Читать книгу: «Notes and Queries, Number 11, January 12, 1850», страница 6

PWCCA.

Fall of Rain in England.– Can you give me any information respecting the fall of rain in England? I mean the quantity of rain that has fallen in various parts of the island, from month to month, during the last ten, fifteen, or twenty years. If any of your correspondents can do that, or can give me a list of works, periodical or otherwise, in which such information is to be found, they will greatly oblige me.

Can any of your correspondents inform me who is the author of the following lines?—

 
"Though with forced mirth we oft may soothe a smart,
What seemeth well, is oft not well, I ween;
For many a burning breast and bleeding heart,
Hid under guise of mirth is often seen."
 

ROYDON.

Rev. J. Edwards on Metals for Telescopes.—I shall feel obliged if any of your correspondents can inform me where I can find a paper, called "Directions for making the best Composition for the Metals of reflecting Telescopes, and the Method of grinding, polishing, and giving the great Speculum the true parabolic figure," by the Rev. John Edwards, B.A.

I saw it some years ago in on old journal or transactions, but Capt. Cuttle's maxim not having been then given to the world, and being now unable to make a search, I avail myself of your valuable publication.

[Hebrew]

Colonel Blood's House.—The notorious Colonel Blood is said to have resided at a house in Peter Street, Westminster. Tradition points out the corner of Tufton Street. Can any of your readers give me information as to the correctness of this statement?

E.F.R.

John Lucas's MS. Collection of English Songs.—Ames, the author of the Typographical Antiquities, is said to have had in his possession a folio MS. volume of English Songs or Ballads, composed or collected by one John Lucas, about the year 1450. If this MS. is in private hands, the possessor would confer an essential service on the antiquarian public by informing them of its contents.

E.F.R.

Theophania.—I send you a copy, verbatim et literatim, of the title-page of an old book in my possession, in the hope that some one of your correspondents may be able to furnish me with information respecting its author. I believe the work to be a very scarce one, having never seen or heard of any other copy than my own.

"Theophania; or severall Modern Histories Represented by way of Romance; and Politickly Discours'd upon: by an English Person of Quality.

 
"Stat. Theb,
Nec divinam Sydneida tenta
Séd longe sequere, & Vestigia semper adora.
 

"London, printed by T. Newcomb, for Thomas Heath and are to be sold at his Shop in Russel-street, near the Piazza of Covent Garden, 1655."

HENRY KERSLEY.

Ancient MS. Account of Britain.—I find the following note in Cooper's Thesaurus Linguæ Romanæ et Britannicæ, Impressum Londini, 1573, under the word Britannia:—

"About 30 yeares since it happend in Wilshire, at Juy church, about twoo miles from Salisbury, as men digged to make a foundation, they founde an hollowe stone covered with another stone, wherein they founde a booke, having in it little above xx leaves, (as they sayde) of verye thicke velume, wherein was some thing written. But when it was shewed to priestes and chanons, which were there, they would not read it. Wherefore after they had tossed it from one to another (by the meanes whereof it was torne) they did neglect and cast it aside. Long after, a piece thereof happened to come to my handes; which notwithstanding it was al to rent and defaced, I shewed to mayster Richarde Pace, then chiefe Secretarie to the kinges most Royall maiestie, whereof he exceedingly reioysed. But because it was partly rent, partly defaced and bloured with weate which had fallen on it, he could not find any one sentence perfite. Notwithstanding after long beholding, hee showed mee, it seemed that the sayde booke contayned some auncient monument of this Ile, and that he perceyved this word Prytania to bee put for Brytannia. But at that time he said no more to me."

Cooper's conjecture founded on this is that Britain is derived from the Greek word Prytania, which, according to Suidas, "doth," with a circumflexed aspiration, "signifie metalles, fayres, and markets." "Calling the place by that which came out of it, as one would say, hee went to market, when he goeth to Antwarpe," &c. Has this been noticed elsewhere?

J.G.

NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC

The announcement recently made in The Athenæum of the intention of the Government to print in a neat and inexpensive form, a series of Calendars or Indices of the valuable historical documents in the State Paper Office, cannot but be very gratifying to all students of our national history—in the first place, as showing an intention of opening those documents to the use of historical inquirers, on a plan very different from that hitherto pursued; and, in the next, it is to be hoped, as indicating that the intention formerly announced of placing the State Paper Office under the same regulation as the Record Offices, with the drawback of fees for searches, is not to be persevered in.

To the citizens of London, to its occasional visitants, as well as to the absent friends and relatives of those who dwell within its walls, Mr. Archer's projected work, entitled Vestiges of Old London, a series of finished Etchings from original Drawings, with Descriptions, Historical Associations and other References, will be an object of especial interest. The artistical portion will, we believe, be mainly founded on the collection of drawings in the possession of William Twopeny, Esq., while the literary illustrations will be derived entirely from original sources, and from the results of careful observation and inquiry.

