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Norwich.-Bp. Wm. de Lenn (Whittlesey).

Bp. Wakering (Chichele).
Bp. Percy (Whittlesey).

Alexander Norwich, 1413 (Arundel, ii. 165 a).
Blythe, archdeacon (Whittlesey).
Bp. Brown (Stafford).
Lyng, archdeacon (Islip).

Ely.-Bp. Morgan (Chichele).
Bp. Barnet (Whittlesey).
Bp. Fordham (Chichele).
Durham.-Bp. Hatfield (Islip).
Carlisle.-Bp. Barrow (Chichele).
Bp. Whelpdale (Chichele).

York. Chesterfield, canon (Langham).
Haxey, treasurer (Chichele).
Holme, canon (Chichele).
Hereford.-Bp. Charlton (Whittlesey).
Bp. Trevenant (Arundel).
Bp. Mascall (Chichele).
Bp. Polton (Chichele).
Lexham, canon (Islip).
Parry, canon (Chichele).

Rochester. Brown, archdeacon (Stafford, 264 a).

Bp. Shepey (Islip, 169 b).

Bp. Brinton (Courtenay).

Bp. Young (Whittlesey, 46 a, 161 a).

Bp. Wells (Stafford, 122).

Bp. Yong (Chichele).

Bp. Langdon (Chichele).

Bp. John Bottesham (Arundel).

Bp. Will. Bottesham (Arundel).

Bp. Trilleck (Whittlesey).

Bp. Welles (Stafford).

St. Asaph.-Bp. Spridlinton (Courtenay, 196 a).
Bp. Child (Courtenay).

Brown, canon (Stafford, 261 a).
Bp. Madoc (Islip).

Bangor.-Bishop Castro (Whittlesey, 117 a).
Bp. Clidderow (Chichele).

Bp. Ringstede (Islip, 245 a).

St. Davids.-Bp. de Mona (Arundel).
Bp. Ketterich (Chichele).

Bp. Patrington (Chichele).

Bp. Nicols (Chichele).
Bp. Houton (Courtenay).
Bp. Lyndwood (Stafford).
Bp. Falstoff (Islip).
Rawlins, canon (Chichele).
Winchester-Cardinal Beaufort (Stafford).
Bp. Edingdon (Langham).
William of Wykeham (Arundel).
London.-Bp. Fitzhugh (Chichele).
Chick well, canon (Islip, 153 b).
Bp. Clifford (Chichele).
Cook, treasurer (Langham).
Cotyngham, canon (Arundel).
Bp. Gilbert (Stafford).
Warde, canon (Kemp).
Kentwode, dean (Chichele).
Stowe, dean (Arundel).
Styverley, canon (Arundel).

These are only from casual notes; but I may add that I found, by a careful search, upwards of thirty wills for Chichester. Perhaps some of your readers, from time to time, will add to this specimen list and render it complete.

MACKENZIE E. C. WALCOTT.

ANCIENT ARYAN RITES.

A notice in the Pioneer (Allahabad, India) of Mr. Mackenzie Wallace's work on Russia has brought out in the Allahabad newspaper the following notices of ancient Aryan rites, which may, perhaps, be considered worthy of a corner in "N. & Q." Extract from the Pioneer, March 1,

1877:

"According to Mr. Mackenzie Wallace, when the approach of cholera is feared, all the village maidens gather together at night, in the usual toilet of the hour, and walk in procession round their village; one girl walking ahead with an Icon, the rest following with a plough. The girls make their own arrangement as to time; but it sometimes happens that the men find out what is going on, though if any one is caught taking observations, he is sure to be considerably beaten, it is said, by the fair members of the procession."

Regarding the above, J. R. R. writes in the Pioneer of March 8 :

"In your issue of the 1st instant you draw attention to a custom practised by the Russian peasant women on the approach of cholera. A very similar custom is in Vogue in this part of the country (Azimgurh) when drought is apprehended. On an appointed night the village women, taking a yoke and plough, go to a fallow field, generally in a north east direction from the hamlet, and, divesting themselves of their clothes, draw the plough a few times over the field. Women of inferior caste and mature age are generally the performers. Notice is given to the males of the village, and they religiously abstain from vitiating the ceremony by improper curiosity."

