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saying, "Proceed with thy story in a direct course,
without yawing like a Dutch yanky." Yankee,
therefore, is a Dutch ship or boat of some kind.
E. LEATON BLENKINSOPP.

WATCH-CASE VERSES (5th S. x. 66, 135.)F. G. S. may like to add the following to his collection. They were quoted to me from memory by an aged friend, with the remark that they passed through her hands many years ago, prettily printed on white satin, in a very small bright

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"Absent or dead Still let a friend be

Dear.

The absent claims

A sigh, the dead a

tear.

May

Angels guard
The friend I
love."

"The proprietor wants to let this house"; in the
other it is, "This house is to be let "-the words in
italics being sufficient in either case to indicate the
desire or the fact.
ANGLO-CELT.

The difficulty which disciples of Lindley Murray might have in such phrases as the above arises chiefly from the use of Latin grammar terms totally inapplicable to the English language. "Old chairs to mend," "A house to let," "Corn to grind," are surely quite good English, whatever so-called grammarians may choose to call the several words composing the sentences. As long as people will talk about cases, infinitives, and gerunds as applied to an almost uninflected language like the English, they will meet with these apparent difficulties. At any rate, "to" is a preposition, and is in early English convertible with

at," identical with the Latin ad, to or at. So we have such an expression as "He gun at go," He began or proceeded to go. In all so-called English infinitives the word following "to" (or "at" in early work) is a substantive. The word "love" is just as much a substantive in the sentence "He began to love" as in the sentence "He did it all for love." J. C. J.

MILTON'S "PARADISE LOST" (5th S. x. 469.)— The third edition is not specially rare. Here is a slip from a catalogue of second-hand books received during the last few days:-"Milton, Paradise Lost, third edition, portrait by Dolle, 8vo., calf neat, 18s., 1678." The second edition is dated 1674. My copy cost about 25s. It has the portrait by Dolle. Respecting the first edition, the question is a much larger one. It will probably be sufficient for your correspondent's purpose to inform him that it appeared in 1667-9 with eight different I have somewhere in an old watch-case an en-title-pages. A copy with the seventh title-page, graved address of a watchmaker, which has some pious mottoes and two verses, of which I remember only one :

The above is an exact copy of the way in which the words are worked on the satin.

W. SIDNEY RANDALL.

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In

1669, in the original binding, is priced in a secondhand catalogue received a fortnight back at 81. 8s. This price I consider very reasonable. There is no ZERO. portrait to the original edition.

The third edition is not rare. I bought my second edition not long ago, in the original binding, and with the portrait named, for 10s. by auction at Sotheby's. A.

"A HOUSE TO LET" (5th S. x. 496.)-This phrase seems to have a local distribution. England it is very seldom used, while in Scotland it is the usual form. In New York the houseletting tickets invariably bear the words "to let," while in Boston the expression as invariably used is "to be let." I would suggest that this divergence arises from the different points of view from which the house is regarded-subjective or objec-A tive. The words of the phrase, in fact, appear to represent a form of thought rather than one of grammar. In the one case the implied idea is,

Miscellaneous.

NOTES ON BOOKS, &o.

The Dramatic List: a Record of the Principal Performances of Living Actors and Actresses of the British Stage. Compiled and Edited by Charles Eyre Pascoe. (Hardwicke & Bogue.)

DRAMATIC list adequately compiled should take its place as a work of reference. A careful and judicious use of a book of this class may indeed save some future editor of "N. & Q." from many needless interrogatories. Mr.