It is said to have been a rule with Charles Fox to have every work bound in one volume if possible, although published in two or three. The public have long felt the convenience of such an arrangement; and the great booksellers have very wisely gratified their wishes in that respect. The handsome "monotome" edition of The Doctor is doubtless well known to our readers. The success of that experiment has, we presume, induced Messrs. Longman to announce the Complete Works of the Rev. Sydney Smith, and Mr. Macaulay's Critical Essays, in the same cheap and convenient form. We believe, too, that another (the sixth) edition of that gentleman's History of England from the Accession of James II., is on the eve of publication.

Those of our readers who take an interest in that widely spread and popular subject, The Dance of Death, will remember that one of the most exquisite works of art in which expression is given to the idea on which this pictorial morality is founded, is the Alphabet Dance of Death—so delicately engraved on wood, (it is sometimes said by Holbein, who designed it,) but really by H. Lutzelburger, that the late Mr. Douce did not believe it could ever be copied so as to afford any adequate impression of the beauty of the original. A German artist, Heinrich Loedel, has, however, disproved the accuracy of this opinion; and the amateur may now, for a few shillings, put himself in possession of most admirable copies of a work which is a masterpiece of design, and a gem in point of execution, and of which the original is of the extremest rarity. There are two editions of this Alphabet; one published at Gottingen, with an accompanying dissertation by Dr. Adolf Ellisen; and the other at Cologne, with corresponding borders by Georg Osterwald.

The revised and much enlarged edition of Dr. Lingard's History of England, handsomely printed in ten large octavo volumes, is, we understand, nearly ready for publication.

Mr. M.A. Lower, whose Curiosities of Heraldry and English Surnames are no doubt well known to many of our readers, is preparing for publication a Translation, from a MS. in the British Museum, of The Chronicle of Battel Abbey from the vow of its Foundation by William the Conqueror, to the Year 1176, originally compiled in Latin, by a Monk of the Establishment.

Mr. Thorpe, 13. Henrietta Street, has just issued "A Catalogue of most choice, curious, and excessively rare Books, particularly rich in Early Poetry, Mysteries, Pageants, and Plays, and Romances of Chivalry." This Catalogue is also extremely rich in Madrigals set to Music, by eminent Composers of Queen Elizabeth's reign— and contains an unrivalled series of Jest Books, and also of Song Books.

BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES

WANTED TO PURCHASE

(In continuation of Lists in former Nos.)

M'CULLUM'S OBSERVATIONS ON H.R.H. THE DUKE OF KENT'S SHAMEFUL PERSECUTION SINCE HIS RECAL FROM GIBRALTAR, &c. London, 1809. [Ten shillings will be given for a clean and perfect copy.]

DALTON'S (EDWARD) DOUBTING'S DOWNFALL. [Ten shillings, if a pamphlet, twenty shillings, if a book, will be given for a clean and perfect copy.]

HOLLOWAY'S LETTER AND SPIRIT. Oxon. 1543.

PHILLIP'S DIVINE VISIONS OF ENGELBRECHT. Northampton. 1780.

KENNET, A BRAND PLUCKED FROM THE BURNING. 1718.

BORDELION (ABBE) GOMGAM, OC L'HOMME PRODIGIEUX. 2 vols. Amsterdam.

LINGUET. PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYS ON MONACHISM. 1776.

PRIESTS UNMASKED. 6 vols. 1767.

ENCHIRIDION LEONIS PAPÆ.

MACNAB'S THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE. 1818.

*.* Letters stating particulars and lowest price, carriage free, to be sent to Mr. Bell, Publisher of "NOTES AND QUERIES," 186. Fleet Street.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS

A.B. will not be surprised at our omitting his quotations from Eugene Aram's curious account of the Melsupper and Shouting the Churn, when he learns that they are already to be found in Brand's Popular Antiquities (vol. ii ed. 1849), and in Hampson's Medii Ævi Kalendarium (vol i). We have no doubt some of our correspondents will furnish A.B. with a list of Eugene Aram's published writings.

S.T.P. There would be no objection to the course proposed, if a sufficient number of subscribers should desire it, except that it could not take a retrospective effect.

Will MELANDRA enable us to communicate with him by letter?

COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED. —J.U.G.G.–G.H.B. –J.R.W.–R.V.–M.A.L.–P.C.S.S. –H.W.–B.W.–Hermes.– J.H.T.–Archæus. –J.I.–W.–R.H.– E.V.–Alpha. –Arthur Griffinhoof, jun.–Clericus.–Hibernicus. –G.H.B.–Etoniensis.–J.R.P.–A Bibliopolist– P. O'C.–C.F.–F.E. –E.V.–S.W.S.

We have again to explain to correspondents who inquire as to the mode of procuring "NOTES AND QUERIES," that every bookseller and newsman will supply it, if ordered, and that gentlemen residing in the country may be supplied regularly with the Stamped Edition, by giving their orders direct to the publisher, MR. GEORGE BELL, 186. Fleet Street, accompanied by a Post Office order for a Quarter (4s. 4d.).

An neat Case for holding the Numbers of "NOTES AND QUERIES," until the completion of each volume, is now ready, price 1s. 6d., and may be had, by Order, of all Booksellers and Newsmen.

We are again compelled to omit many Notes, Queries, and Answers to Queries, as well as Answers to Correspondents.