66 precedence, no place was assigned to the Prime Minister; and the editorial reply was immediately made : "The precedence of the Prime Minister is given according to the office he may hold in conjunctiou with the Premiership." An anecdote is told concerning Lord Palmerston which strikingly illustrates this answer. When he was visiting Glasgow in the spring of 1863, during his last Premiership, to be installed as Lord Rector of the University, Liverpool District,' by saying that it is 'disappointing from the fact that many interesting names are not noticed." I fear that MR. BOYLE is likely to remain disappointed if will-o'- the- wisp names like Stonby Green are types of those which he would like to see in the volume. Little wonder that an old resident in Wirral should write asking where the place was! The book did not pretend to deal with the fancy or haphazard names of modern villas or new bowling greens; nor was it deemed necessary to insult the reader's intelligence and waste"the captain of the Guard-ship [on the Clyde], space by explaining such names as Ashfield, anxious to do honour to the occasion, was hindered Westwood, Woodchurch, Red Brow, High- by the fact that a Prime Minister was not recognized field, Knotty Ash, &c. It is, however, by the code of naval salutes; but he found an escape possible that two or three names in the com- from his dilemma in the discovery that Lord Palmerston was not only First Lord of the Treasury, paratively wide district covered are omitted, but also Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, for which ought to be added to the two hundred which great officer a salute of nineteen guns was odd places included in the volume, and the prescribed."-Evelyn Ashley, Life of Lord Palmerdefect will probably be remedied in due ston,' vol. ii. p. 422. course. I am afraid that MR. BOYLE's interest in place-names is much greater than the trouble which he has taken to keep himself posted with regard to their etymological and historical treatment, or he would know--to mention one instance only-that Prof. Tait, of Victoria University, dealt at some length in the Athenæum for 1895 with the extra ordinary passage on p. 86 of 'Feudal England' relative to Wirral place-names. The author, Mr. Round, must think that he is never going to hear the last of his unfortunate slip. The blunder, like some others, was, however, so transparent that I did not mention it in the above-named onomasticon. HY. HARRISON. "KING OF BANTAM" (9th S. iv. 419, 488, 526; v. 18).-In Hudleston's Notes and Extracts of the Proceedings of the Council of Fort St. George,' published 1871, there is printed a letter from the Hon. Court of Directors of the East India Company to the President and Council of Fort St. George, dated 15 December, 1676, in which complaint is made of the practice of private trading by the Company's servants. It is mentioned that this unlawful trading was carried on under assumed names, one man_trading under the title of the "King of Bantam.' As a matter of fact there was no such person. Does this assist your correspondent? FRANK PENNY, LL.M. Fort St. George. PRIME MINISTER (8th S. x. 357, 438; xi. 69, 151, 510; xii. 55, 431; 9th S. ii. 99; iii. 15, 52, 109, 273, 476).-The original question under this heading was as to why, in the table of When Mr. Gladstone as Prime Minister attended the opening of the new Law Courts by the Queen, in December, 1882, he took precedence as Chancellor of the Exchequer, which office he at that time held. As to the general question of the origin of the term "Prime Minister," I would note that a correspondent (9th S. iii. 273) describes my statement (ibid., p. 109) that it was first applied to Harley as incorrect, because he has found it in a book translated from the French, which has an introduction dated 8 May, 1711, and consequently made before the term could with any propriety have been applied to Harley." But (8th S. xi. 510) I had previously proved that it was so applied, and in the month named, while it was indicated seven years beforeon 29 Aug., 1704-in a prophetic utterance destined to be fulfilled. ALFRED F. ROBBINS. CHURCH IN CANTERBURY OLDER THAN ST. MARTIN'S (9th S. v. 26). Surely the existence of old St. Pancras's Church has been long known to your readers familiar with Canterbury and its antiquities. I have not Mr. Brent's 'Canterbury in the Olden Time' beside me (Simpkin & Marshall, about 1880), but, if I am right, it gives an account of it. Certainly such an account exists. It is from association with this saint that the London church of St. Pancras takes its name. Is his day in the calendar not 12 May? J. L. ANDERSON. Edinburgh. HENRY CAVENDISH (9th S. v. 4).