Heirs and Successors, and the other moiety to the use of the Owner or Owners, Proprietors of such Copy or Copies, Book or Books, or Form of such Blank-bills or Indentures, if he or they shall sue for the same within Six Months next after such Imprinting, Importing, Binding, Stitching, or putting to Sale; And in default of such Suit by the Owner or Owners, Proprietor or Proprietors, commenced within the said Six Months, Then the same moiety shall be to the use and behoof of such other person and persons as within the space of one Year next after the said Offence committed, shall sue for the same, to be recovered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of his Majesties Courts of Record held at Westminster, called the King’s-Bench, Common-Pleas, or Exchequer, wherein no Essoign, Wager of Law, or Protection shall be allowed to the Defendant or Defendants.

s. 7. “And be it further enacted and declared, That every person and persons that shall hereafter Print, or cause to be Printed any Book, Ballad, Chart, Pourtracture, or any other thing or things whatsoever, shall thereunto, or thereon, Print and set his or their own Name or Names, and also shall declare the Name of the Author thereof, if he be thereunto required by the Licencer under whose Approbation the Licensing of the said Book, Ballad, Chart, or Pourtracture shall be Authorized, and by and for whom any such Book or other thing is or shall be Printed, upon pain of forfeiture of all such Books, Ballads, Charts, Pourtractures, and other thing or things Printed contrary to the Tenor hereof; And the Presses, Letters, and other Instruments for Printing, wherewith such Book, Ballad, Pourtracture, or other thing or things shall be so Imprinted, or set or prepared for the Printing thereof, to be defaced and made unserviceable; And that no person or persons shall hereafter Print, or cause to be Imprinted, nor shall forge, put or counterfeit in or upon any Book or Pamphlet, the Name, Title, Mark, or Vinnet of any person or persons which hath or shall have lawful Priviledge, Authority or Allowance of sole Printing the same, without the free consent of the person or persons so Priviledged first had and obtained, upon pain that every person and persons so offending, shall forfeit and lose all such Books and Pamphlets, upon which such counterfeit Name or Mark shall be Imprinted, and shall further be proceeded against as an Offender against this present Act.

s. 8. “And be it further enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, that no Haberdasher of Small-wares, Iron-monger, Chandler, Shop-keeper, or other person or persons, whatsoever, not being Licensed in that behalf by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese wherein such Book or Books shall be, nor having been Seven years Apprentice to the Trade of Book-seller, Printer or Book-binder, nor being a Freeman of the City of London by Patrimonial Right, as Son of a Book-seller, Printer, or Book-binder, nor being a Member of the said Company of Stationers, shall within the City or Suburbs of London, or any other Market-Town, or elsewhere, receive, take or buy, to barter, sell again, change or do away any Bibles, Testaments, Psalm-books, Common-Prayer-books, Primers, Abcees, Licensed Almanacks, Grammar, School-books, or other Book or Books whatsoever, upon pain of forfeiture of the same.

s. 9. “And for that Printing is, and for many years hath been an Art and Manufacture of this Kingdom, Therefore for the better encouraging thereof, and the prevention of divers Libels, Pamphlets, and Seditious Books Printed beyond the Seas in English, and thence Transported into this Realm, Be it further enacted and ordained by the authority aforesaid, That no Merchant, Book-seller, or other person or persons whatsoever, shall Imprint, or cause to be Imprinted beyond the Seas, nor shall Import or bring, nor knowingly assist, or consent to the Importation or bringing from beyond the Seas into this Realm, any English Book or Books, or part of any Book which is or shall be, or the greater part thereof is or shall be English, or of the English Tongue, whether the same Book, Books, or part of such Book have been here formerly Printed or not, upon pain of forfeiture of all such English Books so Imprinted or Imported contrary to the tenor hereof: And that no Alien or Foreigner whatsoever shall hereafter bring in, or be suffered to vend here within this Realm, any Book or Books printed beyond the Seas in any Language whatsoever, either by himself, or his Factor or Factors, except such only as be Free-printers or Stationers, of London, or such as have been brought up in that profession, without the special Licence, of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Bishop of London for the time being, or one of them, who are hereby authorized to grant Licences for that purpose, upon like pain of forfeiture of all such Books as shall be so Imprinted or Vended contrary to the purport and true intent hereof.

s. 10. “And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no person or persons within the city of London, or of the Liberties thereof, or elsewhere, shall erect or cause to be erected any Press or Printing-House, nor shall knowingly demise or let, or willingly suffer to be held or used any House, Vault, Cellar, or other Room whatsoever, to or by any person or persons for a Printing-House, or Place to Print in, unless he or they who erect such Press, or shall so knowingly demise or let such House, Cellar, Vault, or Room, or willingly suffer the same to be used, shall first give notice to the Master or Wardens of the said Company of Stationers for the time being, of the erecting of such Press, or of such demise or suffering to Work or Print in such House, Vault, Cellar or Room, And that no Joyner, Carpenter, or other Person shall make any Printing-Press, no Smith shall forge any Iron-work for a Printing-Press, no Founder shall cast any Letters which may be used for Printing for any person or persons whatsoever; neither shall any person or persons bring or cause to be brought in from any Parts beyond the Seas, any Letters Founded or Cast, nor shall buy any such Letters for Printing, Printing-Presses, or other Materials belonging unto Printing, unless he or they respectively shall first acquaint the said Master and Wardens of the said Company of Stationers for the time being, or some or one of them, for whom the said Presses, Iron-work or Letters are to be made, forged, cast, brought or imported, upon pain that every person who shall erect any such Printing-Press, or shall demise or let any House or Room, or suffer the same to be held or used, and every person who shall make any Printing-Press, or any Iron-work for a Printing-Press, or shall make, import, or buy any Letters for Printing, without giving notice, as aforesaid, shall forfeit for every such Offence the sum of Five pounds, the one moiety whereof shall be to the use of our Sovereign Lord the King, his Heirs and Successors, and the other moiety to the use of such person or persons as shall sue for the same.

