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HISTORY OF PRINTING.

men living, to whom as a bookseller, learning is under considerable obligations." Thomas Payne, of Pall Mall, was the eldest son, and inherited every good quality of bis father. The following epitaph was written by William Hayley, esq.

ArooDd this tomb, ye Mends of leaniing, bend I It holds your &ithfiil, though your humble friend : Here lies the literary merchant, Paykb, The countless volumes that he sold contain No name by liberal commerce more carest For virtues that become her votary's breast; Of cheerAil probity, and kindly plain. He felt no wish for disingenuous gain; In manners frank, in manly spirit high, Alert good.natore sparkled in his eye; Not leam'd, be yet had learning's power to please, Her social sweetaess, her domestic ease : A son, whom bis example guides and cheets. Thus guards the halloWd dust bis beart reveres; Love bade him thus a due memorial raise. And fHeudly Justice penn'd this genuine praise.

1790. April. An act of parliament was passed " for the more effectual suppression of societies established for seditious and treasonable purposes, and for better preventing treasonable and sedi- tious practices;" which contains the following provisions and penalties respecting printers, letter-founderR, and printing-press makers.

39 Geo. III. cap. 79. Sect. 23 enacts, that from and after the expiration of forty days from the day of passing this act, every person having any printing press, or types for printing, shall cause a notice thereof, signed in the presence of and attested by one witness, to be delivered to the clerk of the peace acting for the county, stewartry, riding, division, city, borough, town, or place, where the same shall be intended to be used, or his deputy, according to the form prescribed in the schedule hereunto annexed; and such clerk of the peace, or deputy respec- tively, shall, and he is hereby authorissed and required to grant a certificate in the form pre- scribed in uie schedule hereunto annexed, for which such clerk of the peace, or his deputy, shall receive the fee of one shilling, and no more; and such clerk of the peace, or his deputy, shall file such notice, and transmit an attested copy thereof to one of his majesty's principal secretaries of state; and every person who, not having delivered such notice, and obtained such certificate as aforesaid, shall, from and after the expiration of forty days next after the passing of this act, keep or use any printing press or types for printing, or having delivered such notice and obtained such certificate as aforesaid, shall use any printing-press or types for printing, in any other place tnan the place expressed in such notice, shall forfeit ana lose the sum of twenty pounds.

5eot.24 exempts his majesty's printers, and the public presses belonging to the two universities.

Sect. 21i and 26 relate to type-founders and printing-press makers.

Sect. 27 enacts, that from and after the expi- ration of forty days after the passing of this act, every person who shall print any paper or book whatsoever, which shall be meant or intended to be published or dispersed, whether the same shall be sold or given away, shall print upon the

front of every such paper, if the same shall be printed on one side only, and upon the first and last leaves of every paper or book which shall consist of more than one leaf, in legible charac- ters, his or her name, and the name of the city, town, parish, or place, and also the name, (if any) of the square, street, lane, court, or place, in which his or her dwelling-house, or usual place of abode shall be; and every person who shall omit so to print his name and place of abode on every such paper or book printed by him, and also every person who shall publish or disperse, or assist in publishing or dispersing, either gratis or for money, any printed paper oi book, which shall have been printed after the expiration of forty days from the passing of this act, and on which the name and place of abode of the person printing the same shall not be printed as aforesaid, shall, for every copy of such paper so published or dispersed by him, forfeit and pay the sum of twenty pounds.*

Sect. 28 exempts papers printed by authority of either house of parliament.

Sect. 29 enacts, that every person who, from and after the expiration of forty days after the passing of this act, shall print any paper for hire, reward, gain, or profit, shail carefoll; preserve and keep one copy (at least) of evoy paper so printed by him or her, on which he or she shall write, or cause to be written or printed, in fair and legible characters, the name and

Elace of abode of the person or persons by whom e or she shall be employed to print the same; aad every person printing any paper for hire, reward, gain, or pront, who shall omit or neglect to write, or cause to be written or printed as afoie- said, the name and place of his or her employer on one of such printed papers, or to keep or preserve the same for the space of six calendar months next after the printing thereof, or to pro- duce and show the same to any justice of the Seace, who, within the said space of six calen- ar months, shall require to see the same, shall, for every such omission, neglect, or refusal, for- feit and lose the sum of twenty pounds.

O irksome task! in sad desponding strains. To trace the direful Ills our art sustains; Power's sleepless hosts, impelled by Jealous nge. In guilty fear th' unnatural warfare wa^e.— Call off, O Pitt I thy statue-raising bands, Already formed the threatening monster stands, Its ponderous base our subjugated Press, Chains and war-tropbies weU thy deeds express; Whilst on its head in glistening show apprars, A diadem of crystallizing tears. No servile purpose slavery could obtain. E'er on our annals left so black a stain, — Thy paper-taxes of o'erwhelming weight, Have prest upon us like the arm of fate; Now reglster'd, now ticketed, we move, Our slightest works the double label prove. Such rage as thine mad Omar once inspir'd, Whose hand the Alexandrian treasure fir'd. M'Crttr/,

This act was found pregnant with so much harrassment to individuals whose conduct might be perfectly clear of intentional transgression, or

• When the bill was going through the boose of com- mons, a member moved as an additional clause, " thatvi ammynunu workt ikould hoK the name of tht mtttr printed on the titte-page."

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