and formed a striking contrast with the turbulence of the preceding days. At times we caught a glimpse of a small whale, which, with some porpoises, reared its huge black form, and disturbed the calm serenity of the surface. Having doubled the point of Corsil, which forms the southern extremity of the Frith of Clyde, the first object that presents itself to view is the Craig of Ailsa, rising abruptly and majestically from the sea to the height of 940 feet, and almost covered with the immense flocks of Solan geese, and other sea fowl, which resort hither at this season. A brisk gale carried us rapidly forword to the Isle of Arran, which we reached about six in the evening. The elegant form of the Holy Island, which encloses one side of the harbour of Lamlash, first caught our attention, and the variegated colouring of its rocky and broken surface, rendered it a most pleasing object. Scarce had we sufficiently admired this, when the remote parts of Arran broke on our view: but to those who have not been accustomed to the colouring of mountain scenery, it is hardly possible to describe the grandeur and magnificence under which, from the accidental circumstance of weather, this sublime scene appeared. The heavy mists were in part dispersed from the sum-masted by a violent tempest, several mits of the mountains, but rested with double gloom in the deep valleys and bays: a gleam of sunshine broke through, and gilded the waters at the base of the island; while the light floating mists, now partly concealed, now fully displayed, the outlines of the more prominent rocks and mountains; and, joined with all the varying hues consequent in such wild effects of light, with an elegantly broken outline, formed such an assemblage of beauties, MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF MR. WILLIAM Largs, behind which rises a hill of considerable eminence, on the conical termination of which the Norwegians formed the last encampment previous to their final defeat in 1263. Traces of their entrenchments are said to be still visible. The rocky mountains of Arran have a fine appearance from hence, over the lesser Cambray, which has a lighthouse on it. At a little distance to the westward, the ruins of a small castle point out the situation where one of the Spanish Armada was sunk, in 1588. Part of the shattered remains of this formidable and supposed invincible fleet, after their defeat, endeavoured to make their way round the northern extremity of Scotland, where they encountered all the dangers of an unknown navigation, through narrow sounds, amidst rugged islands and sunken rocks, where furious tides setting in, in every direction, could scarcely be stemmed, except with a strong gale: here fate seemed to have led them, to teach them a severe lesson of humility, to complete their discomfiture, and to expose to the world that weakness, to which human vanity had misapplied the term Invincible. Few escaped the dangers of these seas; torn and dis as it was impossible to contemplate without feeling those impressive emotions of awe and astonishment, which the sublime effects of nature generally excite. A splendid sun-set, in the grandest style of Highland wildness, terminated the evening of a day, which had been as various in point of weather, as it had in that of scenery, in a run of about seventy miles. At the close of the evening we cast anchor in Fairley roads, between the island of Cambray and the main. Thursday, 23d. —From this station we have a view of the small town of were driven on the Western and Orkney Islands; and the places where they were sunk were frequently pointed out to us. In the evening the remaining gentlemen of our party arrived from Greenock, well provided with implements for fishing and shooting. (To be continued.) CAXTON, BY WHOM THE ART OF (With a Portrait.) this deficiency; and from their concurrence, we are enabled, with a tolerable degree of precision, to fix the time of his birth about the year 1410, Of his parents little more is known, than that they were respectable in their character, and decent in their circumstances; but nothing appears in their history to require any digressive retrospection. In another preface Mr. Caxton informs us, that he received his learning from his parents. This, however, his biographer intimates, amounted to nothing more than reading, writing, and a knowledge of arithmetic; which, in those days of darkness, included no small portion of a liberal education; and of this learning, he received the greater part from his mother. As nothing is known of his early years, it is probable that he remained under the paternal roof until he had attained the age of 17 or 18, at which time he was removed to London, and put an apprentice with Mr. Robert Large, an eminent mercer, in the parish of St. Olave's, Old Jewry. This gentleman was chosen sheriff in 1430, and had the honour of being lord mayor of London, in 1439. It appears that Caxton served him with much fidelity; since, as a testimony of his esteem, he bequeathed to him a legacy of 34 marks, which, at this period, was no inconsiderable sum. Mr. Caxton, on the death of his master, and on receiving his legacy, resolved to pay a visit to foreign countries. He accordingly, on leaving his native land, having acquired an intimate acquaintance with trade, embarked in the character of a merchant, agent, or factor; and, during