s. 11. “And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That for the time to come no Man shall be admitted to be a Master-Printer, until they who are now actually Master-Printers, shall be by death or otherwise, reduced to the number of Twenty, and from thenceforth the number of Twenty Master Printers shall be continued, and no more, besides the King’s Printers, and the Printers allowed for the Universities, to have the use and exercise of Printing of Books at one time, and but Four Master-Founders of Letters for Printing; The which said Master-Printers, and four Master-Founders of Letters for Printing, shall be nominated, appointed and allowed by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lord Bishop of London for the time being; And in case of Death of any one of the said Four Master-Founders of Letters, or of the said Master-Printers, or of Forfeiture, or Avoidance of any of their places and priviledges to Print by virtue of this Act, for any Offence contrary to the same, or otherwise, That then the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lord Bishop of London for the time being, or one of them, shall nominate and appoint such other fit person or persons to succeed and supply the place of such Master-Printer, or Founder of Letters as shall be void by Death, Forfeiture or otherwise, as aforesaid; And every person and persons which shall hereafter be allowed or permitted to have the use of a Printing-Press or Printing-House, upon or before such his allowance obtained, shall become bound with Sureties to his Majesty in the Court of King’s-Bench, or before some one or more of the Justices of Assize or the Justices of the Peace at their several Quarter-Sessions, in the sum of Three hundred pounds, not to Print, or suffer to be Printed in his House or Press any Book or Books whatsoever, but such as shall from time to time be lawfully Licensed.

s. 12. “And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That none of the said Master-Printers to be allowed from time to time, as aforesaid, shall keep above Two Printing-Presses at once, unless he hath been Master or Upper-Warden of the Company, who are hereby allowed to keep Three Presses and no more, unless for some great and special occasion for the Publick he or they have for a time leave of the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, or Lord Bishop of London for the time being, to have or use one or more above the aforesaid Number, as their Lordships or either of them shall think fit.

s. 13. “And be it also enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Printer or Printers, (except the King’s Printers) nor Founder or Founders of Letters for Printing, shall take or retain any more or greater number of Apprentices, than is herein after limited and appointed, (that is to say) Every Master-Printer, and Master-Founder of Letters for Printing, that is or hath been Master or Upper-Warden of his Company, may have Three Apprentices at one time and no more; And every Master-Printer, and Master-Founder of Letters for Printing, that is of the Livery of his Company, may have two Apprentices at one time and no more; And every Master-Printer, and Master-Founder of Letters for Printing, of the Yeomanry of his Company, may have one Apprentice at one time and no more, neither by Co-partnership, binding at the Scriveners, nor any other way whatsoever; Neither shall it be lawful for any Master-Printer or Master-Founder of Letters, when any Apprentice or Apprentices shall run or be put away, to take another Apprentice or other Apprentices in his or their place or places, unless the name or names of him or them so gone away, be rased out of the Hall-Book, and never admitted again.

s. 14. “And because a great part of the secret Printing in Corners hath been caused for want of Orderly Imployment for Journeymen-Printers, The said several Master-Printers, and Master-Founders of Letters for Printing so to be allowed as aforesaid, are hereby required to take special Care, That all Journeymen-Printers, and Journeymen Founders of Letters for Printing, who are lawfully free of the said respective Mysteries, be set on Work, and Imployed in their respective Trades; And if any such Journeyman-Printer, and Journeyman-Founder of Letters, being of honest and good behaviour, and able in his Trade, do want Imployment, he shall repair to any of the said Master-Printers, or Master-Founders of Letters respectively for the time being, who thereupon shall receive him or them into Work, if such Master-Printer or Master-Founder of Letters have not a Journeyman already, although such Master-Printer or Master-Founder of Letters respectively, with his Apprentice or Apprentices be able without the help of the said Journeyman to discharge his own Work, upon pain that every Master-Printer, and Master-Founder of Letters respectively, refusing to receive such Journeyman repairing to him, as aforesaid, shall forfeit Five pounds, to be recovered by Bill, Plaint or Information in any Court of Record, wherein no Essoign, Wager at Law, Priviledge or Protection shall be admitted; the one moiety of which forfeiture shall go to the King’s Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, and the other moiety to the Informer who shall sue for the same within six months nex after the said Offence committed; And if any Journeyman, or Journeymen-Printers, or Founders of Letters for Printing, shall refuse Imployment, being offered to him or them by any Master-Printer, or Master-Founder of Letters respectively, or neglect it when he or they have undertaken it, he or they so refusing or neglecting, shall suffer three months Imprisonment at the least, without Bail or Mainprize, upon conviction of such his said refusal or neglect by two Witnesses, before any one or more Justice or Justices of the Peace, who are hereby impowered to hear and examine the said Offence, and to commit the said Offender and Offenders to the Common Gaol of the County where he or they shall be apprehended: And no Master-Printer, or Master-Founder of Letters for Printing, shall from henceforth imploy either to work at the Case or Press, or otherwise about his Printing, any person or persons than such only as are Englishmen and Freemen, or the Sons of Freemen, or Apprentices to the said Trades or Mysteries of Printing, or Founding of Letters for Printing respectively.

s. 15. “And for the better discovering of Printing in Corners without Licence, Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That one or more of the Messengers of his Majesties Chamber, by Warrant under his Majesties Sign-Manual, or under the Hand of one or more of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State, or the Master and Wardens of the said Company of Stationers, or any one of them, shall have power and authority with a Constable, to take unto them such assistance as they shall think needful, and at what time they shall think fit, to search all Houses and Shops where they shall know, or upon some probable reason suspect any Books or Papers to be printed, bound or stitched, especially Printing-houses, Book-sellers Shops and Warehouses, and Book-binders Houses and Shops, and to view there what is imprinting, binding or stitching, and to examine whether the same be Licensed, and to demand a sight of the said Licence; and if the said Book so imprinting, binding or stitching, shall not be Licensed, then to seize upon so much thereof, as shall be found imprinted, together with the several Offenders, and to bring them before one or more Justices of the Peace, who are hereby authorised and required to commit such Offenders to Prison, there to remain until they shall be tried and acquitted, or convicted and punished for the said Offences: And in case the said Searchers shall upon their said Search, find any Book or Books, or part of Books unlicensed, which they shall suspect to contain matters therein contrary to the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England, or against the State and Government; Then upon such Suspicion to seize upon such Book or Books, and to bring the same unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Bishop of London for the time being, or one of them, or to the Secretaries of State, or one of them respectively, who shall take such further course for the suppressing thereof, as to them or any of them shall seem fit.

