Dix — Earliest Periodical Journals Fubliahed in Bubiiii. 35 



It is furtlier stated that it was ' ' Published with. License, according to 

 Order. "1 Dancer was a well-known publisher and bookseller in Dublin 

 at that time. 



The copy of iSTo. 1 in the "Worcester College Library is imperfect, 

 for two leaves are missing. It had originally eight pages, but the 

 succeeding numbers, down to number 15, contain each four leaves 

 or eight pages, the signatiu^es following consecutively from A to P ; 

 but the pagination, while generally continuous, is sometimes incorrect. 



The date 1663 was according to the new style; but whether the 

 publisher had an affection for the old style, or had not the coui-age 

 singly to adopt the new style, in advance of his generation, or for 

 some other reason, he returned to the old style, 1662, from number 2 

 to nrmiber 9. Then number 10 has 1662 on its front page, while the 

 imprint on the last is 1663, the succeeding numbers following that 

 date. In number 3, Dancer is described as a bookseller ; and in some 

 of the later numbers his shop is given as "next door to the sign of the 

 Bear and P^agged Staffe in Castle-street." The numbers of this 

 journal contained not only local, that is Irish news, but also English 

 and foreign news. Advertisements also appear for the fii'st time. 

 There is thus a distinct advance in the native press, and a much 

 nearer approach to the fully developed newspapers of later years. 



Dr. lladden, in his " History of Early Irish Periodicals," makes no 

 mention whatever of this work, nor have I, so far, found any copy 

 extant in any other library. The collection of tracts in the "Worcester 

 College Library is a very good one ; and I am told that they are 

 arranged and catalogued with- special care. One cannot but regret 

 that such treasures of our city should now be absent from it, and only 

 to be found at so great a distance. The connexion between the 

 Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and this country has existed for 

 centuries ; and hence their libraries are often enriched with copies of 

 our books, pamphlets, etc., which are not to be found over here. Too 

 little regard was had in past times for such literary curiosities and 

 treasTU'es. 



It is, I think, of considerable interest to know that in Dublin there 

 was a curious and reading public, who cared, even though but once 

 a-week, to learn of the occurrences and transactions in other parts of 

 their country, and also in England and abroad, at this early period. 



^ There can te no doubt, however, that the printer was John Crook, who 

 succeeded Bladen, as the Eing's Printer, in 1661, and printed here down to 1668. 



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