Pascoe's scheme does not extend beyond English actors at present living. The fact that death has been busy of late in the ranks of our veteran actors accounts for the appearance among these of the names of Charles Mathews, Samuel Phelps, Alfred Wigan, and Mdlle. Beatrice. Nothing can be simpler than the plan adopted. Alphabetical order is observed; a short memoir etating such facts as are admitted is given; and criticisms upon the principal performances of the more important actors are supplied from the columns of the Times or Athenaum, and a few other journals of more or less authority. That the book is not complete is admitted by the editor in a modest preface, in which he expresses a hope to strengthen the list in a future edition. But few names of importance are omitted. Among these, however, we are surprised to find actors so well known as Miss Louise Moodie and Mr. Charles Warner. It does not detract from the value of the volume, though it may be a disappointment to a certain class of readers, and is assuredly such to the critic, that no anecdotes are given, and nothing but the plain facts of a career are supplied. No other course, it is seen, could well be adopted. Anecdotes concerning living actors are for the most part impertinent or apocryphal. That section of the public which is always anxious to know the age of a favourite is likely to be balked. Seldom has a work with so much biographical matter given so few dates of birth,

and still more seldom has a histrionic record contained so little to gratify idle curiosity.

Songs of a Wayfarer. By F. Wyville Home. (Pickering & Co.)

WE presume this to be a first book, as Mr. Home's name is new to us; and, looked at in this light, it is a remarkable book. We have read it without repentance. We have found many weak places, many faults of taste, and other evidences of immaturity; but we have also failed to find any of the deadlier sins to which young authors are addicted, and, better than this negative merit, an abounding sense that verse is a thing to be set about seriously, and to be perfected up to the height of the artist's powers. The quality is unequal, simply because no man's powers are always the same, no man's mood always either decidedly poetical or the reverse; but in his least poetic moods our " Wayfarer" is seldom if ever prosaic, and in his most poetic moods his work has a real and vivid charm. In some of the finer passages of the principal poem, "Salvestra and Girolamo," a story adapted from Boccaccio, we have decided poetic realization; in the larger half of the love lyrics and sonnets there is a hyper-sensitiveness and tendency to melancholy very characteristic of the young poet, though not to be desired as a permanent mood; in The Nun" there is a slight indication of dramatic power; and in "The Poet' we have a lyric of a very high class. The writer has in those few stanzas got a real hold upon certain phases of poetic thought imaginatively handled, has managed his stanza with great technical skill and exquisite feeling, and (the praise is not small) has given us a lyric worth adding even to the riotously wealthy store of finished lyric work which has been teeming in the land since Chatterton and Blake sowed the seeds of modern English song.

CANON FARRAR'S SERMON AT ST. MARGAREt's, WestMINSTER, ON THE 15TH ULTIMO.-The Canon is reported to have said, in the course of his sermon on the death of the Princess Alice, "A few years ago her son Prince Frederick was killed by falling from a window, and a few days ago her little daughter the Princess Irene was called away.......Irene! Yes, the name means peace. Let us accept the omen. She has gone to where 'beyond

these voices there is peace."" ST. SWITHIN draws attention to the fact "that it was Princess Mary, not Princess Irene, who died so shortly before the devoted mother."

"DEATH AT AN ADVANCED AGE.-Mrs. Mary PradoSanchez died on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at No. 83, Middagh Street, Brooklyn, the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Mesea, at the age of 110 years, five months, and sixteen days. She was born at Malaga, Spain, in June, 1768, and was one of a family of thirty children, sixteen boys and fourteen girls. She survived all her brothers and sisters, and all her own children, except the daughter with whom she lived. Her father was an architect, and she also married an architect seventy-three years ago. She was twice married. She came to this country fourteen years ago, when she was ninety-six years of age. When Mrs. Sanchez was ninety years old she became almost entirely blind, and continued so until she was ninety-seven, when her sight returned. She had been compelled to remain in her room for several years, although she retained her activity up to the age of one functions caused her death. She was buried yesterday Old age and the suspension of the vital in the cemetery of the Holy Cross at Flatbush."-N. Y. Tribune, Nov. 18, 1878.

hundred.

further inquiries if desired by any readers of "N. & Q." I believe this to be genuine, and shall be glad to make

336, Greene Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Notices to Correspondents.

SIGMA.