s. 16. “And be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every Printer and Printers of Books, Founder and Founders of Letters for Printing, and all and every other person and persons working in or for the said Trades, who from and after the Tenth day of June, in the year, One thousand six hundred sixty and two, shall offend against this present Act, or any Article, Clause or Thing herein contained, and shall be thereof convicted by Verdict, Confession, or otherwise, shall for the first Offence be disenabled from exercising his respective Trade for the space of three years, And for the second Offence shall for ever thenceafter be disabled to use or exercise the Art or Mystery of Printing, or of Founding Letters for Printing, and shall also have and receive such further punishment by Fine, Imprisonment or other Corporal Punishment, not extending to Life or Limb, as by the Justices of the Court of King’s Bench, or Justices of Oyer and Terminer, or Justices of Assize in their several Circuits, or Justices of the Peace in their several Quarter-Sessions shall be thought fit to be inflicted; The which said Justices of the Peace in their several Quarter-Sessions shall have full power and authority to hear and determine all and every Offence and Offences that shall be committed against this Act, or against any branch thereof, upon Indictment or Information by any person or persons to be taken before them in their Sessions of Peace respectively, and shall yearly certifie into the Court of Exchequer, as in other like cases they are bound to do, the Fines by them imposed for any of the Offences aforesaid, and shall and may also by virtue hereof award process and execution for the taking or punishing such Offenders, as in any other case they lawfully may do by any the Laws and Statutes of this Realm.

s. 17. “And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Printer shall reserve three printed Copies of the best and largest Paper of every Book new printed, or reprinted by him with Additions, and shall before any publick Vending of the said Book bring them to the Master of the Company of Stationers, and deliver them to him, one whereof shall be delivered to the Keeper of his Majesties Library, and the other two to be sent to the Vice-Chancellors of the two Universities respectively, for the use of the Publick Libraries of the said Universities.

s. 18. “Provided always, That nothing in this Act contained, shall be construed to extend to the prejudice or infringing of any the just Rights and Priviledges of either of the two Universities of this Realm, touching and concerning the Licensing or Printing of Books in either of the said Universities.

s. 19. “Provided always, That no Search shall at any time be made in the House or Houses of any of the Peers of this Realm, or of any other person or persons not being free of, or using any of the Trades in this Act before mentioned, but by special Warrant from the King’s Majesty, under his Sign-Manual, or under the hand of one or both of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State, or for any other Books than such as are in printing, or shall be printed after the Tenth of June, 1662; any thing in this Act to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

s. 20. “Provided also, That neither this Act, nor any thing therein contained, shall extend to prohibit any Bookseller who hath served seven years, and is free of the Company of Stationers, London, from Importing or Bringing into this Realm any Books ready bound not formerly prohibited, which have been printed ten years before the said Importation; any thing in this or any other Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

s. 21. “Provided also, and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That neither this Act, nor any thing therein contained, shall be construed to prohibit any person or persons to sell Books or Papers, who have sold Books and Papers within Westminster-Hall, the Palace of Westminster, or in any Shop or Shops within twenty yards of the great Gate of Westminster-Hall aforesaid, before the Twentieth day of November, One thousand six hundred sixty and one; but they and every of them may sell Books and Papers as they have or did before the said Twentieth day of November, One thousand six hundred sixty one, within the said Hall, Palace, and Twenty yards aforesaid, but not elsewhere; any thing in this Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

s. 22. “Provided also, That neither this Act, nor any thing therein contained, shall extend to prejudice the just Rights and Priviledges granted to his Majesty, or any of his Royal Predecessors, to any person or persons, under his Majesties Great Seal, or otherwise, but that such person or persons may exercise and use such Rights and Priviledges, as aforesaid, according to their respective Grants; any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

s. 23. “Provided also, That neither this Act, nor any thing therein contained, shall extend to prohibit John Streater Stationer, from Printing Books and Papers, but that he may still follow the Art and Mystery of Printing, as if this Act had never been made; any thing therein to the contrary notwithstanding.

s. 24. “Provided also, That neither this Act, nor any thing therein contained, shall extend to restrain the keeping and using of a Printing-press in the City of York, so as all Books of Divinity there printed, be first Licensed by the Archbishop of York for the time being, or such person or persons whom he shall appoint, and all other Books whatsoever there printed, be first Licensed by such persons respectively to whom the Licensing thereof doth or shall appertain by the Rules herein before-mentioned, and so as no Bibles be there printed, nor any other Book, whereof the Original Copy is or shall be belonging to the Company of Stationers in London, or any Member thereof; and so as the Archbishop or Lord Mayor of York for the time being, do execute within the said City (which they are hereby impowered to do) all the Powers and Rules in this Act concerning Searches for unlicensed Books, and impose and levy the said penalties in the like cases, any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

s. 25. “Provided, That this Act shall continue and be in force for two years, to commence from the Tenth of June, One thousand six hundred and sixty and two, and no longer.”

PRINTING INK.

By 2 & 3 Will. 4. c. 84. printing ink pays a duty of Ten Shillings a cwt. on being imported into this country. See Engravings on Wood. Fine Presswork. Ink.

PROOF.

An impression of a sheet of a work, or of a job, to be examined to see that it be correct.

Proofs are termed, according to circumstances, First Proof; Clean Proof; Its own Paper; and Revise; for a description of which see each article.

PROOF PAPER.

A low-priced paper, of which a stock is kept in printing offices to pull proofs on, as well as to use for common jobs. A quire or two, according to the extent of business, is always wetted ready for use in the press room, where it is generally placed under a paper board upon a table or bulk, sometimes in the heap that is working, to keep it in better condition. It ought to be a hard sized, tough paper, and should bear writing ink on it without allowing it to sink through.

PROOF PRESS.

See Empty Press.—M. A press set apart to pull proofs at. It is generally an old press, that has become from age and wear unfit for regular business: the tympans are replaced by a thin iron frame, pierced with holes, within which is stretched a blanket, drawn tight by the edges and laced through these holes. This press is commonly so inefficient, that when a good proof is wanted, it is necessary to pull it at a press that is in working order. Some large establishments have good presses to pull proofs at, and, where the composing rooms are not on the same floor, have one in each room.

PSALM BOOKS.

For the allowance of the duty on paper used in the printing of psalm books, see Paper.

PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THE LORD’S DAY.

