With ancient MENTZ, our central point of art,
In the proud race the neighbouring cities start,
Spreading, as light diverges from its source,
The great invention through a distant course;
Thronging around, the candidates for fame
To breathe new life in countless numbers came,
Press for the meed which we alone bestow,
The source from which immortal honours flow.
M'CREERY.*

A ROSARY FROM THE RHINE.
MENTZ.-GUTTEMBERG.t

As when a boy disporting on the brink
Of some vast lake imprisoned for the use
Of cloistered men, at hazard lifts the sluice,
To wash his hands or give a playmate drink,
And frees a deluge! all that here may sink
Or there emerge, unweeting, he pursues
His busy play, nor what his hands unloose
Conceives, or sees, or ever cared to think.

Even so, in hope to earn some little gold,
Wise Guttemberg whilome with shrewd address
Engraved his types, and cast them from the mould,
And joined the pregnant symbols in his press:

And glad of heart his earliest proof unroll'd:

But what a Power his skill had raised, he could not guess! Tait's Magazine.

• John M'Creery was born at Strabane, in Ireland, and first commenced business in Liverpool, where he published the first part of "The Press," a poem, descriptive of the discovery, the advantages, and the influence of printing, 1803, demy 4to. He removed to London, and carried on business in Tooke's Court, and, in 1827, published the second part of "The Press," and other poems, 8vo. The Press is written in the heroic couplet, and is characterized by considerable taste, a smoothness and sweetness of versification, a general chasteness of language, and a glowing love of freedom. "The liberty of the press," says this eminent typographer, "is so intimately connected with the permanent repose and happiness of society, that its preservation becomes our first duty; it is the anchor which can alone save the ark of our liberties, when the political horizon is overcast, when the hurricane assails us, and the thunders rear around." He died of the cholera, at Paris, April 7, 1832, aged 64.

+ On the 14th of August, 1837, a grand festival was held at Mentz in honour of Guttemberg.

TO FAUST.

FAUST! thou creator, conqueror of mind,
Who hast given more than vision to the blind;
Who hast o'erturned the dark stupendous pile
On which a sunbeam never deigned to smile;
Who hast illumed with light the mighty void,
Where reign'd triumphant ignorance and pride;
Who tore the trophies that transcendent shone
From earth's proud conquerors, to swell thine own;
Who struck the weapon from th' arm'd, and took
The sword, and turned it to a reaping hook.
Thou who hast showered profusely on mankind
Truth, learning, wisdom; all the stores of mind;
To thee alone of all who fame pursue,
The thanks of a whole universe are due;
And near and far to earth's remotest line
To speak its gratitude will men combine;
And to thy spirit 'twill be joy to know
Earth by thy art still flourishes below!

TO CAXTON.

From "Laigh Lyrics to Heigh Men."

J. ANDERSON.

HAIL! mighty Caxton! friend to great and low,
Accept the humble tribute of a man,

Who, but for thee, had not yet learned to know
The glorious objects of life's little span.

Albeit the way to learning 's somewhat crude,
Choked up by prejudice and superstition;

An ancient custom, like a ruffian rude,

Steps in, and points his finger with derision.

"Knowledge is power,"-a by-word grown of late,
But not a whit the worse for being so;
Bacon, the world 's indebted to thy pate

More than a tithe of this sad world does know.

The Germans boast of Faust, (and well they may)

Although the Devil and he, as sayings go,
Were cater-cousins. Mind, I only say

That such is said,-I do not think 'twas so.

But thou! great printer! never has thy name
By canting priest received its defamation :
Thou earn'dst an urn, so wear thy "honest fame;"
And whilst I live thou'lt have my veneration.

Hail mighty Caxton; friend to great and low;
Accept the humble tribute of a man,

Who, but for thee, had not yet learned to know
The glorious objects of life's little span.

ODE TO CAXTON.*

LORD! taught by thee, when Caxton bade
His silent words for ever speak;

A grave for tyrants then was made

J. B. B.

Then crack'd the chain which yet shall break.

With study worn, the all-scorned man

For bread, for bread, his press prepared;
He knew not, Lord! thy wond'rous plan!
Nor why, nor what, he did and dared.

When first the might of deathless thought
Impress'd the far-instructing page—
Unconscious giant, how he smote

The fraud and force of many an age.

Pale wax'd the harlot, fear'd of thrones,
And they who bought her harlotry;
Thy printer shook the throned on bones,
And shall all evil yet to be.

Caxton died in the year 1491, aged 80 years. See "William Caxton," a biography by Charles Knight; and "Timperley's Dictionary of Printers and Printing."

The power he grasp'd let none disdain,
It conquer'd then and conquers still!
By fraud and force assail'd in vain,
It conquer'd then and ever will.

It conquers here! the fight is won!
We thank thee, Lord! with many a tear;
For many a not unworthy son

Of Caxton does thy bidding here.

We help ourselves-thy cause we aid;

We build for heaven, beneath the skies;
And bless thee, Lord, that thou hast made
Our daily bread a tyrant's sighs.

Sheffield, Jan. 1832.

EBENEZER ELLIOT.*

TO CAXTON.

O ALBION! still thy gratitude confess
TO CAXTON, founder of the British Press;
Since first thy mountains rose, or rivers flow'd,
Who on thine isles so rich a boon bestow'd?
Yet stands the chapel in yon Gothic shrine,
Where wrought the father of our English line;
Our art was hail'd from kingdoms far abroad,
And cherish'd in the hallow'd house of GOD;
From which we learn the homage it received
And how our sires its heavenly birth believ'd;
Each Printer hence, howe'er unblest his walls,
E'en to this day his house a Chapel† calls.

Author of " Corn Law Rhymes," &c. &c.

M'CREERY.

The title of Chapel to the internal regulations of a printing office, originated in Caxton's exercising the profession in one of the chapels in Westminster Abbey, and may be considered as an additional proof, from the antiquity of the custom, of his being the first English printer.M'CREERY.

Ar the anniversary meeting of the Roxburghe Club, in June, 1819, it was resolved upon to erect a monument to the memory of Caxton, in the church of St. Margaret, Westminster. The tablet is composed of the finest dove-coloured marble, enclosing an oblong panel of white, delicately veined with blue. Above the panel rises a pediment, having the device of Caxton engraved in the centre; and on either side of the inscription are two small pilasters. The words of the inscription are as follows

TO THE MEMORY

OF

WILLIAM CAXTON,

WHO FIRST INTRODUCED INTO GREAT BRITAIN

THE ART OF PRINTING;

AND WHO, A. D. 1477, OR EARLIER,

EXERCISED THAT ART

IN THE ABBEY OF WESTMINSTER.

THIS TABLET,

IN REMEMBRANCE OF ONE

TO WHOM

THE LITERATURE OF THIS COUNTRY

IS SO LARGELY INDEBTED,

WAS RAISED

ANNO DOMINI MDCCCXX.

BY THE ROXBURGHE CLUB.

EARL SPENCER, K. G., PRESIDENT.

-TO THE REV. MR. LEWIS.

UPON HIS WRITING THE LIFE OF CAXTON.

INDUSTRIOUS Caxton's name in time to come
Had buried been in dark oblivion's tomb,
Had you withheld your generous aid to save

That name which now will never find a grave

"The Life of Mayster William Caxton, of the Weald in Kent, the first Printer in England. In which is given an Account of the Rise and Progress of the Art of Pryntyng in England, during his Time, till 1493. Collected by John Lewis, Minister of Mergate, in Kent. London: Printed in the Year m.dcc.xxxvii." Royal 8vo., 150 copies.