thirty years, took up his occasional abode in Brabant, Flanders, Holland, and Zealand. But his knowledge of commercial transactions which he acquired abroad, rather increased than diminished his reputation at home, notwithstanding his long and continued ab sence. In the year 1464, his name was joined with that of Richard Whitehill, Esq. in a commission from Edward IV. to conclude a treaty of trade and commerce between him and the Duke of Burgundy. This circumstance shews, that his name was not unknown at the English court; and that the report of his talents and integrity had been sufficiently favourable to raise him to this exalted office. About four years after the previous transaction, the sister of Edward was married to the young Duke of Burgundy, at which time Caxton was incorporated in her retinue. He has himself recorded, that he was " servant of her Grace, and that he received of her, an yearly fee, and many other great and good benefits." In what capacity he stood, we have not been informed; but as her Grace occasionally found fault with his English, and desired him to correct his language, we may infer that he was treated with a degree of familiarity, which could not belong to a subordinate domestic. 66 Printing had now been invented about 18 years, and carried to an unexpected degree of perfection. It was practised at Mentz in Germany; but the art had been kept a profound secret from the world. "Books" however, Mr. Caxton has oberved, were not multiplied at this period, in a manner so extensive as might have been expected ;" and little doubt can be entertained as to the accuracy of his statement, since his restless curiosity would not permit him to remain ignorant of such an event. His worthy patroness, the Duchess of Burgundy, urged him to undertake the translation into English, of a French book, entitled " Recuyell of the Historyes of Troy." This seems to have been projected by her, with a design to introduce the art of printing into England, whenever a favourable opportunity should offer. The little knowledge which Caxton had acquired of the French tongue, and his partial forgetfulness of the English, after a residence in foreign parts of nearly thirty years, led him to think himself but badly calculated for such an undertaking. His patroness, however, urging him to begin, he entered on his work, though with much reluctance; but after proceeding a little way in his translation, he dropped it altogether for nearly two years. The Duchess at length sent for him, to inquire into the progress he had made, and to read 'what he had translated. Caxton produced what he had finished, and she examined three or four leaves, with the English of which she found some fault; but instead of discouraging him, he was desired to resume his labours. Being unwilling to incur her displeasure by disobedience, he renewed his application, and soon brought his work to a conclusion. It was begun in | Burgundy, he returned, slew Warwick, 1468, and was finished in 1471. The defeated his army, and regained his Duchess received it kindly, and hand- throne. Caxton had not been un→ somely rewarded him for his trouble. known to him prior to this event. But In the year 1462, Mentz was taken of this favourable circumstance he is by the Duke of Saxony; in conse- said to have availed himself, and to quence of which, most of the artificers have come into England about this employed by John Fust, or Faustus, time, under the royal protection. It the great inventor of printing, were is, however, an admitted fact, that scattered abroad; and there can be Caxton was at Cologn in 1471. Hence little doubt that Caxton, who at this some have concluded, that he occasiontime resided near Mentz, availed him- ally visited England before that time, self of this opportunity to make him- to make arrangements respecting the self acquainted with an art, the know- establishment of printing in this counledge of which he had spared neither try; but that he continued his business expense nor trouble to obtain. It is at Cologn, until the necessary preparagenerally understood, that by the aid tions were made; so that, according to of these men, he established a printing these statements, he can scarcely be press at Cologn, where he printed the considered as fully at work in this first edition of the work he had trans-country until 1473 or 1474. lated. Such copies as were preserved The first book printed by Caxton, bore all the marks of antiquity. The that has any date, is said to have been letters were rude, and the language printed at Westminster, about six was incorrect, and more mixed with years after 1471. But Mr. Caxton exFrench terms than any of his expres- pressly informs us, that his book, the sions were after his return to England. "Game of Chess," was printed on the This, Mr. Lewis, in his Life of Caxton, last day of March, 1471. Unfortunatethinks to be the first book that he everly, however, he does not say whether printed. While residing at Cologn, he became acquainted with Wynken de Worde, and Theodoric Rood, a native of that place, and Thomas Hunte, his own countryman, who were all printers. De Worde came afterwards to England with Caxton, and continued with him to the time of his death. The others soon followed, and settled in Oxford, where they established a press, and printed books in Latin. The number of books printed by