21 Geo. 3. c. 49. s. 3. “And for the better preventing Persons assembling on the Lord’s Day for such irreligious Purposes as aforesaid, be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That any Person advertising, or causing to be advertised, any public Entertainment or Amusement, or any public Meeting for debating on any Subject whatsoever, on the Lord’s Day, to which Persons are to be admitted by the Payment of Money, or by Tickets sold for Money, and any Person printing or publishing any such Advertisement, shall respectively forfeit the Sum of Fifty Pounds for every such Offence, to any Person who will sue for the same.”

PUBLICATIONS, PERIODICAL.

60 Geo. 3. c. 9. “An Act to subject certain Publications to the Duties of Stamps upon Newspapers, and to make other Regulations for restraining the Abuses arising from the Publication of blasphemous and seditious Libels.

“Whereas Pamphlets and printed Papers containing Observations upon public Events and Occurrences, tending to excite Hatred and Contempt of the Government and Constitution of these Realms as by Law established, and also vilifying our Holy Religion, have lately been published in great Numbers, and at very small Prices; and it is expedient that the same should be restrained: May it therefore please Your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after Ten Days after the passing of this Act, all Pamphlets and Papers containing any Public News, Intelligence or Occurrences, or any Remarks or Observations thereon, or upon any Matter in Church or State; printed in any Part of the United Kingdom for Sale, and published periodically, or in Parts or Numbers, at Intervals not exceeding Twenty-six Days between the Publication of any Two such Pamphlets or Papers, Parts or Numbers, where any of the said Pamphlets or Papers, Parts or Numbers respectively, shall not exceed Two Sheets, or shall be published for Sale for a less Sum than Sixpence, exclusive of the Duty by this Act imposed thereon, shall be deemed and taken to be Newspapers within the true Intent and Meaning of an Act of Parliament passed in the Thirty-eighth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled ‘An Act for preventing the Mischiefs arising from the printing and publishing Newspapers and Papers of a like Nature, by Persons not known, and for regulating the Printing and Publication of such Papers in other respects;’ and of another Act of Parliament, passed in the Fifty-fifth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled ‘An Act to provide for the Collection and Management of Stamp Duties upon Pamphlets, Almanacks, and Newspapers, in Ireland;’ and of another Act passed in the Fifty-fifth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled ‘An Act for repealing the Stamp Office Duties on Advertisements, Almanacks, Newspapers, Gold and Silver Plate, Stage Coaches, and Licences for keeping Stage Coaches, now payable in Great Britain; and for granting new Duties in lieu thereof;’ and of an Act passed in the Fifty-sixth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled ‘An Act to repeal the several Stamp Duties in Ireland, and also several Acts for the Collection and Management of the said Duties, and to grant new Stamp Duties in lieu thereof, and to make more effectual Regulations for calculating and managing the said Duties;’ and all other Acts of Parliament in force relating to Newspapers; and be subject to such and the same Duties of Stamps, with such and the same Allowances and Discounts, as Newspapers printed in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, now are subject unto under and by virtue of the said recited Acts of Parliament, and shall be printed, published, and distributed under and subject to all such and the like Rules, Regulations, Restrictions, Provisions, Penalties, and Forfeitures, as are contained in the said recited Acts, or either of them, or in any other Act or Acts of Parliament now in force in Great Britain or Ireland respectively, relating to Newspapers printed, published, dispersed, or made public in the United Kingdom; and the said recited Acts of Parliament, and all other Acts of Parliament now in force in Great Britain or Ireland respectively, relating to the printing, publishing, dispersing, or making public in Great Britain or Ireland respectively, any Newspapers, or containing any Regulations relating thereto, and all the Clauses, Provisions, Regulations, Restrictions Penalties, and Forfeitures therein respectively contained, and in force at the passing of this Act, shall (except where the same may be altered by this Act) be applied and put in force in relation to all such Pamphlets and printed Papers aforesaid, as fully and effectually as if all such Clauses, Provisions, Regulations, Restrictions, Penalties, and Forfeitures were respectively, severally, and separately re-enacted in and made Part of this Act; and the said recited Acts, and all other such Acts of Parliament as aforesaid, and this Act, shall, as to all the Purposes of carrying this Act into Execution, be construed as one Act.

s. 2. “And be it further enacted, That no Quantity of Paper less than a Quantity equal to Twenty-one Inches in Length and Seventeen Inches in Breadth, in whatever Way or Form the same may be made, or may be divided into Leaves, or in whatever Way the same may be printed, shall be deemed or taken to be a Sheet of Paper within the Meaning and for the Purposes of this Act.

s. 3. “And be it further enacted, That no Cover or Blank Leaf, or any other Leaf upon which any Advertisement or other Notice shall be printed, shall, for the Purposes of this Act, be deemed or taken to be a Part of any such Pamphlet, Paper, Part or Number aforesaid.

s. 4. “And be it further enacted, That all Pamphlets and Papers containing any Public News, Intelligence, or Occurrences, or any such Remarks or Observations as aforesaid, printed for Sale, and published periodically, or in Parts or Numbers, at Intervals exceeding Twenty-six Days between any Two such Pamphlets or Papers, Parts or Numbers, and which said Pamphlets, Papers, Parts or Numbers respectively, shall not exceed Two Sheets, or which shall be published for Sale at a less Price than Sixpence, shall be first published on the First Day of every Calendar Month, or within Two Days before or after that Day, and at no other Time; and that if any Person or Persons shall first publish or cause to be published any such Pamphlet, Paper, Part or Number aforesaid, on any other Day or Time, he or they shall forfeit for every such Offence the Sum of Twenty Pounds.

s. 5. “And be it further enacted, That upon every Pamphlet or Paper containing any Public News, Intelligence or Occurrences, or any Remarks or Observations thereon or upon any Matter in Church or State, printed in any Part of the United Kingdom for Sale, and published periodically, or in Parts or Numbers, at Intervals not exceeding Twenty-six Days between the Publication of any Two such Pamphlets or Papers, Parts or Numbers, and upon every Part or Number thereof, shall be printed the full Price at which every such Pamphlet, Paper, Part, or Number shall be published for Sale, and also the Day on which the same is first published; and if any Person shall publish any such Pamphlet, Paper, Part, or Number, without the said Price and Day being printed thereon, or if any Person shall at any Time within Two Months after the Day of Publication printed thereon as aforesaid, sell or expose to Sale any such Pamphlet, Paper, Part or Number, or any Portion or Part of such Pamphlet, Paper, Part or Number, upon which the Price so printed as aforesaid shall be Sixpence, or above that Sum, for a less Price than the Sum of Sixpence, every such Person shall for every such Offence forfeit and pay the Sum of Twenty Pounds.

