The earliest number now known to exist is dated 23d July 1588, and is entitled "The English Mercurie, published by authority, imprinted at London by Christopher Barker, her Highnesse's printer.” M. Lally-Tollendal has disputed this claim, and asserts for France the merit of anticipating all other countries by more than half a century in the publication of a political journal. There is preserved, he says, in the Bibliothèque du Roi at Paris, a small quarto bulletin of the Italian campaign of Louis XII. in 1509, printed in the Gothic or black letter, and beginning thus: "Ce'st la tres noble et tres excellente victoire du roy nostre sire Loys douziesme de ce nom qu'il a heue moyennant l'ayde de Dieu sur les Venitiens.”1 XLII. PRESBYTERIAN PARITY. THE name of Master Robert Bruce must be familiar to every reader of Scotish church history. The free manner in which he bearded King James is still occasionally held up to admiration by zealous Presbyterians; and Episcopal writers have been equally busy to show the failings of one who was so great a thorn in the side of the hierarchy. The Jacobite historian of Edinburgh relates with infinite relish this anec 2 Biogr. Univ. t. xiii. p. 56. dote of him. "1589, August 15, Robert Bruce, one of the four ministers of Edinburgh, threatening to leave the town (the reason, by what follows, may be easily guessed at), great endeavours were used to prevent his going, but none, it seems, so prevalent as that of the increase of his Stipend to one thousand Merks;1 which the good man was graciously pleased to accept, though it only amounted to one hundred and forty merks more than all the stipends of the other three ministers !"2 XLIII. RAMSAY'S GENTLE SHEPHERD. THE first draught of Ramsay's Gentle Shepherd is to be found in a pastoral of a single scene called Patie and Roger, which appears to have been written before the end of March 1720, five years previous to the publication of his drama in its present form. When he produced this first sketch he was contemplating a collected edition of his works; and a copy 1 In 1569 John Knox's stipend was 66 Quheit, ij chalderis (at £26, 13s. 4d. the chalder), Beir vj chalderis (at £21, 6s. 8d. the chalder), Aittis iiij chalderis (at xx merkis the chalder), Money, 500 merkis."-Register of Ministers, p. 2. Edinburgh, 1830. 2 Maitland's Hist. of Edinburgh, pp. 45, 55, 274. Edinburgh, 1753. of it having been sent to London,1 was published there “ with a view to bespeak the favour of the [English] reader to the Scots Poet's larger volume.” The editor, Dr G. Sewell, who laments his own small acquaintance with the language, says the piece had been applauded by "Pope, Hammond, and Campbell,” and adds, that "the Scoticisms which perhaps may offend an over-nice ear, give new life and grace to the poetry, and become their places as well as the Doric dialect of Theocritus, so much admired by the best judges." It may be questioned, however, if the Scoticisms were understood, either by Sewell or by those whose favourable opinions he quotes; since it was considered necessary that the poem should be accompanied by an English translation, which was executed by Josiah Burchett. Ramsay gratefully speaks of this version as "just and elegant;" but an indifferent judge will hardly confess that it reaches mediocrity. There are some blunders which may perhaps amuse a Scotish reader. Ramsay writes: Patie. The bees shall loath the flowers, and quit their hive, The saughs on boggy ground shall cease to thrive, 1 Patie and Roger : A Pastoral, by Mr Allan Ramsay, in the Scots Dialect. To which is added an Imitation of the Scotch Pastorall: By Josiah Burchett, Esq. London, 1720. E'er scornfou Jiggs or loss of warldly gear Roger.-Sae I might sae, but its nae easy done By ane wha's saul's sae jingled out o' tune." The last two lines are rendered, "So I might say, but not with so much ease, Can I, alas! shake off my sad disease.” Again, the verse, "But Bauldy loos nae her, fouweel I wat He sighs for Neps-sae that may stand for that," is translated, "But Archibald loves not her,—so here's my hand For Neps he sighs,-one 'gainst the other stand." Mr Burchett has still farther mistaken his author when he renders jo by wife. "Dear Roger, when your jo puts on her gloom, Do ye sae too, and never fash ye'r thumb." This will scarcely be recognised in its English dress, "Then said she, Roger, when your wife doth frown, Though you're uneasy, let it not be known." XLIV. TITLE-PAGES. It would be easy to cite old books with title-pages, which it would need half-an-hour to read, though the author's name and style take up but three words, or are perhaps modestly insinuated in a couple of initials. It was left for modern writers to drag all the alphabet captive after their names, or to swell their honours by long catalogues of all the learned societies in Europe, Asia, and America. The following title-page, which a worthy Cordelier monk devised as a happy stroke of ridicule against a Calvinistic antagonist who laughed at transubstantiation, might in our days incur the danger of being mistaken for a serious compliment. "Réponses modestes aux aphorismes de maistre Jehan Brouaut, jadis, prieur de Saint-Ény, et à présent puisq'il lui plaist, ministre de Carentan, médecin, peintre, poëte, astrologue, philosophe académique, alchimique, mathématicien, géographe, musicien, organiste, sergent, tabellion, joueur de flute, de viole, de rebec, du tambourin, de la harpe, du manicordion, de la mandole et d'autres instruments qu'il sçait bien. Caen, Tite Haran, 1601.”1 1 Curiosités Littéraires, concernant la province de Normandie, pp. 7, 8. |