1887-1888.] 55 



subject, and that it contained a mine of wealth for those who 

 were disposed to pursue it, and he referred to the interesting 

 side light that was thrown upon it by the study of heraldry. 

 A vote of thanks was moved by Mr. Joseph Wright, F.G.S., 

 and seconded by Mr. Robert Young, C.E., M.R.I. A., &c; and 

 an animated discussion was continued by Mr. W. H. Patterson, 

 M.R.I.A., Mr. John Vinycomb, Mr. W. Gray, M.R.I.A., arfd 

 others. The lantern transparencies were very skilfully exhibited 

 by Mr. W. Nicholl. 



The fourth meeting of the Session was held in the Museum, 

 College Square, on 28th February — the President, Mr. Hugh 

 Robinson, M.R.I.A., in the chair. Two distinct communica- 

 tions were brought forward. The first was by Mr. Robert M. 

 Young, B.A., entitled, " Some Notes on the Early Belfast 

 Press and its Productions." The lecture was prefaced with a 

 short account of the history of printing in Ireland from its 

 introduction in 1 55 1, when a Book of Common Prayer was 

 printed in Dublin. Mention was made of the presses set up in 

 Kilkenny and Waterford in 1641 by Rinnaini, and of the later 

 productions of the Dublin printers. A copy of the extremely 

 rare Book of Common Prayer issued by authority of Charles II. 

 in j 666, and printed in a Gothic letter by John Crook, Dublin, 

 was shown, Dr. Madden being cited as the authority for its 

 rarity, he having seen only one copy of the book in his lifetime, 

 and that in the library of Earl Charlemont, long since dis- 

 persed. The introduction of the printing press in Belfast for 

 publishing proclamations of King William's army in 1690 was 

 dwelt upon, followed as it was shortly after by the arrival of 

 two printers from Scotland — Patrick Neill and James Blow — 

 who were induced to settle in the town by the Sovereign, 

 William Crawford. As the reader intimated that he would 

 eschew all theological and polemical works in his description of 

 the early productions of the local Press, several of the more 

 generally known works, such as " Presbyterian Loyalty 

 Displayed," printed in 171 3, were passed over, the first volume 



