physic; must understand the German, Spanish, and Hebrew languages, grammatically; Latin composition, belles-lettres, the use of the globes, and have no objection to travel.

It is an undoubted fact, and we have it from the highest authority,-that the gibbet lately put up at Greenwich Reach-was built by the late Sir Christopher Wren, Knight, cost fifteen hundred thousand pounds, and was defrayed by a tax on sea-coal.

Poor Munden is still so seriously afflicted with the gout, that he-runs with great ease twenty knots an hour; which, for a vessel so heavily laden, is considered quite remarkable.

It appears, by a worthy baronet's speech on universal suffrage and parliamentary reform, that-the scarcity of plums will be great this year.

For sale, a beautiful black stallion, first cousin to Hambletonian ;- -will be found particularly useful in the nursery, being fond of children: knows how to get up fine linen, and is very clever at the needle.

Singular production of nature.-A beautiful little Turkey sow, belonging to J. W. Esq. of Hampstead, littered, last week,-three waterfalls, two mop-sticks, a nut, and a rope of onions.

To the Editor of the Pocket Magazine.

SIR,-YOUR correspondent having expressed his wish that you might be furnished with more cross readings, I take the liberty to send you a few; and, if they will afford any gratification to him and your readers, it will enhance that which I felt on a perusal of them myself.

W. B. L.

IN the press, and speedily will be published, a treatise on the advantages of-highway robbery.

A sharp contest is expected at the ensuing election for the city, between a worthy alderman and a turtle of an extraordinary size.

The Countess of C. gave a splendid rout last night to a select party of friends; among whom were-a tame hyæna.

A numerously attended meeting was yesterday held at the Freemasons' Tavern, his Royal Highness the

Duke of Sussex in the chair, for the purpose of taking into consideration-the most effectual way of destroying bugs, and other vermin.

The honourable and learned gentleman, after a most energetic reply,-was launched into eternity, among an immense concourse of spectators.

Considerable alarm was excited on the Stock Exchange yesterday morning, by an unfounded report that an old apple-woman was knocked down in Fleetmarket.

Wants a situation, as man cook, in a small familyhis most Christian Majesty, Louis the Eighteenth.

On our re-admission into the gallery, the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated, that--the present was a very thin season for mackerel.

A dreadful fire broke out last week-in the Mediterranean Sea.

The annual exhibition of the Royal Academy is now open.-Tickets and shares are selling by Bish, at his lucky offices, 4, Cornhill, and 9, Charing-cross.

Mr. Kean, after playing the part of Richard the Third to a brilliant and crowded house, was sentenced to be transported for fourteen years.

We understand it to be in the contemplation of the Bank directors to resume their cash payments—in the course of a century, at least.

To the Editor of the Pocket Magazine.

SIR, I SHALL feel obliged by your accepting of the following cross readings for insertion in your next valuable little work. C. S. W.

WANTED immediately, several hundred men to superintend the-education of four children, who will be treated as one of the family.

Yesterday morning two parcels were taken-in custody, charged with stealing a great coat at Swineshead Statute.

The neighbourhood and inhabitants of Grantham were, the other day, thrown in great confusion, in consequence of the-glass gunpowder being prepared only by T. Wilkins.

To the Editor of the Pocket Magazine.

SIR, I TAKE this opportunity of sending you a few cross readings, which have fallen under my notice lately. June 3, 1818. LANGUEDOC.

LAST week John Jones was indicted for stealing Lord Wellington, and several other lords and gentlemen.

On Friday last W. Winn, Esq. was attacked by two -panes of glass.

Yesterday a new work was published by-a royal Bengal tyger.

Lord Wellington arrived in town this morning—on a dung-cart.

A glutton, for a trifling wager, eat up-two old houses, which were just going to be pulled down. Last night a furious beast tossed-St. Paul's, and a great many other churches.

For the Pocket Magazine.

LAST Thursday the Honourable Mr. L. received, at the hymencal altar, the hand of the beautiful and accomplished Miss D.-To the last moment he appeared perfectly resigned to his fate.