-In the Tyssen Library, at the Town Hall, Mare Street, Hackney, there is preserved an account of Mr. Newcome's school at Hackney, together with letters concerning it, and bills of the plays performed there every third year. I cannot say whether this collection contains any references to Henry Cavendish or his schoolfellows, but the library is open for consultation every Tuesday evening, and I am sure that MR. BRESLAR would meet with any necessary assistance at the hands of the courteous hon. librarian, Mr. Geo. Chambers. W. F. PRIDEAUX. "WOUND" FOR "WINDED" (9th S. v. 4). “Wound,” in Scott's line But scarce again his horn he wound, is proscribed at the above reference" as an instance of a false past tense." This is a somewhat remarkable deliverance, seeing that "wond" or "wound," and not "winded," is the real and regular past tense of the word "wind." A notable instance later than that in the Lady of the Lake' occurs early in Tennyson's Elaine.' Sir Lancelot, having lost his way through giving the reins to his fancy and his steed, at length beheld the towers of Astolat: Thither he made and wound the gateway horn. It has of late become so common to tilt at Scott's laxity as a stylist that it is a pleasure to uphold his practice when, as here, he is unquestionably correct. THOMAS BAYNE. Helensburgh, N.B. Ralph. "O brave, Robin! shall I have Nan Spit, and to mine own use? On that condition I'll feed thy devil with horse-bread as long as he lives, of free cost."-Marlowe, 'Dr. Faustus,' quarto of 1604. J. G. WALLACE-JAMES, M.B. Haddington. LINCOLNSHIRE SAYINGS (9th S. iv. 478; v. 38).-As quoted at the latter reference I do not remember to have previously met with the saying, but have in recent years known it used in London, by an elderly lady born and bred in Northamptonshire, in the form "As black as Old Sam's nutting-bag." I always understood that the saying was commonly used in her native county as applied to things much soiled or dirty, which required washing; and I believe that the "Old Sam" alluded to was identical with "His Satanic Majesty." W. I. R. V. WAS SHAKESPEARE MUSICAL? (9th S. v. 22.) -If MR. J. B. MCGOVERN will read Mr. Edward W. Naylor's 'Shakespeare and Music' I think he will be led to the conclusion that the poet had no inconsiderable technical "BROTHERHOOD OF FOOLS" (9th S. iv. 539).— Full accounts of this order will be found in Hone's 'Every-day Book,' 1 Oct.; also in Chambers's 'Book of Days,' 12 Nov. Divested of detail, the order was founded at Cleves about 1381, and was in existence in 1520. Two of its principal objects were to relieve the wants and alleviate the miseries of suffering humanity, and to banish ennui during the numerous festivals observed in those ages, by preconcerted methods. RICHARD LAWSON. A VOLTAIRE ENGRAVING (9th S. iv. 328).Desnoiresterres, in his 'Iconographie Voltairienne' (Paris, 1879), at p. 27, gives an account of the print referred to in this query. The design is by Huber. The engraving published by Sayer is said to be rare. There is a later counterfeit print with additional figures. Desnoiresterres considers that this is the design of Huber's to which Voltaire refers in his letter of 11 Dec., 1772, to the Empress Catherine. See vol. xlviii. p. 244 of the edition of 1883-5. R-N. SIR WALTER SCOTT'S DIALECT (9th S. iv. 242, 330, 421, 503).-This seems to be a question whether Scotch is a language or not. If any one will venture to moot the question in a Scotch weekly-say the Weekly News-such a storm of undoubted "language" will descend upon him as to satisfy the most exacting. If Scotland had been the bigger country would the Scotch of Knox not have taken the place of the English of Shakespeare throughout Britain after the union of the crowns? The removal of the Court to London made English the universal tongue. Had the Court come to Edinburgh, Scotch would now be the universal tongue. The following interesting note on Scotch being used by men of firstrate abilities and acquirements at a recent period is from Dr. Smiles's 'Life of Nasmyth,' the mechanical genius and inventor of the steam hammer. The year was 1858:- Edinburgh on this occasion was the renewed inter"But not the least interesting part of my visit to course which I enjoyed with many of my old friends. Among these were my venerable friend Prof. Pillans, Charles Maclaren (editor of the Scots man), and Robert Chambers. We had a long 'dander' together through the Old Town, our talk being in broad Scotch. Pillans......in his position of Rector of the High School had given rare evidence of his excellence as a classical scholar. He was afterwards promoted to be a Professor in the University. He had as his pupils some of the most excellent men of my time. Amongst his intimate friends were Sydney Smith, Brougham, Jeffrey, Cockburn." Nasmyth himself, it need hardly be said, was welcomed in the best society, from the Queen and Prince Consort downwards. S. F. H. Perth. GUILD MAYOR (9th S. iv. 538).