sitive
merit. His enterprise led him, now fifty years ago, to urge the craft to
render themselves independent of imported types, by establishing
type-foundries in the country. There were few indeed among us who knew
practically much about the founts of Caslon, the Coryphaeus of
letter-founders. The Scotch hard-faced letter was then extensively in use.
Hopkins induced the immigration to this country of the famous Binney and
Ronaldson, whose great skill in the art was soon recognized, and from that
era up to the present day competent judges affirm that our Bruce, White,
Conner, and others, have accomplished all that is requisite in the
type-founding business. Of Jonathan Seymour, it is enough to say, that at
one period of his life he was more largely engaged than any of his rivals
in printing from manuscripts--so well known and appreciated was his
devotion to his calling, and the accuracy of its results. In his death,
the art lost one who had given it elevation, and society a man possessed
of the qualities of industry, temperance, honesty, and Christian
philanthropy in the fullest measure.

Within a few days has departed from among us, at the age of eighty years,
a supporter of the press who long contributed to the diffusion of
wholesome knowledge. I allude to Thomas Kirk. I shall terminate these
notices by a striking occurrence, which involved him in great loss. He had
determined, about the year 1801, to give the Christian community an octavo
edition, in large type, of the _Book of Common Prayer_, the first of that
size from an American press. To secure the utmost accuracy, he engaged,
for a pecuniary consideration, the Rev. John Ireland, of Brooklyn, to
revise the proofs. When the sheets were worked off, it was ascertained
that the copy was an exact reprint, save in one particular. The critical
acumen of Ireland had discovered, in the Apostles' Creed, a "tautological
error," in the words, "from thence he shall come." The word "from" was
superfluous, ungrammatical, and inelegant, according to Ireland, and,
accordingly, it was not in Kirk's edition. Upon the sale of a few copies
the omission was remarked; the fact became known to the bishop of the
church; the book was pronounced defective, and the ecclesiastical
authorities prohibited its circulation. The whole edition fell a dead
weight upon the hands of the well-meaning publisher. I had this anecdote
from Mr. Kirk himself, years ago, and he repeated it to me not long pri