This is followed up by "Wheatsheaf” in the issue of March 15, who adds :

"As soon as I read the extract from Mr. Wallace's book, about the curious ceremonial used by Russian women in view of preventing the cholera, circumstances in this country occurred to my mind similar to those described by your correspondent 'J. R. R. To the best of my belief the custom alluded to by him is common throughout the country. J. R. R.' has known of it in Azimgurh; have known of it in Mirzapur. My experience differs, however, in some particulars from that of J. R. R.'; the celebrants in the instance brought to my notice were young and comely women of high caste. When the rain held off at the end of last June, some merry wives of the Brahmin and Chuttree castes assembled at night in a field near Bindachul: two of them placed themselves under the yoke of a plough and drove it across the hard ground, a third holding the plough handle and guiding it as it was dragged. All three celebrants were far too naked to be shamed, and exhibited the likeness of their Creator as it was first offered in the ancient garden of innocence and bliss. The congregation, limited of course in numbers, was also, as I understand, unencumbered with costume. Young and fair women were chosen for the rite, as more likely to attract the favour of Indra, god of the rains. Watch being of course jealously excluded from these mysteries. was kept against men of a curious turn of mind; males Singing and abuse of the zemindar accompanied the ceremonial. I make no apology for mentioning two other customs, because such things are very probably of high Aryan antiquity. When the rain is too constant in July or August, and harm to the crops is apprehended, village women will light a lamp and wave it towards the heavens. Is this an invocation to Agni as a godship of

higher rank than Indra? Under similar stress of rain women will strip, and one of them, forming a female image from cowdung, will plaster it against a wall facing the east, so as to catch the early sun. This image is called Charko Pundyain. The celebrant in this rite must be the sister of an only brother." H. RIVETT-CARNAC.

Suez.

FORENAME AND SURNAME BOOKS.

The interest attaching to the histories of people's names is very great. Fresh querists almost weekly in these columns seek aid in tracing the history of personal names. I therefore believe that a list of the titles of books which treat of the history of personal names, and of books which contain lists of personal names (I do not include directories), would be helpful to those who are interested in the history of their names. To such I dedicate this list; and of those who are helped by it I ask assistance. Will they contribute to perfect this list by forwarding to the editor a transcript of the title-page of each book they come across which is not fully described in the list, and which may fairly be included in it, together with the size, the number of pages it contains (including every page in the absence of which the book would be imperfect-observe, this will always be an even number, that is, double the number of leaves the book contains), and, curtly, any further information they may judge needful? Several of the titles of works included in the "Notice Analytique des Auteurs qui ont écrit sur les Noms Propres" in the Dictionnaire of F. J. M. Noel (Paris, 1806, see list), and which possibly belong to this list, are not given below. Excepting those works marked not seen, a copy of each of the following works is in the British Museum Library :

Dictionarium nominum propriorum virorum, mulierum, populorum, idolorum, urbium, fluviorum, montium...... Coloniæ Agrippinæ apud Joannem Gymnicum, sub monocerote, anno 1568.-12mo. No paging. [I prefer to use -or misuse-this word instead of the uglier word "pagination."] Preface headed, Rob. Stephanus lector. By Robert Estienne.

Aliquot nomina propria Germanorum ad priscam etymologiam restitua. Autore Reverendo D. Martiño Luthero. Witebergæ excudebat Petrus Seitz. 1570.12mo. (pp. 38). No paging.

Remains concerning Britain. By William Camden. London, 1605. First edition. Not seen.