s. 6. “Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to subject any Person publishing any Pamphlet or Paper to any Penalty for any Allowance in Price made by the Person for whom and on whose Behalf, and for whose Profit, Benefit or Advantage, the same shall have been first published, to any Bookseller or Distributor, or other Person to whom the same shall be sold for the Purpose of retailing the same.

s. 7. “And be it further enacted, That all Pamphlets and Papers which are by this Act declared to be subject to the Stamp Duties upon Newspapers, shall be freed and discharged from all the Stamp Duties and Regulations contained in any Act of Parliament relating to Pamphlets.

s. 8. “And be it further enacted, That no Person, from and after Thirty Days after the passing of this Act shall print or publish for Sale, any Newspaper, or any Pamphlet or other Paper containing any Public News, Intelligence, or Occurrences, or any Remarks or Observations thereon, or upon any Matter in Church or State, which shall not exceed Two Sheets, or which shall be published for Sale at a less Price than Sixpence, until he or she shall have entered into a Recognizance before a Baron of the Exchequer, in England, Scotland, or Ireland respectively, as the Case may be, if such Newspaper or Pamphlet, or other Paper aforesaid, shall be printed in London or Westminster, or in Edinburgh or Dublin, or shall have executed in the Presence of, and delivered to some Justice of the Peace for the County, City, or Place where such Newspaper, Pamphlet, or other Paper shall be printed, if printed elsewhere, a Bond to His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, together with Two or Three sufficient Sureties, to the Satisfaction of the Baron of the Exchequer taking such Recognizance, or of the Justice of the Peace taking such Bond, every Person printing or publishing any such Newspaper or Pamphlet, or Paper aforesaid, in the Sum of Three hundred Pounds, if such Newspaper, Pamphlet, or Paper shall be printed in London or within Twenty Miles thereof, and in the Sum of Two hundred Pounds, if such Newspaper, Pamphlet, or Paper shall be printed elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and his or her Sureties in a like Sum in the whole, conditioned that such Printer or Publisher shall pay to His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, every such Fine or Penalty as may at any Time be imposed upon at adjudged against him or her, by reason of any Conviction for printing or publishing any blasphemous or seditious Libel, at any Time after the entering into such Recognizance or executing such Bond; and that every Person who shall print or first publish any such Newspaper, Pamphlet, or other Paper, without having entered into such Recognizance, or executed and delivered such Bond with such Sureties as aforesaid, shall, for every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of Twenty Pounds.

s. 9. “Provided always, and be it further enacted, That in every Case in which any Surety or Sureties in any such Recognizance or Bond shall have been required to pay and shall have paid the whole or any Part of the Sum for which he, she, or they shall have become Surety; or in case any such Surety or Sureties shall become Bankrupt, or be discharged under any Insolvent Act; then and in every such Case the Person for whom such Surety or Sureties shall have been bound, shall not print or publish any Newspaper or Pamphlet, or other Paper aforesaid, until he or she shall, upon being required so to do by the Commissioners of Stamps for Great Britain and Ireland respectively, have entered into a new Recognizance, or executed a new Bond, with sufficient Sureties, in the Manner and to the Amount aforesaid; and in case he or she shall print or publish any such Newspaper or Pamphlet, or other Paper aforesaid, without having entered into such new Recognizance, or executed such new Bond as aforesaid, having been required so to do as aforesaid, he or she shall forfeit for every such Offence the Sum of Twenty Pounds.

s. 10. “Provided always, and be it further enacted, That if any Surety or Sureties shall be desirous of withdrawing from such Recognizance or Bond, it shall and may be lawful to and for him or them so to do, upon giving Twenty Days previous Notice in Writing to the said Commissioners of Stamps respectively, or to the Distributor of Stamps of and for the District where the Printer or Publisher for whom he or they is or are Surety or Sureties shall reside, and also to such Printer or Publisher; and that in any such Case, every such Surety or Sureties, from and after the Expiration of such Notice, shall not be liable upon the said Bond or Recognizance, other than and except for any Penalty or Penalties before that Time imposed or incurred, and for which he or they would otherwise have been liable under the said Recognizance or Bond; and then and in every such Case, the Person for whom such Surety or Sureties shall have been bound, shall not print or publish any Newspaper or Pamphlet, or other Paper aforesaid, until he or she shall have entered into a new Recognizance, or executed a new Bond, with sufficient Sureties, in the Manner and to the Amount aforesaid; and in case he or she shall print or publish any such Newspaper or Pamphlet, or other Paper aforesaid, without having entered into such new Recognizance or Bond as aforesaid, he or she shall for every such Offence forfeit the Sum of Twenty Pounds.

s. 11. “Provided always, and be it further enacted, That no such Bond as aforesaid shall be subject or liable to any Stamp Duty; any thing in any Act or Acts of Parliament to the contrary notwithstanding.

s. 12. “And be it further enacted, That Lists of all the Recognizances which shall have been entered into in the respective Courts of Exchequer in England, Scotland, or Ireland, shall, Four Times in each Year, be transmitted to the Commissioners managing the Stamp Duties in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, as the Case may be, by the respective Officers recording such Recognizances in such respective Courts; and all Bonds executed under the Provisions of this Act, shall, within Ten Days at the furthest after the Execution thereof, be transmitted to the Commissioners respectively, by the Justices of the Peace to whom the same shall have been respectively delivered.