—The town of Preston (Lancashire) can claim a goodly list of charters, with numerous privileges granted, dating back to Henry II. To uphold these charters, as embodied in their Merchant Guild, an order was made by the mayor's court, circa 1348, for the "sayd Maior baliffes and burges there heyres and successors to sett a Gyld Marchand at every xx yere end," to be "held on the Monday next after the Feast of the Decollation of St. John Baptist." It is an important canon held by the jury entrusted with the selection of mayor for the year that the Guild commemoration will be held that an experienced and influential man shall be chosen. Though for a period of something like three hundred and twenty years the members of the house of Stanley have taken part in these jubilations in some form or other (as, in 1822, the then Earl of Derby provided a cockfight for 200 guineas), it will be the first time that a titled mayor, in the person of the present Earl, will have been appointed Guild Mayor. Though the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 has annulled the favours contained in its charters, proud Preston does not allow its carnival to fall into desuetude, and no doubt the observance in 1902 will equal in glory its numerous predecessors. Me of these Nor skilled nor studious. nor studious' These words "nor skilled are in the 'Cider' of Phillips. They can be found also several times in 'The Chase' of Somerville, who seems to be, in his style, what uncertain how to spell the name of this under the influence of Phillips. I feel somelast-mentioned author. Thomson, who refers to him with admiration in his 'Seasons,' spells the name as I have done. Cowper, who also pays a tribute of praise to him in his "Task,' calls him Philips. E. YARDLEY. "To PRIEST" (9th S. iv. 514; v. 10).-It is clear, from the courteous strictures of your more experienced correspondents, that I was hasty in assuming that priested was an unclerical friends, and one, a D.D. of Oxford, desirable neologism. I have appealed to some vicar of an important South London parish, At a fancy dress ball, held at the celebra-assures me that the word is nothing more tion of 1822, the late Mr. James Crossley (one heard bishops and other high dignitaries than ecclesiastical slang," and that he has of the founders of the Chetham Society) laugh at its use. In my friend's words :appeared as a "Lancashire waggoner -a personation a newspaper critic naïvely pronounced " a well-supported character.” RICHARD LAWSON. Lewis, in his 'Topographical Dictionary of England and Wales,' explains that the Preston Guild, or Guilda Mercatoria," a jubilee celebrated every twentieth year, is the tenure by which the freemen retain their privileges. It was originally granted by Henry II., and con priested in Johnson or in any ecclesiastical authority. "I can find no such verb as to priest or to be I do not think any such verb has ever been recognized. Priested is an obvious abbreviation of being made or ordained priest,' in use only among clerics, and not often among them. fession, the clerical not excepted, has its professional Every prophrases, lying outside the dictionary of the average citizen. Such an expression is priested; at least so it seems to me.' Priested, then, is an analogy with knighted. It is curious that in other substantives signi fying rank and cognate participles the sense of the latter does not signify conferring of rank, e.g., captained and marshalled. As to bishoped, my friend reminds me that sixteenth and seventeenth century writers use this term in the sense of "being confirmed by a bishop," in the ceremony of confirmation. He never heard of deaconed; and I wonder whether any one knows of archbishoped. Pace the REV. C. S. WARD, with due respect to him I must still be considered sensitive with regard to these verbs. Brixton Hill. FRANCIS P. MARCHANT. slightest acquaintance with phonetics will show how impossible it is. The evidence seems to show that the right form is hargh; cf. Siritis herche, Niandes-hergh, Solh-her, Bret-hargh. The loss of h in a secondarily accented syllable is common; indeed, it is too common even when the syllable contains the primary accent. If this be so, the origin is perfectly obvious. There was no necessity for Mr. Atkinson to over-resort to Icelandic (with the modified vowel ö), when all the while the word is native English. Of course in the Wessex (AngloSaxon) dialect the a (before rh or rg) will be "broken" to ea. English Dictionary' derives the adj. argh, Thus, just as the 'New timid, from A.