Alamannicarum rerum scriptores aliquot vetusti [recentiores]. Omnia nunc primum edita ex bibliotheca Melchioris Haiminsfeldii Goldasti. Prodevnt Francofurti, ex officina Wolffgangi Richteri, curante Johanne Theobaldo Schönwettero & Conrado Meulio ciuibus. 1606. -3 vols. folio. I. pp. viii-422; II. pp. viii-204; III. pp. xxiv-230. The three titles differ. Vol. ii. pp. 122153, Catalogus nominum propriorum, quibus Alamanni quondam appellati, ex vetustissimo codice monasterii S. Galli ordine descriptus. Caput I. De nominibus propriis masculinis in Alamannia Theutonica. Caput II. De nominibus propriis masculinis in Alamannia Curiensi & Burgundionensi. Caput III. De nominibus propriis feminis in Alamannia Theutonica. Caput IV. De

nominibus propriis feminis in Alamannia Curiensi & Burgundionensi. A restitution of decayed intelligence in antiquities, concerning the most noble and renowned English nation. By the study and travell of R[ichard] V[erstegan]London, printed by John Norton for Joyce Norton and Richard Whitaker. 1634.-4to. pp. (xxiv)-350. Pp. 241-276, The etymologies of the ancient Saxon proper names of men and women. Pp. 277-312, How, by the sirnames of the families of England, it may be discerned. from whence they take their originalls, to wit, whether from the ancient English-Saxons, or from the Danes or Normans.

Remaines concerning Britaine : their languages, names, surnames [etc.]. Written by William Camden, Clarenceux, King of Armes. The fift impression by John Philipot. London, printed by Thomas Harper for John Waterson. 1637.-4to. pp. (vi)-422. Pp. 44-105, Christian names; 106-157, Surnames.

Portrait.

Por

Remaines concerning Britain. By William Camden. The sixth impression. By John Philipot and W. D. London, Simon Miller, 1657.-4to. pp. (iv)-412. trait. Pp. 44-105, Christian names; 106-157, Surnames. Ezechielis Spanhemii dissertationes de præstantia et usu numismatum antiquorum. Edito secunda, priori longe auctior, & variorum numismatum iconibus illustrata. Amstelodami, apud Danielem Elsevirium 1671.-4topp. (xlvi)-968. Pp. 497-536, On the names of persons (Roman).

cerning the most noble and renowned English nation. Restitution of decayed intelligence in antiquities, conBy the study and travel of R[ichard] V[erstegan]. London, printed for Samuel Mearne. 1673.-8vo. pp. (xxiv)392. Pp. 268-306, The etymologies of the ancient Saxon proper names of men and women. Pp. 307-347, How, by the surnames of the families of England, it may be discerned from whence they take their originals, to wit, whether from the ancient English-Saxons, or from the Danes and Normans. A preliminary epistle is dated 1605.

The seventh impression. By John Philipot and W. D. Remains concerning Britain. By William Camden. London, Charles Harper, 1674.-12mo. pp. (vi)-560 Portrait. Pp. 60-130, Christian names; 131-199, Sur

names.

Herrn D. Martin Luthers seel. vielfältig verlangtes namen-büchlein. Welches erstmahl ohne seinem namen zu Wittenberga. 1537. Numehro schonvor 137 Jahren nachmahls mit und unter seinem namen. Anno 1570 auch zu Wittenberg im Latein aufzgegangen: Jetzo der edlen Deutschen haupt-sprache auffrichtigen liebhabern, die der alten Deutschen namen deut und auszlegung zu wissen begehren, zu gefallen Deutsch, neben einer vorrede etzlichen anmerckungen zwifachen namen- und einen der fürnehmsten sachen- und merckwürdigsten historien- register herausz gegeben von M. Gottfried Wegener Silesio-Marchitâ. Leipzig, in verlegung Johann Grossen u. consorten gedruckt bey Christoph Uhmann. 1674.-12mo. pp. (xlviii)-304. Pp. 251-278, Erstes register der Deutschen männer namen; 279-286, Daa andere register der Deutschen weiber namen.

Par

Traité de l'origine des noms et des surnoms. Gillies André de la Roque. A Paris, Estienne Michallet. 1681.-12mo. pp. (xx)-304.

