Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/93

 12 s. m. FEB. 3, 1917.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

87

publishers' good intentions do not appear to have overstepped the title-page, for neither island is mentioned in the book itself. A: .soon as Bulifon's guiding hand (and purse] were withdrawn from these books, they seem to have become mere booksellers' publica- tions, and have an air of cheapness about them which is entirely absent from the earlier issues. The later editions both of I. and II. are curiously similar to the guide- books of Parrino, which I hope to notice next : so much so that it is easy to confuse them. The Parrino guide-book to Pozzuoli does in fact describe Capri and Procida, and an unscrupulous bookseller who desired to palm off a rival publication would be sure to see to it that the title-pages at least were more or less identical.

MALCOLM LETTS.

'THE WEEKLY HISTORY.'

The Weekly History, a periodical established to record the labours of George Whitefield and those who among others John Cennick, Joseph Humphreys, Thomas Adams, Howel Harris were associated with him in the religious revival of the eighteenth century, was published in three different forms. The second of these seems to be little known as a continuation of the earlier paper, of which the complete heading of the first number is s follows :

Numb. I.

TheWEEKLY HISTORY : | OB, | An Account of the most Remarkable Parti- | culars relating to the present Progress of | the Gospel. | By the Encouragement of the Rev. Mr. WHTTEFIBLD. | Printed by J. Lewis in Bartholomew-Close.

Small folio in size, each issue (excepting one) of the paper consists of four pages, numbered [1] to 4. The first bearing a date is No. 15, Saturday, July 18, 1741, so that No. 1 would have been published on April 11. The price, one penny, is not stated on the first, but is added to the second, and all the succeeding numbers. No. 66, July 10, 1742, was " a double Number " of eight pages, as "So much glad Tidings of great joy coming from Scotland, hath oblig'd us to make a double Paper this Week." For this twopence was charged.

Whitefield was a frequent contributor, letters from him appearing in seventeen of the numbers ; and almost all contain ac- counts of his work or letters written to him. The words "By the Encouragement of," &c., were printed on Nos. 1 to 14 only. The paper met with a ready sale, and many of

the issues were reprinted. Comparison of the copies in the volumes in Dr. Williams' s Library and the Gloucester Public Library with those in the Memorial Hall Library shows clearly that the type of Nos. 1-15 of the last was reset on No. 1 is printed "The Second Impression " for the number Ox lines on many of the pages do not correspond. The title, too, was set differently, the words " By the Encouragement of the Rev. Mr. Whitefield " being omitted from all the reprints ; and there are other minor altera- tions. From No. 16 the three sets corre- spond.

No. 4 [May 2, 1741] in Dr. Williams's Library is a copy of " The Third Impression," and this must have been published after May 30, for in it are references to the con- tents of succeeding numbers, including " The eighth Number (which was published May 30, 1741)." In this is also the following from the printer :

Note,'' : Those who think fit to take this Paper in every Week, I believe, will find many things tx)th useful and entertaining. The Rev. Mr. White field intends to supply me with fresh Matter y Week ; and another Reverend Gentleman, well known and as well respected, does me the Favour to correct it. I purpose not to put in things of my own Head, but to submit (as a Pro- 'essor ought) to my spiritual Directors. When tfr. Whitefield goes to Georgia, I shall take care by Divine Assistance) to insert faithfully what- soever the Lord shall direct him to send for that r*urpose. And I intend to ask him to leave me tfaterialsto supply this Paper while on his Voyage, 'till he is in Capacity of sending me fresh Supplies."

Lewis's estimate of Whitefield' s influence was a high one, for in the mention of No. 8 he says it contains

" an Account of the Success of the Rev. Mr. Whitefield' s Labours in New-England ; and the Respect he has there met with : A Demonstra- tion that God is with him of a Truth ; and that he hath not sent a Man like him into the World, since the Time of that great Reformer, Dr. Martin Luther:']

The last issue of The Weekly History in small folio was No. 84, Nov. 13, 1742, and on the last page is the following announce- ment :

" Note, Now this first Volume is finish'd, we purpose (by God's Leave) to begin the next Volume in a more commodious Manner ; and (as we are likely to be furnished with more Materials) we intend therefore to let our Readers have more Reading for then- Money every Week than they have heretofore had. It is to be printed in a neat Pocket Volume ; and to be deliver'd (every Week, as it icas at first) at the Tabernacle, and at Peoples Houses, at the Price of One Penny. The large Title, which was us'd to take up so much Room, will be left put, which will make more Room for useful Reading."