To be had of all Booksellers, Price 5s., PART I., BEDFORDSHIRE, OF THE REPRESENTATIVE HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. From the Spectator. "THIS is a large undertaking by Mr. O'Byrne; but it promises to be, when finished, a very complete and useful work, forming an unequalled repository of Parliamentary biography and statistics and county history. Mr. O'Byrne proposes to combine in his work the various compilations in the Parliamentary returns, supplying their omissions and correcting their errors, so as to exhibit first and foremost a complete list of the members returned from 1547 to the present time, with foot-notes explaining any particular circumstance connected with their election: a biographical notice of each member, with some account of his family, will follow these lists and last in importance, though first in order, there will be a topographical sketch of the county and its boroughs returning members. The tables are clear and compactly presented, the foot-notes succinct, and the biographical notices. furnish information equivalent to that in a biographical dictionary-which the work is in fact, only limited to the use of M.P's." From the Atlas. "The object of this publication is to combine the features of such works as those of Luton and Mereweather, which contain an account of the local electoral rights of this kingdom, and compilations like those of Browne Willis, devoted to lists of members alone. Mr. O'Byrne's work possesses the further advantage of beginning with the reign of Edward VI., when the journals of Parliament were published for the first time, and carrying down the history and the lists chronologically to the present time. It is full of personal and genealogical matter, and aspires to the character of a complete political biography of the empire. It appears to be carefully executed, and is in all points of view an important addition to our Parliamentary history." From the London Telegraph. "As far as can be judged from the first part of Mr. O'Byrne's work, it will prove a highly valuable appendage to a political library, and be equally interesting to the general reader. The intention of the author is set forth in the title-page, and the tabular matter in the present part is very clearly arranged, with explanatory foot-notes, from the journals of the House of Commons, relative to contested elections, &c. "The first table contains a list of the Speakers from the first Parliament of Edward VI. to the election of the Right Honourable C. S. Lefevre, in November, 1847, with the different places they were returned for, and the duration of each Parliament. The statistical details appear to be very elaborately drawn up, both for the county and the borough. "The biographical portion is arranged alphabetically; it contains ancestral anecdotes, interspersed with the parliamentary services of the different members." From the Bedfordshire Mercury; and also the Bucks Gazette. "We have been so accustomed to have our critical services engaged for the least useful part of literature, that the subject of this notice was looked on by us as a catchpenny production for sale, but we find on perusing it much most valuable information to every one who becomes a resident of Bedfordshire, as it places in his hand a mass of highly interesting records of the leading families therein. To members of those families it is an entail of honorary distinctions, by which, when they may by vicissitudes of fortune be in poverty, their respect and consideration will be secured in the days even of the most mushroom gentry. There is always attached to past elevation of condition a consideration, because it has stamped an intelligence that is never obliterated from the descendants of those great men who enjoyed it. The part before us shews how many great men have lived in this county up to this day, and participated in the march of civilisation and the progression of human mind that forms the feature of 1848. “ We shall make very free with the author's valuable labours, and take many records from the volume relating to different families that are our friends in this county. From the prefatory notice to Part I., we learn that the work of Browne Willis, a copy of which is in the Bedford town library, is ‘marked in the catalogue of books at six guineas.' As many of the most valuable volumes of the town library have been stolen, we hope that this may not be abstracted, and like some of them be found in the library of the British Museum. "No person of freehold property in Bedfordshire will feel inclined to be without this part of the work." From the Bedfordshire Monthly Advertiser. "We need no supernatural powers to predicate that this will be a fortunate speculation. So many people are directly or indirectly connected with the history which it contains, that if only half of them should each purchase a copy the sale will be very great. But the work is one of general interest as well; a summary of the contents of the first number will abundantly prove this. First, there is a preface, then a list of parliaments from 1 Edward VI., 1547, to 10 Victoria, 1847—a short notice of the county generally a comparative view of the county expenditure and poor-rates for many years past—a chronological list of members for the county—a general history of the borough-a chronological list of its members-and last, a very interesting series of biographical sketches of all the members who have sat from 1547 either for town or county." From the Berkshire Chronicle. "The First Part of this important work has just been issued. Taking the Counties in alphabetical order, it commences, with Bedfordshire, and after some brief statistical information, enumerates, in chronological succession, the Members for the County. It then furnishes a similar statement respecting the Representatives of Bedford, which is the only Parliamentary Borough in the County. The remainder of the Work is occupied by a very interesting biography of the gentlemen who have sat for the County and Borough. As among these were many men of great political eminence, the narrative becomes of great historical value, while the domestic details, incident to their lives, give a local and antiquarian value to the Publication. It is a spirited attempt on the part of the author, Mr. O'BYRNE, and we hope it will receive adequate encouragement. Berkshire will, of course, form the subject of the Second Part, and we have no doubt will be well received in our own County, so lamentably deficient in Topographical literature." |