s. 13. “And whereas the Printer or Publisher of any Newspaper, and of any Pamphlet and Paper hereby enacted to be deemed and taken to be a Newspaper, will, after the passing of this Act, be bound, under and by virtue of the Provisions contained in the said Acts made and passed in the Thirty-eighth and Fifty-fifth Years of His Majesty’s Reign respectively, to deliver to the Commissioners of Stamps in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, or some Distributor of Stamps or other Officer, on the Day on which the same is published, or within a certain Time afterwards, One of the Newspapers, Pamphlets, or Papers so published, signed as in the said Acts is respectively directed: And whereas it is expedient that the same or similar Provisions and Regulations should extend and be applied to all Pamphlets and Papers, whether published periodically or not, and which shall contain any Public News, Intelligence, or Occurrence, or any Remarks or Observations thereon, or upon any Matter in Church or State, and which shall not exceed Two Sheets as aforesaid, or which shall be published for Sale at a less Price than Sixpence; be it therefore enacted, That from and after Ten Days after the passing of this Act, the Printer or Publisher of any Pamphlet or other Paper for Sale, containing any public News, Intelligence, or Occurrences, or any Remarks or Observations thereon, or on any Matter in Church or State, shall, upon every Day upon which the same shall be published, or within Six Days after, deliver to the Commissioners of Stamps for Great Britain and Ireland respectively, at their Head Offices, or to some Distributor or Officer to be appointed by them to receive the same, and whom they are hereby required to appoint for that Purpose, One of the Pamphlets or Papers so published upon each such Day, signed by the Printer or Publisher thereof, in his Hand-writing, with his Name and Place of Abode; and the same shall be carefully kept by the said Commissioners, or such Distributor or Officer as aforesaid, in such Manner as the said Commissioners shall direct; and such Printer or Publisher shall be entitled to demand and receive from the Commissioners, or such Distributor or Officer, the Amount of the Retail Price of such Pamphlet or Paper so delivered; and in every Case in which the Printer and Publisher of such Pamphlet or Paper shall neglect to deliver One such Pamphlet or Paper in the Manner herein-before directed, such Printer and Publisher shall, for every such Neglect respectively, forfeit and lose the Sum of One hundred Pounds.

s. 14. “Provided always, and be it further enacted, That in case the said Commissioners, or such Distributor or Officer aforesaid, shall refuse to receive or pay for any Copy of such Pamphlet or Paper offered to be delivered to them or him as aforesaid, for or on account of the same not being within the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, such Commissioners, Distributor, or Officer shall, if required so to do, give and deliver to such Printer or Publisher a Certificate in Writing that a Copy of such Pamphlet or Paper had been by him duly offered to be delivered; and such Printer or Publisher shall thereupon be freed and discharged from any Penalty for not having delivered such Copy as aforesaid.

s. 15. “And be it further enacted, That if any Person shall sell or expose to sale any Pamphlet or other Paper not being duly stamped, if required to be stamped, such Person shall, for every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of Twenty Pounds.

s. 16. “And be it declared and enacted, That it shall be lawful for any of His Majesty’s Courts of Record at Westminster or Dublin, or of Great Session in Wales, or any Judge thereof respectively, or for any Court of Quarter or General Sessions of the Peace, or for any Justice of the Peace before whom any Person charged with having printed or published any blasphemous, seditious, or malicious Libel, shall be brought for the Purpose of giving Bail upon such Charge, to make it a Part of the Condition of the Recognizance to be entered into by such Person and his or her Bail, that the Person so charged shall be of good Behaviour during the Continuance of such Recognizance.

s. 17. “And be it further enacted, That all Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures by this Act imposed, shall be recovered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information in any of His Majesty’s Courts of Record at Westminster or Dublin, or the Courts of Great Session in the Principality of Wales, or the Courts of the Counties Palatine of Chester, Lancaster, and Durham, or in the Court of Session or Court of Exchequer in Scotland (as the Case shall require), wherein no Essoign, Privilege, Protection, Wager of Law, or more than One Imparlance shall be allowed; or before any Two Justices of the Peace of the County, Riding, Stewartry, City, or Place where the Offence shall be committed: Provided always, that no larger Amount in the Whole than One hundred Pounds shall be recoverable or recovered before any Justices of the Peace, for any such Penalties incurred in any One Day; any thing in this Act, or any other Acts of Parliament contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

s. 18. “And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Two or more Justices of the Peace, in all Cases in which they are authorized to hear and determine any Offence or Offences which shall be committed against this Act, or any other Act or Acts of Parliament which are by this Act required to be construed therewith as Part thereof, upon Information exhibited or Complaint made in that Behalf, within Three Months after any such Offence committed, to summon the Party accused, and also the Witnesses on either Side; and upon the Appearance, or Contempt of the Party accused in not appearing, to proceed to the Examination of the Witness or Witnesses upon Oath (which Oath they are hereby empowered to administer), and to give Judgment for the Penalty or Penalties incurred; and in case the Party shall not immediately pay the said Penalty or Penalties, to commit the Offender to Prison, there to remain for any time not exceeding Six Months, unless such pecuniary Penalty or Penalties shall be sooner paid and satisfied; and if any Party shall find himself or herself aggrieved by the Judgment of any such Justices, then he, she, or they may, upon giving Security to the Amount or Value of the Penalty or Penalties adjudged, together with such Costs as may be awarded in case such Judgment shall be affirmed, appeal to the Justices of the Peace at the next Quarter or General Sessions of the Peace for the County, Riding, Division, or Place wherein such Offence shall be committed, who are hereby empowered to summon and examine Witnesses upon Oath, and finally to bear and determine the same; and in case the Judgment shall be affirmed, it shall be lawful for such Justices to order the Person or Persons making such Appeal, to pay such Costs occasioned by such Appeal, as to them shall seem meet: Provided nevertheless, that it shall and may be lawful for the said respective Justices, where they shall see Cause, to mitigate or lessen any such Penalty or Penalties, in such Manner as they in their Discretion shall think fit; the reasonable Costs and Charges of the Officers or Informers being always allowed over and above such Mitigation; and so as such Mitigation does not reduce the Penalty to less than One Fourth Part thereof, over and above the said Costs and Charges.

s. 19. “And be it further enacted, That if any Person shall be summoned as a Witness to give Evidence before such Justices of the Peace, touching any such Offence, either on the Part of the Prosecutor or of the Person or Persons accused, and shall neglect or refuse to appear at the Time and Place to be for that Purpose appointed, without a reasonable Excuse for such his or her Neglect or Refusal, to be allowed of by the Justices before whom the Prosecution shall be depending, or appearing shall refuse to give Evidence, then every such Person shall forfeit for every such Offence any Sum not exceeding Twenty Pounds, to be levied and paid in such Manner and by such Means as is in this Act directed as to other Penalties.

s. 20. “And be it further enacted, That the Justices before whom any Offender shall be convicted as aforesaid, shall cause the said Conviction to be made out in the Manner and Form following, or in any other Form of Words to the like Effect, mutatis mutandis, that is to say,

‘County of ______ to wit.

