were roused to their inmost depths, and borne onward to the hitherto unknown region of Hatton Garden. On the Sabbath morning, Cross Street was filled-nay, wedged-with crested and coroneted carriages; and a torrent of lords, senators, and merchant princes, of duchesses and ladies of fashion, might be seen mingled pell-mell with shopkeepers and mechanics, all sweeping across the open court, so that the church was filled in a twinkling, while disappointed hundreds pressed towards the porch, and clustered like bees round the open windows, to catch the swelling tones of the speaker even if his words should be inaudible.' who happened to stroll into Cross Street in the course of their Sunday wanderings, passed an open gate, and were arrested by the far-off tones of a deep, rich, solemn voice, that came like distant music to the ear; and on crossing the court with cautious steps, and peeping into the church, they saw a colossal man of about six feet three, who, in this heart-subduing tone, and with commanding, impressive gestures corresponding to the voice, was addressing them in a style of appeal such as they had never heard before. Could they retreat and walk idly away? -it was impossible, and therefore they sat down and listened entranced, while the next Sabbath and the next were sure to find them returning, till they became a part of the flock. And it was not enough that they were themselves delighted: they must have others also, either to share in their delight or justify their preference; so that every new-comer brought his kinsfolk and acquaintances to hear this wondrous style of pulpit oratory. Thus the congregation grew with a rapidity that in a few weeks filled the building. But here the popular admiration did not pause. The strange advent in Hatton Garden attracted the notice of journalists: : reporters from every metropolitan paper hurried to a stately building capable of the spot, and in consequence accommodating at least 2000 of their published manifestoes, persons. the fashion, the literature, and the sight-seeing spirit of London Thechapel in Hatton Garden, which at his arrival did not muster more than fifty hearers, had, at the end of three months, fifteen hundred applicants for sittings, although the building could scarcely have accommodated half that number, and this, too, irrespective of the unnumbered crowds who thronged round the walls, unable to find standing-room or even a footing on the threshold. The necessity of a larger building was urgent, and preparations were promptly adopted, which were so successful that the Scotch National Church in Regent Square was commenced in 1829 "The immediate origin of Irving's popularity,' says Mrs. Oliphant, or rather of the flood of noble and fashionable hearers who poured in upon the little chapel in Hatton Garden all at once, without warning or premonition, is said to have been a speech of Canning's. Sir James Mackintosh had been, by some accidental circumstance, led to attend the new preacher, and he heard Irving in his prayer describe an unknown family of orphans, belonging to the obscure congregation, as now "thrown upon the fatherhood of God." The words seized upon the mind of the philosopher, and he repeated them to Canning, who, as Mackintosh relates, after expressing great admiration of the passage, made an instant engagement to accompany his friend to the Scotch Church on the following Sunday. Shortly after this had taken place, a discussion arose in the House of Commons, in which the revenues of the Church were referred to, and the necessary mercantile relation between high talent and good pay insisted upon. No doubt it suited the statesman's purpose to instance, on the other side of the question, the little Caledonian Chapel and its new preacher. Canning told the House that, so far from universal was this rule, that he himself had lately heard a Scotch minister, trained in one of the most poorly endowed of churches, and established in one of her outlying dependencies, possessed of no endowment at all, preach the most eloquent sermon he had ever listened to. The curiosity awakened by this speech is said to have been the beginning of that invasion of "Society which startled Hatton Garden out of itself.' Irving died on the evening of Sunday, December 6, 1834, and was buried in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral. Carlyle, who knew Irving well, has said: 'But for Irving, I had never known what the communion of man with man means. His was the freest, brotherliest, bravest human soul mine ever came in contact with; I call him, on the whole, the best man I have ever, after trial enough, found in this world or now hope to find.' 'Not for himself, but for the world he lives.'-LUCAN. WILLIAM CAXTON-MILES COVERDALE-THOMAS SUTTON-WILLIAM PENN -THE MAN OF ROSS'-JOHN HOWARD-WILLIAM WILBERFORCETHOMAS CLARKSON-JOHN POUNDS. ACCORDING to a Chinese proverb, he who sincerely loves his country leaves the fragrance of his name to a hundred ages. This ought to be every one's ambition, to be remembered by a grateful posterity; and in this chapter we have a group of names which, to carry on the Chinese figure, give forth a most delicious perfume. WILLIAM CAXTON. The man to whom we are indebted for bringing the noble art of printing into this kingdom is William Caxton. This fact is corroborated by the testimony of most of our ancient writers, and must still be conceded to him by every impartial person who will take the trouble to investigate the subject. It is not surprising, therefore, that Caxton has attained a high reputation, and that he has been esteemed an eminent benefactor to his country. His praise stands upon a firm foundation; and his memory may be reflected upon with the greater pleasure, as he appears to have been a person of uncommon worth and modesty. 