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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 3
[miscellaneous paragraphs]
An eastern printer, in the National Publisher and Printer (Louisville), writes: « Do urge typefounders to pay a little more attention to those printers who prefer plain faces. » Typo's opinion is that printers are to blame in neglecting plain faces as they do. The standard romans, ionics, and other plain styles have arrived at such perfection that many of the recent changes have been for the worse. There would be no difficulty in choosing from the specimen-book of any large foundry a complete outfit for the finest book, newspaper, and commercial job-work, without a single ornamental face.
The death of Eliza Cook has caused some enquiry for her works, and we find six editions advertised in a late catalogue of a London publishing house. The English literary correspondent of a contemporary says that the one song Eliza Cook wrote which seems likely to live is « Cheer Boys, Cheer, » and its popularity is due rather to Henry Russell's music than to the poetess's words. This a strange mistake, as the song in question is by the once-popular Charles Mackay, the news of whose death was telegraphed during the present month. It is too much the fashion to slight the best song-writers of the past generation, and it is often done by those who are entirely ignorant of their work.
Many strange stories are told of the Scotch « natural. » One of the best is in Miss Marjory Kennedy's reminiscences of her father, and the scene of the incident is Wanganui, New Zealand. The singer's opening night had been very successful. Next day, as Mr Kennedy was taking his walks abroad in the outskirts of the town, « he met a grave-looking man, who addressed him in the Scots accent. 'I was hearing ye last night, Mr Kennedy,' he said, 'and I was gey weel pleased, but I was na satisfied wi' that song ye sang, the « Land o' the Leal, » for ye didna state the auld man's grounds of assurance that he wad meet his wife in Heaven!' Amazed at this theological criticism of one of the most beautiful songs in the language, he returned to town and mentioned the incident to some of his friends, 'Oh, that man's daft,' said they, and he was relieved to hear it. »
No one who knows how « society » papers are conducted in the colonies ever looks for accuracy in their statements. One of these papers in Queensland lately accused Lord Kintore, the new Governor of South Australia, of gross plagiarism, in proof of which it quoted part of one of his recent addresses in parallel colums with one delivered some years ago in London by Lord Inverarie. It charged him with filching his speech from an Englishman « whose shoes he is unworthy to unloose, » and reminded him that in Australia there are men whose reading is as extensive as any in the world, and who have good memories. A contemporary quietly informed the man of extensive reading and good memory that « Inverarie and Kintore are the same: Inverarie was Kintore before he succeeded. » There is an Australian missile called the boomerang, that clumsily thrown is liable to return and break the owner's head. Let us hope that in this case the editoral skull will be found solid enough to stand the shock.
Our Christchurch correspondent writes: Mr James Fergus, of this city, has just issued a reprint of an old work, bearing the comprehensive title of Christ's Famous Titles, and a Believer's Golden Chain: also a Cabinet of Jewels or a Glimpse of Sion's Glory; together with Christ's Voice to London, or a Call to Sinners. This book was written by « William Dyer, late Preacher of the Gospel at Chesham and Chouldsbury in the County of Bucks, » in the year 1665, and in the reign of Charles 11, or 224 years ago. It is said that this work had such an effect on people in those days that thousands of copies were sold throughout Great Britain. An edition was printed in Glasgow in 1722 and another in London in 1840. No doubt this book will prove of interest to many people on account of its antiquity, and as setting forth the views of a prominent preacher about the time the Great Plague was raging in the city of London. The local edition bears the imprint of the Union office, printed under the super-vision of Mr D. H. Pine.
The Kaikoura Star heads a telegram relating to a Napier bankruptcy, « Naples, Tuesday. » —The Napier News informed its readers about the middle of the month that Christmas Day this year would fall on Monday, and advised them to take a holiday spell from Saturday to Tuesday!—Several of our contemporaries make the curious mistake of stating that the year 1889 « completes the ninth decade » of the century.—An English paper states an earthworm from four to six feet long is found in New Zealand. Such a worm is found in Australia, but it is quite unknown in these islands.—At Opo-tiki, according to the local paper, a short time ago, at an auction sale of property, « good prices were realized, a cottage having fetched £1 15s. » —The colonial youth is precocious, but what appears to be an exceptional case is recorded without comment by the Wellington Press. Notifying the arrival from home of the Rev. John Bowden, S.M., M.A., the new professor of classics at St. Patrick's College, it says: « Mr Bowden is a young New Zealander, having been born in 1886. » — « The scratching of Tirailleur, » says a sporting contemporary, « has brought down vitals of wrath upon the head of Mr G—. » —The champion blunder of the month is the following telegram in the Bush Advocate:— « London, Dec. 7.—Jefferson Dawis (sic) died from malaria, which attacked him through getting a child! »