Caxton, at Cologn, is not known with more precision, than the exact time of his coming into England. The same uncertainty rests on the title of the first book that ever issued from an English press. Mr. Lewis asserts, that the "Game and Play of Chess," was the most early specimen, and that it appeared in the year 1472, or 1473, and in this opinion he is confirmed by others; while on the contrary it is contended, that this supposition involves difficulties which cannot easily be over come. In 1468, the Earl of Warwick formed a conspiracy to dethrone Edward IV. and so successful was he in the commencement of his attempt, that he compelled the king to flee into Flanders. From this place, having procured assistance from the Duke of it was done in England or Cologn, and it is now perhaps totally impossible to ascertain the fact. In the year 1477, it is well known that he was fairly at work in Westminster; but whether in the Abbey or in his own house is rather dubious. Thos. Milling, the then abbot, who has been represented as a lover of learning, is said to have fostered him in his own house, and to have assigned him for his business a part of the Abbey. Leland confirms this account given of the abbot. A cipher introduced by Caxton into many of his books, said to denote the year 1474, has been adduced as an evidence of the year in which he began to print in England; but the exact time when this cipher was first used, can hardly be determined with exactness. It is known to have been inserted in 1480; but how many years prior to this, is involved in uncertainty. In 1478, several books were printed by Caxton, of which the titles have been preserved; but nothing can be inferred, either from their numbers or their contents, except the progress of the art, which in England had only just started into existence. During this year, Mr. Caxton buried his father, who appears to have lived with him at Westminster. In the accounts of th warden of the parish church of St. Margaret, the following article is inserted. "Item. The day of bureyinge of William Caxton for ij torches and iiii tapers xx d." Mr. Caxton continued to pursue his business with reputation and success, from this period, until the year 1491 or 1492, during which intermediate years, numerous volumes issued from his press. But few rivals, however, appeared to share his fame, or to divide his emoluments. In the year 1483, no more than four printing presses are known to have been established in England. These are, Caxton in Westminster, Rood and Hunte in Oxford, an anonymous one in St. Alban's, and De Machlinia, London. During this same year 1483, an act of Parliament was passed, giving leave “ to any artificer or merchant to bring into this realm and sell any books whether written or printed." Another act states as a reason for the former, that "few printers within this realm could well exercise the craft of printing." It appears, that Caxton continued his employment at Westminster, but not in the Abbey, until the time of his death. This event took place, according to the account given by the churchwardens, and in Mr. Lewis's observations on it, between June 1491, and June 1492. It is not improbable that it was near the former period, as Mr. Ames has limited the time to 1491. Of the death and burial of William Caxton, the following memorial has been preserved. "In Thaccompte of the Wardens of the Parishe Churche of Seynt Margarete Westminster in the Shire of Middlesex from the xxvij of May м. CCCC. lxxxx. the v. of Henry vij. vnto the iij day of June M. cccc. lxxxxij. the vij of Henry vij." are the following articles in the second year of this" accompte" viz. 1492. "Item. Atte bureyinge of William Caxton for iiii torches vis. viii d. Item, for the Belle at the same bureyinge vid.” Mr. Lewis seems to think, as no mention is made either of Caxton's wife or children, that he was never married. Palmer's continuator, however, says of R. Pynson, that "he was son-in-law to Caxton;" but for this assertion no evidence being produced, the fact has been much doubted. Pynson it appears was a printer. And it seems highly probable, if he had really married Caxton's daughter, that he would have succeeded him in his business, which it is well known was not the case. It does not appear that Caxton left any will, or at least, if he did, that will cannot be found. A discovery of this document would remove all doubts from this question, and enable us to know to whom he bequeathed his property. As a merchant, Caxton appears to have been a man of strict integrity; and as a tradesman, when he established printing, he was duly attentive to his business. His pointing was either a small stroke thus, or a small cross at the end of every sentence +. His signatures were placed where the catchword now stands in modern printing. His paper was good; and his ink has been found to retain its blackness, through the lapse of centuries. So far as any memorials of Caxton's moral character have been preserved, the circumstances are much in his favour. He has uniformly been represented, as always having the fear of God, and a deep sense of religion resting upon his mind. It is not, however, to be expected, that he should have risen above those fogs and clouds, which, prior to the Reformation, involved the moral world in darkness. His attachment to the papal doctrine, and to the ceremonials of the