402 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



There will be noticed at each side of the heading two portraits, one of 

 " G-uttemberg " (sic), and the other of " Laurenz lans Koster " {sic). These 

 are of foreign workmanship, I think. Then there is a motto taken from 

 Horace. Below this two poems are printed, a dividing line separating them 

 and dividing the rest of the broadside into two columns. The poem on the 

 left-hand side consists of six stanzas of unequal length : the first, second, 

 and fourth stanzas contain four lines each, the third and sixth, six lines, and 

 the last only two. ISTo clue is given to the authorship, but some one may 

 recognize it and inform us. 



On the right-hand side are fifty-four lines of verse, which it is 

 stated are " by another Hand." The last eight lines especially refer to 

 Ireland, and give the poem local colour. Through both these poems there 

 are a few words printed in red ink. The imprint I give in full : it is 

 very interesting :— " Printed before the Company of Stationers, August 8th, 

 1728, being the day the Franchises and Bounds of the City of Dublin and 

 Liberties thereof was perambulated by the Eight Hon. Sir Nathaniel 

 Whitwell, Lord Mayor, and by Daniel E. Grattan, Esq., Sheriff, and the 

 rest of the Citizens of the said City." Plate XVIII. is reproduced from a 

 photograph of the broadside. 



This broadside, printed on this special occasion, is several years earlier 

 than those which I saw in the British IMuseum, and much larger and more 

 elaborate in execution. So that possibly it was printed beforehand, and not 

 on a small press in actual motion on a cart during the procession. 



A reference to this custom of the printers is to be found also in " Ireland 

 Sixty Years Ago," by the Eight Hon, John Edward Walsh. 



I might add in conclusion, that those of our Members of the Academy, 

 or readers there, who have both the privilege and occasion of examining 

 volumes of manuscripts, if they come across any specimens of printed matter 

 in such volumes would render a service in reporting them, as rare items of 

 printing are thus sometimes discovered, all other trace being lost. 



At the time this broadside was printed, George Griersou was King's 

 Printer, and there were besides several other printers in Dublin. 



Note added in Peess. 



In the DuMin Intelligence for Saturday, 3rd August, 1728, the intended 

 Eiding of the Franchises on the 8th of that month is announced ; and it is 

 stated that the Corporation of Cutlers, Stainers, &c.,^ had chosen a Typographer 



1 This was the Guild of St. Luke, and included " Stationers," i.e. Printers and Publishers. 