We must call special attention to the following notice: ON all communications should be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

F. E. P. See the article "Balloons" in Haydn's Dietionary of Dates (1876); also the article "Steam Engine and Navigation" in the same work. We shall be happy to insert queries with the view of getting the information given by Haydn supplemented.

WALTER HAMILTON.-Nahum Tate was born in Dublin in 1652, and died August 12, 1715, in the precincts of the Mint, in Southwark. Our correspondent asks where Tate was buried.

EDWARD FREDIN (Stockholm).-1. We can find no trace of such a descent. 2. The young "Florentine," after studying at Oxford, has become an artist.

GWAVAS ("Too fast ").-The context clearly shows what was intended-that he wore himself out with good works.

W. HARRISON RUDD, ESQ., Great Yarmouth, will find ONE OF THEM.-A letter from you addressed to him, and doubtless meet with attention.

E. WALFORD.-Heraldic Anomalies was written by Dr. Edward Nares. See "N. & Q.," 5th S. viii. 469; ix. 53. G. C. (Col. R.A.).-Many thanks.

GEO. ELLIS.-We will forward a prepaid letter.
A. H. BATES.-Thanks.

Yes. NOTICE.

Editorial Communications should be addressed to "The Editor of 'Notes and Queries ""-Advertisements and Business Letters to "The Publisher"-at the Office, 20, Wellington Street, Strand, London, W.C.

We beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we do not print; and to this rule we can make no exception.

LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 1879.

CONTENTS. - N° 263.

NOTES:-Notes on Peterborough Cathedral, 21-Shak-
speariana-"Learning "-St Dionis Backchurch, 22-The
Duke of Clarence on the Convention of Cintra-Another
Survival-Benjamin Disraeli, 1788, 23-New Year's Gift-
Severe Winters-Prayer of Mary Queen of Scots-Old Saying
-Bill for Hanging and Boiling a Friar-An Ancient Pair of

Boots, 24-Chaucer's Praise-Schiller's "Song of the Bell"
-Bad Grammar-" Wessel" Cup, 25-Isaiah xx. 18-An
Historical Sledge-The Electric Light-Bibliography of
Archery-Stroud, Gloucestershire, 26.

QUERIES:-Lamb's "Tales from Shakespear"-English En-
gravers-Rete Corvil, 27- Dallaway's "Rodborough to
Gloucester"- Tradesmen's Tokens-" Moke "-MS Hist. of

Co.

[1262-1274] et anniversar. Henrici Aurifabri et Johannis
de Tukyngham prioris. Abbas missam celebrabit.
[Mem. quod feria iida iiijte ebdomade xle missa matuti-
nalis cum cappa in choro festive celebrabitur pro
animabus patrum et matrum et parentum et omnium
monachorum istius loci.]

Easter is set down on March 27.

Aprilis v. Depositio Thoroldi [1069-1089] et Eudonis abbatum et anniversarium Roberti de Hale et Agnetis matris ejus.

Maii. [Memorandum quod in ebdomada prima mai legenda et facienda est convencio inter ecclesias Burgi et de Seo Victore et habet missam ferialem ad quam cantabitur de profundis et cibus ea die ponatur ad mensam. Prima oratio Inclina.]

xxvii. Depositio dompni Arnewyni abbatis [1055-1063]. Junii iv. Depositio Adulphi episcopi [of Worcester, abbot in 974] et anniversarium Ricardi de Lincolnia et

Fermanagh-Irish Bards-Varia-Anne BorlebogL. Eusden, 28-Franks-Heraldry-Norfolk Draughtsmen and Painters of Eighteenth Century-"Lying cold-floor "Privileged Flour Mills-A Welsh Game-Rev. T. Hurst-Agnetis uxoris ejus. T. Dixon-King Oswy-E. and C. Dilly-Leicestershire Foxhunting-"The Devil turn'd Hermit," 29-Authors Wanted, &c., 30.