A law dictionary and glossary interpreting such difficult and obscure words and terms as are found in our laws. With references to the several Statutes [etc.] wherein the words and terms are used. By Tho[mas] Blount. The third edition. To which are added words collected from all the laws of the Saxon, Danish, and Norman kings; likewise an explanation of all the ancient names of the inhabitants, cities, towns, villages, and

rivers of Great Britain. Collected formerly by Mr. Camden and others. By Willia]m Nelson. [London] In the Savoy, printed by Eliz. Nutt. 1717.-Folio (pp. 330). No paging. Pp. 1-8, Title and preliminaries; 9-326, Dictionary; 327-330, An alphabetical table of ancient surnames, as they are written in our records.

An universal etymological English dictionary: comprehending the derivations of the generality of words in the English tongue [etc.]. And the etymology and interpretation of the proper names of men, women, and remarkable places in Great Britain [etc.]. By Nathan] Bailey. London, printed for E. Bell. 1721.-8vo. No paging. (Pp. 948) Pp. 1-16, Title and preliminaries; 17-948, Alphabet.

Huetiana, ou pensées diverses de M. [Pierre Daniel] Huet, Evesque d'Avranches. [Edited by J. T. D'Olivet.] A Paris, Jacques Estienne. 1722.-12mo. pp. xxiv-452. Pp. 150-167, De la latinisation des noms.

Huetiana, ou pensées diverses de M. [Pierre Daniel] Huet (Bishop of Avranches]. [Edited by J. T. D'Olivet. Nouvelle édition. Amsterdam, Herman Uytwerf, 1723. -12mo. pp. xxviii-452. Pp. 150-167, De la latinisation des noms.

Rerum Alamannicarum scriptores aliquot vetusti [recentiores]. Ex bibliotheca Melchioris Haiminsfeldii Goldasti. Editio tertia. Cura Henrici Christiani Sencken

berg. Francofurti et Lipsia, Impensis J. F. Fleischeri. 1730.-3 vols. folio. Vol. ii. pp. 95-131, Catalogus nominum propriorum, quibus Alamanni quondam appellati, ex vetustissimo codice monasterii S. Galli ordine descriptus.

The Gentleman's Magazine; or, Monthly Intelligencer. By Sylvanus Urban. London, printed by F. Jefferies. 8vo. Vol. xlii. (1772), pp. 119, 253, 318, 367, 468, 510, On Sirnames (notes 360). By T. Row, i.e. S. Pegge. Ueber deutsche vornamen und geschlechtsnamen, von Tileman Dothias Wiarda. Berlin und Stettin, bei F. Nicolai, 1800.-C. F. Solbrig, printer, Leipzig. 8vo. pp. viii-262.

Dictionnaire historique des personnages célèbres de l'antiquité, princes, généraux, philosophes, poetes, artistes, etc.; des dieux, héros de la fable; des villes, fleuves, etc., avec l'étymologie et la valeur de leurs noms et surnoms; précédé d'un essai sur les noms propres chez les peuples anciens et modernes. Par François Joseph Michel] Noël. Paris, H. Nicolle et Cie, 1806.. 8vo. pp. (iv) viii-98-424. Pp. 1-92, Essai hist. sur les noms propres chez les peuples anciens et modernes; 9397, Notice analytique des auteurs qui ont écrit sur les noms propres; order, authors, abc; 1-424, Dictionnaire.

The Classical Journal for March and June, 1810. Vol. I. London, printed by A. J. Valpy, sold by Longman. 8vo. Pp. 247-251, On the Latinisation of Names. Signed I. A.; a summary, with remarks, of the essay of P. D. Huet, Bishop of Avranches.

Baptismal names. By Botz. Leipzig, 1814. Not

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J. Nichols & Son, and sold by Longman. 12mo. pp. xii-56.

1822

Essai historique et philosophique sur les noms d'hommes, de peuples, et de lieux, considérés principalement dans leurs rapports avec la civilisation. Par [Anne Joseph] Eusèbe [Baconnière-]Salverte. Paris, Bossange père, 1824.-Lachevardière fils, printers. 2 vols. 8vo. I. pp. (iv)-xii-468; II. pp. iv-504. Folding map.