-S. earg or earh, so the form hargh is rightly represented by A.-S. hearh (gen. hearges), cognate with Icel. hörgr. The original sense was a heathen altar or heathen temple; and I suppose there is no reason why there may not once have been a temple or place of worship (once heathen) at the places indicated. THE POET PARNELL (9th S. iv. 495; v. 33).— Those interested in the Parnell pedigree may like to know that a branch of this family is located in West Haddon. It is found firmly established in the village as far back as 1682, in which year one Thomas Parnell was churchwarden. His name may still be seen carved over the south porch of the church and also inscribed on the third bell. There have been five generations in this branch since then, in each of which the name Thomas Parnell duly appears. JOHN T. PAGE. West Haddon, Northamptonshire, SIR JOHNS (9th S. iv. 534).-Halliwell gives "Sir-John, a priest," with the following quotation : "With much adoe and great difficultie obteined that a poore chapell, served with a single Sir John, and destitute both of font and churchyard, might remaine standing in the place. - Lambard's 'Perambulation,' 1596, p. 317." A writer on 'Parish Registers,' in Fraser's Magazine for 1861, p. 361, says : come hargh, hergh, argh, ergh in Anglo-French WALTER W. SKEAT. "Sock" (9th S. iv. 539; v. 53).-I was aware that "sock" is quite common, but the other form is, I think, not so common; and it was about this that I inquired. MR. RATCLIFFE says he has heard it at Worksop. This is "In the registers of this period [middle of six-interesting, as proving that it is not purely teenth century] we shall come upon the old terms of local, but it does not throw any light on the 'Sir Knyght and Sir Prieste.'. whilst in the origin of the prefix. churchwardens' books we meet with the more familiar phrase 'Sir John' itself." Gainsborough. H. ANDREWS. C. C. B. LES DÉTENUS (9th S. iv. 288, 354, 425, 522). -My grandfather, Dr. James CarmichaelSmyth, Physician Extraordinary to the King, was in Paris with his wife and two of his children when Napoleon insulted the English ambassador, declared war against England, and thrust some ten thousand English visitors into French fortresses for ten years. As my grandfather had ten children, mostly under age, his detention would have been an awful calamity. Luckily he had travelled in France in his early days, spoke French well, and, after settling in London to practise his profession, carried on a constant correspondence with eminent physicians in Paris on scientific subjects In his distress he applied for their assistance, which was at once accorded. The President and a dozen other Fellows of the College of Physicians robed themselves and waited on the Governor of Paris, Maréchal Miscellaneous. NOTES ON BOOKS, &c. Balmerino and its Abbey. By James Campbell, D.D. (Blackwood & Sons.) tion of the inhabitants of North-East Fife on seeing the Roman fleet sailing up the Firth of Tay. What was the exact scene of the events depicted, inwe must leave to the decision of Scottish anticluding the battle of Mons Grampius or Granpius, quaries. The discoveries of Roman coins favour, at least, the theory that the Romans were at some period in the north-east of Fife, and the description of the Vernicomes of East Fife as a largelimbed, red-haired race, and other particulars given, have all inherent plausibility. Concerning pagan rites, the Beltane, the washing of the face with May dew, and other traces of sun and fire worship still in a modified form traceable among us, Dr. Campbell has something to say. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries what is called parochial history began, and it is in the reign of William the Lion, 1165-1214, that Balmerino is indirectly mentioned. At this time the chronicle portion of the work begins, and we have a consecutive account of the proprietors of Balmerino, and also of the ancient estate, chapel, and castle of Naughton. Part II. is occupied with the History of the Abbey of Balmerino,' the monks of which were Cistercian, as were those of Melrose, Cupar Angus, Culross, and other institutions. Balmerino Abbey itself was founded by Queen Ermengarde, the second wife of William the Lion. The pages describing the foundation of the abbey and supplying the lives of the consecutive abbots constitutes the largest, most important, and most interesting portion of the volume, and seems worthy of