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, 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 an 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. חא Ancient MS. Account of Britain. - I find the following note in Cooper's Thesaurus Linguæ Romanæ et Britannica, Impressum Londini, 1573, under the word Britannia: "About 30 yeares since it happened 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 out of it, as one would say, hee went to market, when he goeth to Antwarpe," &c. Has this been noticed elsewhere? place by that which came 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 tion of opening those documents to the use of history-in the first place, as showing an intenhistorical 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 per severed 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. SO 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 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 Ellissen; 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 Buttel 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. LINGUET. PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYS ON MONACHISм. 1776. ENCHIRIDION LEONIS PAPE. MACNAB'S THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE. 1818. * Letters stating particulars and lowest price, earriage 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. Н. Т. Archœus. 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 (48. 4d.). A neat Case for holding the Numbers of "NOTES AND QUERIES," until the completion of each volume, is now ready, price 18. 6d., and may be had, by Order, of all Book sellers and Newsmen. We are again compelled to omit many Notes, Queries, and Answers to Queries, as well as Answers to Correspondents. Printedly THOMAS CLARK SHAW, of No. 8. New Street Square, at No. 5. New Street Square, in the Parish of St. Bride, in the City of London; and published by GEORGE BELL, of No. 186. Fleet Street, in the Parish of St. Dunstan in the West, in the City of London, Publisher, at No. 186. Fleet Street aforesaid. - Saturday, January 12, 1850, A MEDIUM OF INTER-COMMUNICATION FOR LITERARY MEN, ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC. 185 Pictures in Churches 183 A second edition was printed by John King183 ston, in 1564, with no other variation, I believe, than in the orthography. Haslewood, in a note on the fly-leaf of my copy, says: 184 184 184 185 MISCELLANIES - including ANSWERS TO MINOR QUERIES: - Notes on Books, Sales, Catalogues, &c. Notices to Correspondents - 189 190 190 "Notwithstanding the fame of Erasmus, and the reputation of his translator, this volume has not obtained that notice which, either from its date or value, might be justly expected. Were its claim only founded on the colloquial notes of Udall, it is entitled to consideration, as therein may be traced several of the familiar phrases and common-place idioms, which have occasioned many conjectural speculations among the aunotators upon our early drama," The work consists of only two books of the original, comprising the apophthegms of Socrates, 191 Aristippus, Diogenes, Philippus, Alexander, Antigonus, Augustus Cæsar, Julius Cæsar, Pompey, Phocion, Cicero, and Demosthenes. ORIGIN OF A WELL-KNOWN PASSAGE IN HUDIBRAS. On folio 239. occurs the following apophthegm, which is the one relating to the subject before us: "That same man, that renneth awaie, "Judgeyng that it is more for the benefite of one's countree to renne awaie in battaile, then to lese his life. For a ded man can fight no more; but who hath saved hymself alive, by rennyng awaie, may, in many battailles mo, doe good service to his countree. "§ At lest wise, if it be a poinct of good service, to renne awaie at all times, when the countree hath most neede of his helpe to sticke to it." Thus we are enabled to throw back more than a century these famous Hudibrastic lines, which have occasioned so many inquiries for their origin. I take this opportunity of noticing a mistake which has frequently been made concerning the French translation of Butler's Hudibras. Tytler, in his Essay on Translation; Nichols, in his Biographical Anecdotes of Hogarth; and Ray, in his FIELD OF THE BROTHERS' FOOTSTEPS. I do not think that Mr. Cunningham, in his valuable work, has given any account of a piece of ground of which a strange story is recorded by Southey, in his Common-Place Book (Second Series, p. 21.). After quoting a letter received from a friend, recommending him to "take a view of those wonderful marks of the Lord's hatred to duelling, called The Brothers' Steps," and giving him the description of the locality, Mr. Southey gives an account of his own visit to the spot (a field supposed to bear ineffaceable marks of the footsteps of two brothers, who fought a fatal duel about a love affair) in these words: - "We sought for near half an hour in vain. We could find no steps at all, within a quarter of a mile, no nor half a mile, of Montague House. We were almost out of hope, when an honest man who was at work directed us to the next ground adjoining to a pond. There we found what we sought, about three quarters of a mile north of Montague House, and about 500 yards east of Tottenham Court Road. The steps answer Mr. Walsh's description. They are of the size of a large human foot, about three inches deep, and lie nearly from north-east to south-west. We counted only seventy-six, but we were not exact in counting. The pla place where one or both the brothers are supposed to have fallen, is still bare of grass. The labourer also showed us the bank where (the tradition is) the wretched woman sat to see the combat." Mr. Southey then goes on to speak of his full confidence in the tradition of their indestructibility, even after ploughing up, and of the conclusions to be drawn from the circumstance. To this long note, I beg to append a query, as to the latest account of these footsteps, previous to the ground being built over, as it evidently now must be. G. H. B. ON AUTHORS AND BOOKS, NO. 4. Verse may picture the feelings of the author, or it may only picture his fancy. To assume the former position, is not always safe; and in two memorable instances a series of sonnets has been used to construct a baseless fabric of biography. In the accompanying sonnet, there is no such uncertainty. It was communicated to me by John Adamson, Esq., M.R.S.L., &c., honourably known by a translation of the tragedy of Dona Ignez de Castro, from the Portuguese of Nicola Luiz, and by a Memoir of the life and writings of Camoens, &c. It was not intended for publication, but now appears, at my request. Mr. Adamson, it should be stated, is a corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Lisbon, and has received diplomas of the orders of Christ and the Tower-and-Sword. The coming storm alludes to the menace 'of invasion by France. "SONNET. "O Portugal! whene'er I see thy name What proud emotions rise within my breast! I learn'd to commune with those writers old Departed bards in converse sweet I met, I venture to add the titles of two interesting volumes which have been printed subsequently to the publications of Lowndes and Martin. It may be a useful hint to students and collectors: "BIBLIOTHECA Lusitana, or catalogue of books and tracts, relating to the history, literature, and poetry, of Portugal: forming part of the library of John Adamson, M. R. S. L. etc. Newcastle on Tyne, 1836. 8νο. "LUSITANIA ILLUSTRATA; notices on the history, antiquities, literature, etc. of Portugal. Literary department. Part 1. Selection of sonnets, with biographical Sketches of the authors, by John Adamson, M. R. S. L. etc. Newcastle upon Tyne, 1842. 8vo." BOLTON CORNEY. RECEIPTS TO THE BEGGAR'S OPERA ON ITS Every body is aware of the prodigious and unexpected success of Gay's Beggar's Opera on its first production; it was offered to Colley Cibber at Drury Lane, and refused, and the author took it to Rich, at the Lincoln's-Inn-Fields theatre, by whom it was accepted, but not without hesitation. It ran for 62 nights (not 63 nights, as has been stated in some authorities) in the season of 1727-1728: of these, 32 nights were in succession; and, from the original Accountbook of the manager, C. M. Rich, I am enabled to give an exact statement of the money taken at the doors on each night, distinguishing such performances as were for the benefit of the author, viz. the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 15th nights, which put exactly 6931. 13s. 6d. into Gay's pocket. This is a new circumstance in the biography of one of our most fascinating English writers, whether in prose or verse. Rich records that the king, queen, and |