The stranger in America: comprising sketches of the manners, society, and national peculiarities of the United States. By Francis [i.e. Franz] Lieber. London, Richard Bentley, 1835.-2 vols. 8vo. (Vol. i. F. Shoberl, Jun., printer. Vol. ii. Ibotson & Palmer, printers.) I. rp. viii-302; II. pp. vi-310. Vol. ii. pp. 73-135, Personal and place names.

The stranger in America; or, letters to a gentleman in Germany: comprising sketches of the manners, society, and national peculiarities of the United States. By Francis [ie. Franz] Lieber. Philadelphia, Carey, Lea & Blanchard, 1835.-Griggs & Co., printers. 8vo. pp. 356. See pages 222-257, place and personal names, F. W. F.

(To be continued.)

EDWARD GIBBON AND JOHN WHITAKER. —ÁS there lately appeared the names of Mr. Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) and the Rev. John Whitaker (1735-1808) mentioned together, from which it appears they were on bad terms, but without any notice that they were formerly good friends, or any hint as to the cause of their disagreement, it may not be amiss to give the reason why Mr. Gibbon was attacked by Mr. Whitaker, as stated by the Right Hon. John Holroyd, Lord Sheffield, in a note in vol. i. p. 231 of his edition of Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Edward Gibbon, Esq., composed by himself, 2 vols. 18mo., Lond., 1827. He says:—

"None of the attacks from ecclesiastical antagonists were more malignant and illiberal than some strictures published in the English Review, October, 1788, &c., and afterwards reprinted in a separate volume, with the sig nature of John Whitaker, in 1791. I had mentioned them to Mr. Gibbon when first published; but so far was he from supposing them worth his notice, that he did not even desire they should be sent to him, and he actually did not see them till his late visit to England, a few months before his death. If Mr. Whitaker had only pointed his bitterness against Mr. Gibbon's opinions, perhaps no inquiry would have been made into the possible source of his collected virulence and deliberate malignity. I have in my possession very amicable letters from the Rev. Mr. Whitaker to Mr. Gibbon, written some time after he had read the offensive fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of The Decline and Fall. When Mr. Gibbon came to England in 1787, he read Whitaker's Mary Queen of Scots, and I have heard him very incautiously express his opinion of it. Some good-natured friend mentioned it to Mr. Whitaker. It must be an extraordinary degree of resentment that could induce any person of a liberal mind to scrape together defamatory stories, true or false, and blend them with the defence of the most benign religion, whose precepts inculcate the very opposite practice. Religion receives her greatest injuries from those champions of the Church who, under pretence of vindicating the Gospel, outrageously violate both the spirit and the letter of it. Whitaker affects principally to review the fourth, fifth,

Mr.

and sixth volumes; but he has allotted the first month's review to an attack on the first three volumes, or rather on the first, which had been published twelve years and a half before it occurred to him that a review of it was necessary.-S."

This is a distinct and gentlemanly statement of the matter, to which no one can take any exception. Mr. Gibbon, in his History, had spoken well of Mr. Whitaker's History of Manchester, but did not think much of Mary Queen of Scots; and it

indicates a certain weakness of mind in Mr. Whit

aker, when he became so infuriated at an honest opinion, for a moment to imagine that he had sufficient power to write down so consummate a master in literature as Gibbon. Historians we

might expect to be the best judges of historical works, but Mr. Whitaker would get very few of any description to side with him.

is sometimes seen on Assyrian relics and monuments
(see Nineveh and its Remains, vol. ii. p. 179)."
It is remarkable that the square Hebrew letters
now in use are called in the Talmud an

Assyrian letters), and are said to have been
Jer. Megilla, &c.); and in fact they bear a closer
brought from Babylon by Ezra (Bab. Senhedrin,
resemblance to their Assyrian prototypes than the
older Phoenician, or broken letters (ran).
A comparison between some of the Cypriote and
Society of Biblical Archæology, vol. i. 1872) by
Assyrian characters was made (Transactions of the
the lamented George Smith, to whom and the
great Egyptologist, Dr. Birch, we owe the dis-
covery of the Cypriote language.
J. MACCARTHY.