publication at some future date in a separate form. After the battle of Pinkie the abbey was surprised and burnt by Admiral Wyndham. The particulars concerning the assault, ignored until the latter half of the present century, are now given in the text or in the appendix. In addition to the geology and botany of the parish, the appendix gives many documents of equal value and interest. We have not dealt with the genealogical portions of the book, which to some will constitute its chief value. The space at our disposal is, however, occupied, and we must leave those interested in Scottish genealogies to turn to them. Campbell has done a sound and important piece of work, to the merits of which we gladly bear testimony. Numerous and well-selected illustrations add to its attractions, and it is in most respects a model of a parish history. WHAT the world elects to regard as a generation has passed since the appearance of the first edition of Dr. Campbell's Balmerino and its Abbey.' That edition, issued in 1867, won respectful recognition. We have not seen it, however, and cannot judge what proportion it bears to the portly volume which now appears. Seven hundred pages, of which the present work consists, seem a good many to bestow upon the history of one parish, however interesting and important. We are of those, however, who advocate the gathering together of local details; and though we concede that much that is now said concerning the parish of Balmerino, of which Dr. Campbell is minister, would be true of other places, we hold that its publication is justifiable and laudable. As regards prehistoric Scotland, the information we possess, drawn from articles of various kinds found imbedded in the soil, though inadequate to our requirements, is trustworthy. Since the appearance of the first edition of Dr. Campbell's work elaborate explorations have been conducted in various parts of Scotland. With these, the testimony of which is practically the same, we find ourselves now and again called upon to deal. In the neighbourhood with which Dr. Campbell is specially concerned, many interesting objects have in recent years been brought to light. In and since 1873, in the highest parts of the district, cists have been examined, and the contents, appetizing rather than satisfying, are now in the private collection of Col. and Mrs. Anstruther Duncan, of Naughton. Still more recently an ancient cairn on the summit of Greenhill has been explored. A burial cist, obviously constructed for some important personage, was found. It had, however, been previously opened, and whatever relics it had contained had been removed. At a previous period many stone coffins Egyptian Ideas of the Future Life. By E. A. had been investigated. Amongst other treasures Wallis Budge, M.A. (Kegan Paul & Co.) two pieces of gold of the combined value of 147. had Egyptian Magic. (Same author and publishers.) been discovered. It is, of course, from the graves THESE two volumes, the first of a series of of celebrated personages that the most interesting "Books on Egypt and Chaldea," by Dr. Budge, objects have been obtained. An inquiry into the the Keeper of the Egyptian and Assyrian Antireason for the interment of these objects would quities in the British Museum, constitute important lead us too far. Our readers are, moreover, too aids in the study of Egyptology. Their pricewell instructed to render comment necessary. Of regarding them as works on a recondite subjectweapons belonging to the Stone Age, and of the brings them within reach of most students, and remains of animals consumed for human support, they will be of extreme utility to those who bestow we hear comparatively little, the district supplying on them the attention they claim. The first volume apparently no caves which were used as human --drawn principally from that strange and imhabitations. A windy day will, however, reveal portant collection of religious texts 'The Book of from under the sand drift flint implements belonging the Dead'-gives as full an insight as, with our to the neolithic period. Remains also exist of hill present knowledge, is obtainable of ideas and beliefs forts, which extended along the north of Fife, but which, in altering forms, have prevailed over many we hear nothing of the vitrified forts which are thousand years. No systematic account of Egyptian found in other portions of Scotland. Recorded ideas concerning the resurrection and the future history begins, of course, A.D. 83, with the descrip-life exists or is to be hoped. Egyptian theology is, tion by Tacitus in the Agricola' of the consterna- however, saturated with the idea. The mummi Dr. |