xxvi. Deposicio dompni Martini abbatis [de Ramsey, 1226-1233]. Julii xii. Deposicio episcoporum Gamalielis et REPLIES:-"Embezzle "-Braham-Bacon on "Hudibras," Huberti. 30-An Irish Bishop Butler-Major André-Yateley, Hants, Augusti ij. Deposicio dompni Ricardi de London 31-Theology the Queen of Sciences-Famagosta-Curious abbatis [1274-1279] in albis. Abbas missam exhibebit. Coincidences, 32-Servants' Hall Forfeits, 33-"Choirochorographia" Paley-Boston, 34-Centenarians-Cajo- Prior iiijam lectionem leget Propiciatur animabus.

xv. Deposicio dompni Godefridi de Croyland abbatis

dunum-William the "Mamzer "- Christianity without the
Cross-R. R. Anderson-Gospatric, 35-The Whip-top-[1299-1320] in albis. Abbas missam celebrabit. Prior
J. Walker-Watney's Distillery-" Death-bed Scenes," &c.,
36-Parish Documents-The Parish Bull-lona-Capt. J.
King, 37-W. G. Clark-Yankee-Latton Priory-Church
Registers" How Lord Nairn was Saved," 38-Electoral
Facts-Hogmanay Custom-Balcony-Actresses First on the
Stage-Badges-Authors Wanted, 39.

NOTES ON BOOKS:-Spencer Walpole's "History of Eng-
land"-English Dialect Society's Publications.
Notices to Correspondents, &c.

Notes.

NOTES ON PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL. The following collections relating to Peterborough are of especial interest as giving (1) the

dates of death of several of the abbots and members of the monastery, imperfectly printed by Patrick, and also (2) some insight into the local rite.

The Obituary of Peterborough. Januarii ii. Depositio dompni Martini abbatis [Martinus de Vecti, the Isle of Wight, 1113-1155].

iiijam lectionem leget ad dirige conventus erunt in albis et præcentor cum succentore et ij. senioribus chorum tenere solebant et hii omnes in cappis quas idem abbas fieri fecit.

xxix. Deposicio Willi. Landavensis epi. et anniversarium Reginaldi presbyteri.

Sept. xxv. Deposicio dompni Willelmi de Wodeford abbatis [1295-1299] et annivers. Johannis de Gretham. Abbas missam celebrabit.

xxx. Deposicio dompni Benedicti abbatis [1177-1194]. Oct. viij. Deposicio dompni Roberti de Ramesey abbatis [1353-1361] et fratris Thome de Burgo. Abbas missam celebrabit.

xvi. Deposicio dompni Egbrici episcopi [of Durham, 1042-1078, formerly a monk] et meria [memoria] interfectorum.

xxii. Deposicio dompni Mathie abbatis [1103-1104] et memoria Wynegoti monachi.

xxviii. Deposicio dompni Roberti de Lyndeseye abbatis [1210-1222] in albis.

Nov. i. Deposicio Lefrici abbatis [died 1066].

viij. Deposicio dompni Johannis de Says [1114-1128] abbatis et annivers. Henrici Talbot et Ricardi de Suldynge.

xix. Deposicio Alexandri abbatis [de Holderness, 1222-1226] et anniversarium Reginaldi de Eastre et

iv. Dep. Willi. de Hotot abbatis [1246-1249] et anni-Matildis uxoris ejus. versar. Ricardi de Watervile et Johannis filii ejus.

xii. Dep. Elsini abbatia [c. 1006-1055] et anniversarium Mathei capellani.

xxiv. Depositio dompni Elfrici archiepiscopi. [x. Auli primi heremitæ.]

Februarii xxj. Depositio dompni Andree abbatis [11941200]. Abbas missam celebrabit.