THE IRON RAILINGS ROUND ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.-Three short paragraphs relating to the iron railings round St. Paul's Cathedral have appeared at various times in "N. & Q." (1st S. i. 446 and 5th S. i. 60 and v. 7), but I do not find that I have

Gibbon was very highly pleased with the favourable opinion of Hume (1711-1776), and would probably also be so with that of Robertson (17211793), who was a parson as well as Whitaker, and who had the manliness and candour to acknow-ever sent you the actual details of their weight ledge the superiority of Gibbon.

The opinion of one historian, of no mean position, may be stated respecting Mr. Whitaker. Lord Macaulay (1800-1859) speaks out rather freely, but no doubt gives his genuine opinion. According to the Athenæum, Lond., Sept. 16, 1876 (Life, ii. 285), he styles the Rev. John Whitaker, the antagonist of Gibbon, "as dirty a cur as I remember."

and of their cost. The following particulars are taken from the original account books, of which a fine series is preserved in the archive room of the cathedral. I have retained the original spelling.

From 24 June, 1714, to 31 Dec' following inclusive.
To Richard Jones, smith, ffor the Large Iron Fence
round the Church (viz') :—
£
8. d.
11608 06 06
406 06 00

Tun cwt. qrs. lb.
Totall weight at 6a per lb. 207 5 3 09
Deducted for several par-
sels returned
750 12

...

All the books that were written against Gibbon have sunk into oblivion, while his mighty work shines as bright as ever, which is generally the Remains for accot at 6a result when any amazing genius is attempted to be put down. D. WHYTE.

THE SEMITIC ALPHABET DERIVED FROM THE ASSYRIAN SYLLABARY.-Now that attention is directed to Dr. Deecke's attempt (in the Journal of the German Oriental Society) to establish the Assyrian origin of the Phoenician characters, it may perhaps be worth noting that the suggestion has been made before. In Layard's Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon, 1853, pp. 509, et seq., some earthenware bowls found at Babylon, and bearing Hebrew magical formula, are figured and described. A translation is added from the pen of Mr. Thomas Ellis, who says (p. 525):—

"As this is the first time anything of the kind has been examined in Europe, I can only hazard a conjecture from the forms of the letters, which are certainly the most ancient known specimens of the Chaldean, and appear to have been invented for the purpose of writing the cuneiform character in a more cursive and expeditious manner."

The illustrious explorer himself adds, in a note,
"The forms of the letters certainly approach the
cuneiform character, when written with simple lines, as

...

p' lb.
200 0 2 25
To John Slyford for Carrage, &c., of Mr.
Jones's Iron Worke from the Water side to
the Church, vizt:-

for Cranage, Wharfage, and Carrage of 2071
Tonn of Iron Worke to St Paul's, ffrom
13th Sept., 1710, to the 10th June inclusive,
1714, at 2 6 p' Tonn

...

11202 00 06

25 18 00 W. SPARROW SIMPSON.

"NOSCITUR E SOCIIS."-In this state the proverb only contains half of the idea, which is expressed in full in one of those rhythmical hexameters in which the last syllable of the line answers to one in the middle. As it occurs there, it implies something more than the old saying of "like to like," viz., that this is the way to know any one who is too insignificant to be, or for some other reason is not, known of himself. The line is

"Noscitur ex comite, qui non cognoscitur ex se." See A. Gartner, Proverbialia Dicteria, p. 108, Francof., 1598, s.v. "Societas." This book, an octavo volume, of which there are also two other editions in the British Museum, Erfurt, 1570 and 1574, contains a large collection of such rhythmical lines.

