--This morning the Lord Lieutenant signed a warrant for the
pardon of Lawry, a Scotch man, minister in the county of Fermanagh,
and his five servants, for killing five notorious Tories in that
countrey, wounding two others to death, as is believed, and takeing
the eighth. The parson killed three of them with his own hand; and
while another of the Tories was going to draw the trigger of his gun
to shoot him, his hand was cut off by one of the parson's servants.'
Here, again, is a singular announcement to be published 'by
authority.' 'A warm report having been spred about of some unusual
effects of witchcraft in the province of Daleicarly, near the best
copper-mines in Suedeland, it is said several persons are sent to make
an enquiry in to the matter of fact, with power to proceed to the
punishment of such persons as shall be found guilty.' In another
number, there has been an inquiry among the Jews in Germany, who were
supposed to have sacrificed young children in their ceremonies.
The slow growth of the newspaper press from these times is very
remarkable. Even so late as sixty years since, a London paper was a
very meagre and timid affair. Before us lies a copy of the _Times_ of
1797, insignificant in size and appearance. The small modicum of news
is entirely foreign: no brilliant leaders, models of composition--no
fearless correction of abuse, or withering sarcasm of folly.
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