‘Be it remembered, That on ______ at ______ A. B. of ______ was duly convicted before us, ______ of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for ______ in pursuance of an Act passed in the Sixtieth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act [Title of this Act]; for that the said A. B. on the ______ Day of ______ now last past, did, [here state the Offence, as the Case may happen to be] contrary to the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided; for which Offence we do adjudge that the said A. B. hath forfeited the Sum of ______ ; and [if the ______ Justices mitigate the Penalty] which Sum of ______ we do hereby mitigate to the Sum of ______. Given under our Hands and Seals, this ______ Day of ______.’

s. 21. “And be it further enacted, That no Order or Conviction made in pursuance of this Act by any Justices of the Peace, shall be removed by Certiorari, Advocation, or Suspension into any Court whatever; and that no Writ of Certiorari, Advocation, or Suspension shall supersede Execution or other Proceedings upon any such Order or Conviction, but that Execution and other Proceedings shall be had thereupon, any such Writ or Writs or Allowance thereof notwithstanding.

s. 22. “And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any Person or Persons whatsoever to commence, prosecute, enter, or file, or cause or procure to be commenced, prosecuted, entered, or filed, any Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information in any of His Majesty’s Courts, or before any Justice or Justices of the Peace, against any Person or Persons, for the Recovery of any Fine, Penalty, or Forfeiture made or incurred by virtue of this Act, unless the same be commenced, prosecuted, entered, or filed in the Name of His Majesty’s Attorney General in that Part of Great Britain called England, or in the Name of His Majesty’s Attorney General in Ireland, or His Majesty’s Advocate for Scotland (as the Case may be respectively), or in the Name of the Solicitor or some other Officer of His Majesty’s Stamp Duties in that Part of Great Britain called England, or in Scotland or Ireland respectively; and if any Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall be commenced, prosecuted, entered, or filed in the Name or Names of any other Person or Persons than is or are in that Behalf before mentioned, the same and every Proceeding thereupon had, are hereby declared, and the same shall be null and void to all Intents and Purposes.

s. 23. “And be it further enacted, That for the better and more effectually levying and collecting the said Duties, the same shall be under the Government, Care, and Management of the Commissioners for the Time being appointed in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, to manage the Duties on Stamped Vellum, Parchment, and Paper; who, or the major Part of them, in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, are hereby required and empowered to do all other Things necessary to be done for putting this Act into Execution, with relation to the said Duties hereby granted, in the like and in as full and ample a Manner as they or the major Part of them were authorized to put in Execution any Law or Laws concerning Stamped Vellum, Parchment and Paper.

s. 24. “And be it further enacted, That the said Duties shall be and are hereby made payable to His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors; and the said Duties, and the several Allowances, Discounts, and Sums of Money, for or in respect of the same, shall and may be respectively raised, levied, collected, answered, paid, recovered, adjudged, accounted for, and applied and appropriated, mitigated and allowed, in such and the like Manner, and in or by any or either of the general or special Ways, Means, or Methods, by which the Duties upon Newspapers, and Discounts and Allowances in respect thereof, under the Management of the said Commissioners of stamped Vellum, Parchment, or Paper, are or may be raised, levied, collected, answered, paid, recovered, adjudged, mitigated, and allowed; and the several Persons, and also all such Pamphlets and Papers, of what Nature or Kind soever, by this Act made liable to the Payment of Duty, or entitled to any Discount or Allowance, shall be and the same are hereby made subject and liable to all and every the Conditions, Regulations, Rules, and Restrictions, to which such Persons and Newspapers are generally or specially subject and liable by any Act or Acts of Parliament in force before the passing of this Act; and all and every Pain, Penalty, Fine or Forfeiture for any Offence whatever committed against or in Breach of any Act or Acts of Parliament now in force for securing the Duties under the Management of the said Commissioners of Stamped Vellum, Parchment, and Paper, upon Newspapers, or for the Regulation or Improvement of the said Duties, and the several Clauses, Powers, Provisions, Directions, Matters, and Things therein contained, shall (except as the same or any of them are by this Act altered or repealed), and are hereby directed and declared to extend to, and shall be respectively applied, practised, and put in Execution for and in respect of the several Duties charged, imposed, and allowed, in as full and ample a Manner, to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever, as if all and every the said Clauses, Provisions, Restrictions, Directions, Fines, Pains, Penalties, or Forfeitures, Matters and Things, were particularly repeated and re-enacted in the Body of this Act.

s. 25. “And be it further enacted, That the Monies arising from the Duties hereby granted shall be paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer at Westminster and Dublin respectively, and shall be carried to and made Part of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

s. 26. “Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act shall extend to Acts of Parliament, Proclamations, Orders of Council, Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving, and Acts of State, ordered to be printed by His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, or his or their sufficient and authorized Officer; or to any printed Votes or other Matters by Order of either House of Parliament; or to Books commonly used in the Schools of Great Britain or Ireland, or Books or Papers containing only Matters of Devotion, Piety, or Charity; or daily Accounts; or Bills of Goods imported and exported; or Warrants or Certificates for the Delivery of Goods; and the weekly Bills of Mortality; or to Papers containing any Lists of Prices Current, or of the State of the Markets, or any Account of the Arrival, Sailing, or other Circumstances relating to Merchant Ships or Vessels; or of any other Matter wholly of a Commercial Nature; provided such Bills, Lists, or Accounts do not contain any other Matter than what hath been usually comprised therein; or to the Printers or Publishers of the foregoing Matters, or any or either of them.

s. 27. “Provided also, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to charge with Stamp Duties any Work reprinted and republished in Parts or Numbers, whether such Work shall be wholly reprinted or shall be republished in an abridged Form; provided that the Work so reprinted and republished shall have been first printed and published Two Years at the least previous to such Reprinting and Republication, and provided the said Work was not first published in Parts or Numbers.

s. 28. “And be it further enacted, That this Act may be altered, amended, or repealed, by any Act to be passed in the present Session of Parliament.”

So much of this act was repealed by 6 & 7 Will. 4. c. 76. “as subjects any Newspaper or other Paper or Pamphlet to any Stamp Duty.” See Newspapers.

So much also of the acts 38 Geo. 3. c. 78., 55 Geo. 3. c. 80., 55 Geo. 3. c. 185., and 56 Geo. 3. c. 56. was repealed by 6 & 7 Will. 4. c. 76. “as subjects any Newspaper or other Paper or Pamphlet to any Stamp Duty.”—See Newspaper Postage.

PULL.

See Easy Pull; also Hard Pull.—M. The act of printing an impression at the press is called pulling.