There is a similar idea in Palingenius, Zodiacus
Vita, x. 96, sqq. :--

"Vis tu nosse hominem, qualis sit? perspice amicos
Illius: associant similes natura Deusque :
Cum paribusque pares habitant, vivuntque libenter."
ED. MARSHALL.

POSITION OF THE CLERGY.-Many illustrations of the social position of the clergy during the last and preceding centuries have been given in "N. & Q.," but I have not met a reference to Walpole's letter to G. Montagu, Jan. 22, 1761, edit. Cunningham, iii. p. 373 :

"I played with Madam, and we were mighty well together; so well, that two nights afterwards she commended me to Mr. Conway and Mr. Fox, but calling me that Mr. Walpole; but they did not guess who she meant...... As she went away, she thanked my Lady Northumberland, like a parson's wife, for all her civilities."

The writer's touch on this gauche performance of
the anonymous Madam is neat, and worthy
of his exquisite hand. Have not writers on this
subject overlooked the elaborate picture drawn by
Goldsmith, in The Vicar of Wakefield, of a parson's
life about this time; likewise the notes scattered
abundantly in Swift's works, the Letters to Stella,
&c.?
F. G. S.

CENTENARIANISM.

THE JACOBITES IN LANCASHIRE IN 1715.About fifteen years ago, in a village not far from Preston, I heard a woman scolding several boys, who had apparently been indulging their propensities for mischief at her expense. After threatening them with various pains and penalties in the event of her catching them, she wound up by calling them" a pack of young Jacobites." Being doubtful whether her ire was entirely exploded, and whether it might not be turned on me, I did not question her as to her reasons for using this epithet, but I had little doubt that it was connected with some floating traditions of the events of 1715 in the neighbourhood. A. M. S.

"JOHN HAMPDEN, JUN."-A volume entitled "The Aristocracy of England: a History of the People, by John Hampden, Jun.," published by Chapman, 1846, is ascribed to William Howitt, in the May catalogue, No. 3, of William Smith, Bookseller, London Street, Reading. This penname is not given in Olphar Hamst's Handbook of Fictitious Names, or in the list of "Literary Pseudonyms" in the Bookseller, May 4, 1875.

CUTHBERT BEDE.

CORRUPT ENGLISH: "MUSICAL CRITIC." Allow me to point out the incorrectness of the "The Sheffield Telegraph says that on Monday night term "musical critic," the compound word "musica pedlar named John Roseberry called at the Doncaster critic" being preferable on all accounts. Usage police-office to have his certificate signed. He was 108 ought never to sanction expressions that are obyears old, and travels about the country hawking small viously ungrammatical. What would be thought articles. He has had twenty-two children, seventeen of of any one who would say "musical master" inwhom have been sons. His wife died in 1870 at the age of ninety nine years, and his last son who died was aged stead of "music-master," or "artistic critic" eighty-eight. The old man eats very little solid food, instead of "art-critic"? I think these two exbut takes three gills of beer warmed and sweetened amples sufficient to prove that "music-critic" per day; and, occasionally, when he has a cup of tea should be used to describe a critic or reviewer of dissolves in it half a pound of sugar, finding sugar a great support of life. He appeared quite healthy and music, and that when we speak of a "musical" hearty, and on Tuesday was vending his wares."-Pall person we mean one who is a performer of music Mall Gazette, May 2, 1877. of some kind or other. M. A. B.

The above may be worth the notice and investi-
gation (if possible during the man's lifetime) of our
friend MR. THOMS.
JAMES T. PRESLEY.

"INSTANT" AND CURRENT."-Constant confusion seems to exist, especially in newspaper advertisements, regarding the use of the terms "instant" and "current," to denote dates occurring in the same month in which one is speaking or writing. They appear to be used indifferently to refer either to a past or a future date. There is no reason, of course, why "current" should be restricted to either; it simply means "the month now passing." But, as "instant" undoubtedly implies future time (instare to approach), it would be better to limit "current" to a past date in the present month, and so allow "instant" to have its etymological signification of a future date. JOHN A. BLACK.

St. Andrews, Fife.

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