Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

truth and duty in the very nature of things , instead of the old appeal to personal and dogmatic theology . " And of that important auxiliary of human enlightenment , the Newspaper Press , he remarks : " The daily paper is no neAV thing , the first daily newspaper , the Daily Courant , being started in London in 1709 , ancl the first in America , the Pennsylvania Packet , starting in 1784 . But AA'hat Avas the old hand press of 1457 to the great power press of our clay ? ancl Avhat AA'ere the little gossiping sheets of 1709 and

1784 in comparison Avith the eight and twelve page dailies of our time , Avhich give in every issue a volume of solid reading , Avith reports from all lands and peoples by lig htning flashes over continents and under oceans ? " And he asks us to " think of the increase of American neAvspapers from 1840 to 1870 , in thirty years , from 1 , 631 to 5 , 875 , Avith a yearly circulation of 15 , 000 , 000 , 000 ? " ' Well may he add that " the press is the peculiar educator of this generation . " The remark applies to the Old World as

Avell as to the NOAV ; ancl , whdst Ave ought to battle bravely for the liberty of the press everywhere , we ought specially to be prepared to strike doAvn at once the miscreant AVIIO would prostitute it . The Genealogist for September , edited by G . W . Marshall , LL . D ., E . S . A ., among other matters interesting to antiquaries , contains an article on the traffic in baronetcies in the seventeenth century , in which the writer observes : " The title of Baronet , so

much sought after at a later period and so often eagerly assumed , particularly in Scotland , on A'ery doubtful grounds , Avas , as is Avell knoAvn , originally sold for money . The Crown Avas frequently more eager to bestoAv the honour than were the gentlemen Avho AA'ere expected to be the purchasers to receive it . In Scotland , Sir William Alexander , afterwards Earl of Stirling—Avho was at first intended to receive 1 , 000 marks ( Scots ) from every baronet created in Scotland , but afterwards arranged that twice this sum Avas to be expended solely for the benefit of his languishing colony , Nova Scotia— -found he had much opposition to face . The minor barons in 1625 protested against the precedence granted to the new order ; ancl various individuals , to Avhoin it was offered ,

refused to accept the title , even AA'hen urged or . coaxed by the king himself to do so . Although it Avas certain by a royal prerogative to create titles ancl confer precedence , the Barons holding of the Crown in Scotland long continued to object to a hereditary order being placed between them and the Lords of Parliament . " After giving a fBAV cases in point , he adds : " After a time , the taste for the UBAV title seems to haA'e increased , ancl the order became so firmly established that the soA'ereigns used to grant

as a favour , or in payment of a debt , blank Avarrants for the title of baronet , Avhich were sold by the recipient . Mr . John Bannantine , minister of Lanark , having ' taken charge of the sons of the Duchess of Hamilton , her Grace- procured for him as a reward a Avarrant of this nature , AA'hich he sold for £ 100 to his parishioner , Cannichael of Bonnington , who Avas at once recognized as a baronet . The title was held without dispute b y his descendants till they became extinct in the male line , on the death of Sir

William Cannichael , Bailie of Lamington and Bonnington , in July , 1738 . Sir Robert Carr , of Etal , in Northumberland , a gentleman of Scotch descent , had , in 1647 , two warrants of baronetcy from Charles I ., which he Avas unable to make any use of in the then disturbed state of the country . In 1601 , he presents a petition to Charles H ., asking for their reneAval , ancl His Majesty , on the Sth August , approves this request , and alloAA's that ' he nominate two mete persons to His Majestie capable for their

extraction and estates of the dignity and honour of a Knight Baronett . ' Unluckily , we are hi few cases able to trace these warrants ; their issue , their transfer , their formal recognition , are unrecorded . " Bearing on this subject an amusing example is given m an agreement made at London , August 7 th , 1641 , wherein "it is agreed betwixt Sir John Turing , of Foverne , on the one part , ancl John Turing , of Covent Garden , nigh London on the other part" that in of lain John haA'ing lent his knihtl

, , consequence p gy namesake the sum of a hundred and ei g hty pounds , which he evidently could not pay back , Sir John was to " go halves " Avith plain John when he sold the baronetcy for which he then held the king ' s warrant ; ancl Sir John entered into a legal bond , dul y aeknoAvled ging the debt to his namesake , ancl fully binding himself to give him one halt of the spoil Avhen he sold the baronetcy . It is difficult to keep any government