'O Albion! still thy gratitude confess To CAXTON, founder of the BRITISH PRESS; Since first thy mountains rose or rivers flowed, Who on thine isles so rich a boon bestowed? Yet stands the chapel in yon Gothic shrine, Where wrought the father of our English line; Our art was hailed from kingdoms of the Duke of Burgundy. far abroad, During his residence in Flanders he acquired a knowledge of the art of printing, probably from Colard Mansion, the first printer of Bruges, and translated and printed in that country the Recuyell of the Historyes of Troyes. He returned to England in 1476, and set up a press in Westminster Abbey; and in 1477 issued the Dites and Sayings, the first book printed in England. In the The lives of some men supply scanty materials for private and personal biography, whereas the materials that connect them with the advance-practice of the new art, Caxton ment of the human race in enjoyed the patronage of the knowledge, civilization, and Kings Edward Iv., Richard III., happiness are in no common and Henry VII., and other royal degree rich and interesting. and noble persons. Of the Such is the life of William rest of his life we know little, Caxton. Very few of its events except the titles of the books are known; and it is highly he wrote and printed. probable that, if we had them in minute detail, they would have presented nothing very curious or very instructive. Bagford informs us that our typographer, exclusive of his labour of working at his press, contrived, though 'well stricken in years,' to translate no fewer than five thousand closely printed folio pages, and that ahis like for industry' had never yet appeared. Oldys states that he kept preparing copy for the press to the last.' To be brief, he was a native of Kent, and was apprenticed in 1438 to a mercer in London. Having served his time as mercer, he went abroad in 1441, and settled in the Low Countries, probably at Bruges. He attained to the post of Governor of the Society of Merchant Adventurers, and afterwards was taken into the suite of Margaret of York, wife The title of Chapel to the internal regulations of a printing office originated in Caxton's exercising his profession in one of the chapels in Westminster Abbey, and may be considered as an additional proof, from the antiquity of the custom, of his being the first English printer. 6 Wynkyn de Worde, in the colophon of his edition of the Vita Patrum, mentions that these lives of the Fathers were translated out of French into English by William Caxton of Westminster, late dead;' and that 'he finished it the last day of his life.' Oldys is of opinion that he purposely selected this work for his final literary effort, because from the examples of quiet and solemn retirement therein set forth, it might further serve to wean his mind from all worldly attachments, exalt it above the solicitude of this life, and inure him to that repose and tranquillity with which he seems to have designed it.' Caxton was buried in the old church of St. Margaret, built in the reign of Edward II., and of which few traces remain. The parish books contain an entry of the expense 'for iiij torches' and 'the belle' at the old printer's 'bureying;' and the same books, says the late Mr. Timbs, record the church-wardens selling for 6s. 8d. one of the books bequeathed to the church by Caxton! In the chancel, a tablet was raised to his memory by the Roxburghe Club in 1820. This tablet (a chaste work by Westmacott) was originally intended to have been placed in Westminster Abbey, but the fees for its erection were so great, that application was made to the churchwardens of St. Margaret's, who, as a mark of respect to their parishioner's memory, allowed it to be placed in the church without any of the customary fees. be Caxton's character may summed up in a few words: he was possessed of good sense and sound judgment; steady, persevering, active, zealous, and liberal in his services for that important art which he introduced into this kingdom; labouring not only as a printer, but as a translator and editor. It has been objected that he was too much given to admire and print romances; but in this he only partook of the spirit of the age-perhaps, indeed, it survived in him longer and with more power than in most of his contemporaries. But that his love of romance did not blunt his judgment and taste for real talent, is evident by his printing Chaucer's works, and his criticisms on them. It should be recollected, also, that in the selection of works for the press, he was necessarily guided by public opinion, and by the probability that what he did print would repay him for his labour and expense. The remarks of Gibbon upon this point are sensible and candid: |