A very numerous and respectable meeting was held at the London Tavern, for the purpose of-forging a five-pound Bank of England note.

That wonderful and sapient pig, Toby,-had a private audience of the Prince Regent at Carlton-house. Richard Holby was executed yesterday, pursuant to his sentence, for having stolen-the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Bow-street.-A man was brought to this office, charged with having picked a gentleman's pocket of— a fine chesnut horse, thorough bred, sixteen hands high. There were the strongest proofs of his guilt.

The following is said to be an infallible cure for the tooth-ache, viz.-the eighth edition, complete, of the works of Shakespeare, in octavo, neatly bound in calf, with gilt edges.

Wanted, a young man, who will, if his master wishes cut his throat.

Last week a violent thunder-storm-was sentenced to be transported for life.

Yesterday an amazing shoal of herrings, in number exceeding ten thousand, were seen-walking arm-inarm in Hyde-park.

Subscriptions are most earnestly requested for a poor woman, who had the misfortune to fall down and break her leg, as she was stepping over-that noble piece of architecture, Westminster Abbey.

It is strongly rumoured that Bonaparte means to invade England with—a large coal-barge, quite new. HUMILIS.

ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF PRINTING.

BY T. ASTLE, ESQ.

AS the invention, or rather the introduction, of printing into Europe, has been attended with the most beneficial advantages to mankind, some account of the origin and progress of that art inay not be unacceptable.

It has not been pretended that the art of printing books was ever practised by the Romans, and yet the names they stamped on their earthen vessels were, in effect, nothing else but printing: and the letters on the matrices, or stamps used for making these impressions, were necessarily reversed, as printing types. Several of these matrices are extant in the British Museum, and in other places, which are cut out of, or are cast in, one solid piece of metal.

Many hundred pieces of the Roman pottery, impressed with these stamps, have been found in the sands near Reculver, in Kent, and on the eastern side of the island of Sheppey, where they are frequently dragged up by the fishermen. The art of impressing legends upon coins is nothing more than printing on metals.

It is generally allowed, that printing from wooden blocks has been practised in China for many centuries. According to the accounts of the Chinese, and of P. Jovius, Ostorius, and of several other Europeans, printing began there about the year of Christ 927, in the reign of Ming Tcoung, the second emperor under

the dynasty of Heou Thong. Several of these blocks, which are cut upon ebony, or upon wood exceedingly hard, are now in England. The Historia Sinensis of Abdallah, written in Persia, in 1317, speaks of it as an art in very common use. Our countryman, Sir John Chardin, in his travels, confirms these accounts. Printing, then, may be considered as an Asiatic, and not a European invention.

The first printing in Europe was from wooden blocks, whereon a whole page was carved exactly in the same manner as is now practised by the Chinese, who print only on one side of their paper, because it is so thin, that it will not bear the impression of their characters on both sides.

The early printers in Europe printed only on one side of the paper, for some time after the introduction of the art; they pasted the blank sides together, which made them appear as one leaf.

The European blocks were carved upon beech, peartree, and other soft woods, which soon failed, and the letters frequently broke. This put them upon the method of repairing the block, by carving new letters, and placing them in; which necessity seems to have suggested the hint of moveable types of metal. These were not so liable to break as the soft European woods, which had been before used. One great and obvious advantage of moveable types was, that by separating them they would serve for any other work: whereas the blocks of wood served only for one work. Though the use of moveable metal types was a fortunate discovery, yet they derived their origin rather from the imperfection or unfitness of our woods for printingblocks, than from any great ingenuity of those who first used them. In short, necessity, the mother of all arts, introduced moveable types.

It has been a matter of contest who first practised the art of printing in Europe. Faust, or Furst, of Mentz; Gutenberg, of Strasburg; and Coster, of Haerlem, have each their advocates. The pretensions in favour of Fust seem to be the best supported; but we shall not trespass upon the patience of our readers by entering into a discussion of this matter, because such a discussion would, in our opinion, he of little im