[Memorandum quod in prima ebdomada quadragesime debet fieri convencio Giseburnie.]

xxvi. Deposicio dompni Ade de Botheby abbatis [13211338] et anniversarium dompni Johannis de Aysby et magistri Johannis de Harwedotie.

xxx. Depos Brandonis [died 1069] et Will. de Watervile [1155-1177] abb, et anniversarium Ade de Walkote. Dec. xvi. Deposicio dompni Kynsun archiepiscopi [of York, formerly monk of Peterborough, died 1060] et anniversarium Radulphi comitis.

xxii. Dep. dompni Walteri abbatis [de S. Edmundo,

Martii ii. Depositio dompni Johannis de Caleto [1249-1233-1245]. Abbas missam celebrabit. 1262] et anniver. patris et matris ejus et anniversarium Yvonis supprioris. Abbas missam celebrabit et prior terciam lectionem leget ad dirige quia ista deposicio est in albis.

xiv. Deposicio dompni Allarii abbatis [1200-1220]. Abbas missam celebrabit.

II. Deposicio dompni Roberti de Sutton abbatis

Value of the Endowment of Peterborough Cathedral out of the dissolved lands.

Revenues of the Colledge of Peterborough. Parcell of the Site and demayne landes of the said late monasterye of Peterbrugh appointed to the Colledge is worthe clere by yere ixl. 11s. viijd.-Lamb. MS. 639, fo. 59.

Notes from the Monastic Custumal. Pedes fratrum non debent lavari in claustro nec in capitulo. Conventus feria iij ante cenam Domini ad orationes sedebunt super bancum sicut faciunt in ecclesia vertentes

facies unius chori ad facies alterius.

Subsacrista ponat in refectorio die exaltationis S. Crucis xiv. cereos et ij. cereos in capitulo et in locutorio juxta capellam S. Crucis j.; in lanterna cressetum et j. cressetum ante hostium Refectorii.

Ad cœnam et prandium...mixtum et vinum et claretum ; fratres commorantes ad Oxeneye plenam recipiant com

munam suam de celario conventus.

Clerici admissi in congregationem nostram per tres dies ante suscepcionem habitus in Domo Hospitum commorantes percipiant communam suam viz. singuli singulis diebus j. panem et j. lagenam cerevisie conventualis cum ferculis coquine prout fratribus in refectorio ministratur. in aula abbatis per duos dies commedent et celerarius abbatis nomine abbatis...predictam percipient communam.-Lamb. MS. 198.

MACKENZIE E. C. WALCOTT.

SHAKSPEARIANA.

"HENRY V.," ACT II. sc. 2, L. 61.—

King.. And now to our French causes :
Who are the late commissioners?"

The only explanation I have seen of this passage
is that 66
late" means lately appointed; that is,
that to express a simple fact in English Shakespere
used a phraseology which in English expresses the
opposite fact.
The late commissioners" are, in
English, those who had lately been so, but who
had either fulfilled their office or were commis-
sioners no longer.

which he believes to be inauspicious, not the disentanglement. Perhaps his view may be supported by the following quotation from Niccol's description of Franklin

"His beard was ruddie hewe, and from his head A wanton locke it selfe did downe dispread Vpon his backe, to which while he did liue Th' ambiguous name of Elfe-locke he did give." Sir Thomas Overburie's Vision (1616), p. 48. Franklin's portrait (p. 47) represents him with a long lock of hair, loose and unentangled, on which he seems to have prided himself. WILLIAM GEORGE BLACK.

Alfred Terrace, Glasgow.

"TEMPEST," ACT IV. sc. 1, L. 64 (5th S. viii. 385; ix. 405; x. 3, 244, 424.)-It may be useful to add another example. In Sacred Principles, Services and Soliloquies; or, a Manual of Devotions, by W. Brough, D.D., Dean of Gloucester, 4th ed., London, 1659, p. 228, the author mentions an art which will be helpful against gluttony: "The Art is His Pionery; To Undermine Gluttony by Works of Charity." W. C. B.

Rochdale.