Romish church, seemed always to partake of sincerity, even when it led him to advocate the absurdities which prevailed. In the crusades he found much to commend, and but little to blame; and was ready on most occasions to defend these fanatical expeditions, against all who presumed to question their propriety. To the pilgrimages of his day, and to those of his ancestors, he was much devoted, though it does not appear that he actually engaged in any of those painful journeys, which he seemed so much to admire in others. This, however, appears to have arisen from the circumstances of his situation in life; and it ought not to be considered as a proof of his insincerity. To the writings of Chaucer he was much attached; and such was his friendship for the poet, that he desired people to pray for his soul, in which exercises there can be no doubt that he also devoutly engaged. There is written in a very old hand, in a Fructus Temporum of Mr. Ballard's, of Camden in Gloucestershire, the following note. "Of your charitee pray for the soul of Mayster Wyllyam Caxton, that in hys tyme was a man of moche ornate and moche renommed wysdome and connyng, and decessed full crystenly the yere of our Lord M. cccc. lxxxxi. "Moder of Merci shyld hym from thorribul fynd. And bryng hym to lyff eternall that neuyr hath ynd." But these superstitions may rather be considered as characteristic of the age in which Caxton lived, than as peculiarities, exclusively applicable to himself. The books which he published were almost wholly of a moral tendency, and the prefaces to several, that he occasionally wrote, partook of the same spirit. His errors, therefore, were rather those of the judgment than of the heart; on which account they are more entitled to the sigh of pity than to the sneer of contempt. To draw a line between vincible and invincible ignorance on all occasions, is not the province of mortals. This can only be done by that all-wise Being, who, without the possibility of error, can always distinguish between infirmity and vice; and whose goodness arranges those various dispensations under which his creatures are placed. Miscellaneous Observations, respecting the English Language. TO THE EDITOR OF THE IMPERIAL MAGAZINE. SIR, To correct mistakes, either in theory or practice; to point out an error in received opinions, on any subject, relating to Arts, Sciences, or Religion; can never be altogether useless, and may eventually tend to some improvement. Some subjects, undoubtedly, are of much greater importance than others; especially such as have a moral or religious tendency, or are likely to promote in some degree the culture of the human mind. Man is endowed with various intellectual powers; but there is need of exertion to put them forth, to develop and mature them, and to give them such a bias as may promote the good of the individual, as well as of the community at large. Though the following observations may seem, comparatively, of little import; yet, perhaps, some attention may be paid to them, and they may excite others to give their ideas, occasionally, upon this or similar subjects. Every individual should possess some knowledge of what is called his mother tongue, or the language of the country wherein he was born. He should likewise endeavour to pronounce it in such a way, as to be most easily understood, when he would convey his ideas to the mind of another. That p t pronunciation is said to be the best, and should be preferred, which gives to all parts of the word a full and distinct articulation. This was the judgment of that_great critic Quintillian; whose words are-" Every syllable of every word, but especially the last syllable, should be properly, distinctly, and clearly pronounced." But a practice, the very reverse of this, seems to be more and more prevalent in England every day. The writer of this paper has for nearly sixty years remarked the changes that have been taking place in this respect; and he is grieved to observe, that the degeneracy has increased in almost a mathematical ratio, and that not merely among the vulgar, but even the higher classes of life. It is true, that all living languages are in continual flux; and perhaps it is impossible to abridge or prolong their duration. The change, though daily carried on, is almost imperceptible, and becomes observable only at distant periods; so that the intermediate gradations elude the observation of the present age. Our great commercial intercourse with other nations, is one cause of the degeneracy of our language. The longer any people live remote, or have little intercourse with others, the longer they retain the purity of their dialect, or primitive tongue. But the chief cause of a defective or faulty pronunciation, is placing the syllabic emphasis on the first syllable, or very near the beginning of almost every word. This, to a judicious ear, must produce the most discordant and inharmonious sounds; as the latter part of the word is pronounced with precipitancy, and therefore is indistinct. I heard a gentleman, in pronouncing the word opponent, lay the accent on the first syllable; another laid it on the first syllable in diploma; another laid it on the second syllable in the word disrepute; and another on the second in compromise. This was shocking and disgusting to my ear; but there is a kind of contagion in this respect, as well as |