PULL A PROOF.

To print an impression of a job, or a sheet of a work, either to read as a first proof, to send out to the author, &c., or to read for press. For the first purpose it is called a First Proof or Foul Proof; for the others it is termed a Clean Proof. See Proof.

PUNCTUATION.

The Greeks and Romans were unacquainted with grammatical punctuation. With them it was for the most part only oratorical, since it referred, excepting a point at the end of a sentence and at some pauses, almost only to the elocution and pronunciation of the words. The first very imperfect beginning of our punctuation occurs in the time of Charlemagne, when a period of three points, and a stroke, were made use of, yet without following any definite rule. About the end of the fifteenth century, punctuation obtained a greater compass and a more settled character through the learned Venetian printer Manucci, so that he may be considered as the author of it. But still much time elapsed before the marks of punctuation collectively came generally into use as at present.

Through the introduction of these marks it has become possible to read a book with facility, and to recite a poem with a musical cadence. But still we feel too often, that our grammatical marks are far from sufficient for the purposes of declamation, seeing that we are sometimes obliged to make oratorical pauses where no grammatical points are applicable, and sometimes to double the pause for one and the same grammatical mark. Thus we read this passage in Wieland’s “Goldene Spiegel,” pt. 1. p. 121.:—

“Diese Methode bildete gleisnerische Schurken, welche ausgelernte Meister in der Kunst waren, ihre Leidenschaften zu verbergen, ihre schlimmen Neigungen in schöne Masken zu vermummen, die Unverständigen durch eine Tugend und Religion tödtende Phraseologie zu täuschen.”—“This method created hypocritical rascals, who were accomplished masters in the art of dissembling their emotions, of disguising their evil propensities under fine masks, and of deceiving the heedless by a virtue and religion killing phraseology.”

Here we readily perceive that after the word Methode, and also after eine, a pause must be made in reading, although no grammatical point is employed. And we have for this purpose no other mark than the dash (—). In like manner, every reader will perceive that the grammatical pause after Schurken must be made much longer than after waren, because this last is so closely connected with the word immediately following, that the voice glides over it rapidly. Heinsius, German Grammar.

The knowledge of punctuation being essential equally to the master printer, the reader, and the compositor, I have extracted this article from Murray’s English Grammar, as being perspicuous, and of high authority.

“Punctuation is the art of dividing a written composition into sentences, or parts of sentences, by points or stops, for the purpose of marking the different pauses which the sense, and an accurate pronunciation require.

“The Comma represents the shortest pause; the Semicolon, a pause double that of the comma; the Colon, double that of the semicolon; and the Period, double that of the colon.

“The precise quantity or duration of each pause cannot be defined; for it varies with the time of the whole. The same composition may be rehearsed in a quicker or a slower time; but the proportion between the pauses should be ever invariable.

“In order more clearly to determine the proper application of the points, we must distinguish between an imperfect phrase, a simple sentence, and a compound sentence.

“An imperfect phrase contains no assertion, or does not amount to a proposition or sentence: as, ‘Therefore; in haste; studious of praise.’

“A simple sentence has but one subject, and one finite verb, expressed or implied: as ‘Temperance preserves health.’

“A compound sentence has more than one subject, or one finite verb, either expressed or understood; or it consists of two or more simple sentences connected together: as, ‘Good nature mends and beautifies all objects;’ ‘Virtue refines the affections, but vice debases them.’

“In a sentence, the subject and the verb, or either of them, may be accompanied with several adjuncts: as, the object, the end, the circumstance of time, place, manner, and the like: and the subject or verb may be either immediately connected with them, or mediately; that is, by being connected with something which is connected with some other, and so on: as, ‘The mind, unoccupied with useful knowledge, becomes a magazine of trifles and follies.’

“As sentences themselves are divided into simple and compound, so the members of sentences may be divided likewise into simple and compound members: for whole sentences, whether simple or compounded, may become members of other sentences, by means of some additional connexion; as in the following example: ‘The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people do not consider.’ This sentence consists of two compounded members, each of which is subdivided into two simple members, which are properly called clauses.

“Of the Comma.

“The comma usually separates those parts of a sentence, which, though very closely connected in sense and construction, require a pause between them.

“Rule I. With respect to a simple sentence, the several words of which it consists have so near a relation to each other, that, in general, no points are requisite, except a full stop at the end of it: as, ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ ‘Every part of matter swarms with living creatures.’

“A simple sentence, however, when it is a long one, and the nominative case is accompanied with inseparable adjuncts, may admit of a pause immediately before the verb: as, ‘The good taste of the present age, has not allowed us to neglect the cultivation of the English language:’ ‘To be totally indifferent to praise or censure, is a real defect in character.’

“Rule II. When the connexion of the different parts of a simple sentence is interrupted by an imperfect phrase, a comma is usually introduced before the beginning, and at the end of this phrase: as, ‘I remember, with gratitude, his goodness to me:’ ‘His work is, in many respects, very imperfect. It is, therefore, not much approved.’ But when these interruptions are slight and unimportant, the comma is better omitted: as, ‘Flattery is certainly pernicious;’ ‘There is surely a pleasure in beneficence.’

“In the generality of compound sentences, there is frequent occasion for commas; as will appear from the following view of the different occasions to which they are adapted.

“Rule III. When two or more nouns occur in the same construction, they are parted by a comma: as, ‘Reason, virtue, answer one great aim:’ ‘The husband, wife, and children, suffered extremely*:’ ‘They took away their furniture, clothes, and stock in trade:’ ‘He is alternately supported by his father, his uncle, and his elder brother.’

* “As a considerable pause in pronunciation, is necessary between the last noun and the verb, a comma should be inserted to denote it. But, as no pause is allowable between the last adjective and the noun, under Rule IV., the comma is there properly omitted. See Walker’s Elements of Elocution.

“From this rule there is mostly an exception, with regard to two nouns closely connected by a conjunction: as, ‘Virtue and vice form a strong contrast to each other:’ ‘Libertines call religion bigotry or superstition;’ ‘There is a natural difference between merit and demerit, virtue and vice, wisdom and folly.’ But if the parts connected are not short, a comma may be inserted, though the conjunction is expressed: as, ‘Romances may be said to be miserable rhapsodies, or dangerous incentives to evil;’ ‘Intemperance destroys the strength of our bodies, and the vigour of our minds.’