"LEARNING.”—The word "learning" in the Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent is commonly taken to mean the reception of knowledge, whereas it really implies the imparting of it, as it is taken from Romans xv. 4, where the Greek is Sisaokaλlav. Wiclif has "teaching" (1380); but Tyndale has "learning" (1526), in which he is noticed in the works on the required alterations of followed by the subsequent versions. This is not the A. V. nor on the obsolete words, so far as I this use of "to learn" is frequent in the Old have seen. It is commonly supposed that, though Testament, it only occurs once in the New Testa

The alteration to rate, as derivable from the Latin "ratus-i, established, approved, confirmed," had once suggested itself to me. But no alteration seems required; the Syndici lati-, or the late commissioners, are, I take it, the chosen commissioners-those who had been chosen or selected, but who had not yet received their sign-manualment, Acts vii. 22, where eaudevon is translated credentials or commissions. Accordingly Henry "learned" in all the versions, including Wiclif's, proceeds to hand to them documents which they except the Rhemish, which has "instructed." take to be the said commissions.

This I believe to be one of the very few examples where Shakespere followed a fashion of the day. The gallants coined "new-minted oaths," he adopted a new and literate etymology for words in ordinary use.

B. NICHOLSON.

"ROMEO AND JULIET," ACT I. sc. 4, L. 91."And bakes the Elf-locks in foule sluttish haires Which, once untangled, much misfortune bodes." This is the reading usually adopted, and is supported with much ability by Dr. Legg in his Note upon the Elf-locks in Romeo and Juliet" (Transactions, New Shakspere Society, 1875-6, pt. ii. p. 191). Mr. P. A. Daniel, in the revised edition published by the N. S. Society, prefers once entangled," because it is the entanglement

66

A similar translation of διδασκαλίαν, 2 Tim. have access; but the Bishops' Bible and the iii. 16, is avoided in all the versions to which I A. V. have "doctrine.", Further on in the verse Wiclif translates aideíav by "learning." But Tyndale has "to instruct," in which he is followed by the rest, the A. V. having "for instruction." ED. MARSHALL, F.S.A.

Sandford-St.-Martin.

ST. DIONIS BACKCHURCH, LONDON: BEQUEST FOR DAILY SERVICE.-Sir Robert Geffery made his bequest for the maintenance of daily service in the parish church of St. Dionis Backchurch in the city of London (3rd S. vi. 182) in the following words :

Commonalty of the art or mystery of Ironmongers, "I give unto the Master and Keepers or Wardens and

London, the sum of four hundred pounds of lawful money of England, nevertheless upon the Trust and to the Intent and purpose that the said Master and Keepers or Wardens and Commonalty shall and will, by and with the Consent and advice of my Executors hereafter named and of John Midgley of London, Scrivener, or the Survivors and Survivor of them, as soon as they conveniently can lay out the said sum of four hundred pounds in a purchase of lands or houses and Ground rents of Inheritance in fee simple within the City of London or as near to the same City as conveniently may be. And the same Lands, Houses, and Ground Rents being so purchased shall settle the same in such manner as Counsel shall advise for an allowance to some person to read and celebrate Divine Service in the said parish church of St. Dionys Backchurch twice every day in the week yearly and every year for ever (except Sundays and such Holy Days when the said service and preaching shall be appointed and had in the said Church), at the hours and times now and heretofore used in the said Church, according to the Rubrick and Liturgy of the Church of England as now by law established. And my mind and will is that the Rents and profits of the said lands, Houses, or Ground rents so to be purchased as aforesaid shall be by the said Master and Keepers or Wardens and Commonalty of the said Company from time to time as the same shall be by them received paid to the Minister or Curate of the said Parish of St. Dionis Backchurch, who shall take upon him-elf or shall be appointed for the reading and celebrating of Divine Service in manner as aforesaid, allow ing thereout fifty shillings per annum to the clerk of the said parish for his officiating there. Provided always, and my mind and will is, that in case there shall be any failure or neglect in reading of prayers in the said parish Church at any time for the space of more than three days together, that then the rents and profits of the said premises so to be purchased as aforesaid shall go and be paid to the Hospital of Bethlehem and Bridewell aforesaid for ever."

The will of Sir Robert Geffery, knight and alderman, from which the foregoing is an extract, was proved at Doctors' Commons in the city of London, March 13, 1703, the testator having died towards the close of the previous month at an advanced age, and been buried in his private vault at St. Dionis Backchurch, Fenchurch Street, London. LONDINENSIS.

THE DUKE OF CLARENCE ON THE CONVENTION OF CINTRA.-The following letter, in the collection of the Baron de Bogoushevsky, and addressed by H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV., to an unknown correspondent, seems worthy of preservation. It occupies four pages of quarto gilt-edged paper, and is in the duke's own handwriting. Undated, it appears from internal evidence to have been written in October, 1808, and it was probably addressed to one of his former shipmates holding office at Stonehouse, near Plymouth. The letter not only relates to the proceedings in connexion with the Convention of Cintra, but to other important events then occurring by

land and sea.

"Bushy House, Monday night (1808?).

"Dear Sir,-In answer to yours of 20th and 30th Sept. I am to observe that having directed my young man of business to forward to you at Stonehouse the Warrant I

am surprised it has not reached your hands: but upon the receipt of your last inquiry I have again written, and make no doubt on Thursday morning this and the Warrant will find you and the Ladies at breakfast. "The convention in Portugal is still as unsatisfactory as ever, and indeed inexplicable: De Susa is right, our government neither could nor would believe the articles as he presented them on 4th September and as they turned out to be true. Ministers received the news of Sir A. Wellesley's two actions on 1st Sept. late in the evening, and tho' on 4th De Susa had from the Bishop of Oporto the Articles of the Convention, yet not till the night of 15th do the Cabinet hear from Sr. Hew Dalrymple: the whole transaction is as disgraceful as it is novel: a whole quire of paper would not detail my ideas on this infamous business: but everything must bring itself before your discriminating mind.

"Till now I think our government have acted with prudence towards Spain: but are the ministers sure that the Spaniards will let our troops into their country or is this immense armament destined for Italy: I think the French very vulnerable in that quarter and particularly in Naples: but to return to the convention, I rejoice there is but one sentiment throughout the Empire: all my letters from Scotland and Ireland convey the same language on the business investigation must ensue, and cannot I think be avoided.

"Our fleet in the Baltic have really done their duty, and I flatter myself if the Russian fleet cannot find its way to our ports it will be destroyed: but what is to become of Alexander in his interview with Bonaparte: is he to follow the fate of the Spanish Bourbons? The Austrian Francis ought to be on his guard and active, for this meeting at Erfurth forebodes no good either to Austria or Turkey. At present I will not say anything on home politics: only in your next inform me in what manner the Catholic Bishops are appointed in Canada. My best wishes and compliments attend the Ladies, and ever believe me, dear Sir, yours sincerely,

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"WILLIAM." CHARLES ROGERS.

Grampian Lodge, Forest Hill, S. E.

ANOTHER SURVIVAL.-It may not be undesirable, in the fnterest of future generations, to record the fact that up to January 1, 1878, all registered letters were, at the Post Office, secured and rendered conspicuous with a piece of very narrow dark-green ribbon or a piece of blue twine, which passed round the letter in two lines, cutting one another at right angles at or near its centre. The change in the Post Office regulations, which substituted for the ribbon or twine two dark-blue came into operation on the date just named, has ink lines, printed on official envelopes, by authority of the Postmaster General, and cutting one another exactly as those of ribbon or twine did of old. In short, the ink lines are a survival of the ribbon WM. PENGELLY.

or twine.

Torquay.

BENJAMIN DISRAELI, 1788.-"This day [Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1788], Benjamin Disraeli, of Grafton St., Gent. (who served his apprenticeship to Mr. Richard Bayly), was admitted and sworn a public notary, before the Right Worshipful Stephen Ratcliff, Judge of his Majesty's Court of Prere

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