"But say what art thou, strange unsearchable thing, That dares to speak treason and waylay a king?' Proud monarch! I dwelt in the asphodel bowers Of Eden, and poison I strewed o'er the flowers. "Mid darkness and storm o'er the ocean I sail, I ride on the tempest when Death wings the gale; Undying the worm is, unquenched is the flame! Unriddle my riddle, and tell me my name !' “Pale, pale grew the monarch, and smote on his breast, For who was the prophet he wittingly guest. 'O Jesu-Maria!' he faltered and said'Holy Virgin!'-he gazed, but the vision had fled. "Winter's crystals are glittering the verdureless trees, green. those accidental slips I wish to make a few remarks, not at all in the spirit of cavil, but by calling attention to the ludicrous side to suggest better care in future. I have before me "A New Pocket Dictionary of the English and German Languages, Leipzig, Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1868.” The title is double, in English and German; and from the directions as to pronunciation, and the "Tabelle der Aussprache," the English-German portion is evidently intended for Continental students. On the dictionary itself I will make no remarks; my strictures applying exclusively to the "Table of the irregular Verbs and their Inflections," given at the close. These are apparently taken from an old edition of Johnson, many of them obsolete even at that time, and are put forward in all good faith as representative pro tanto of the current English of the present day. Imagine a zealous German student of English arriving in England, dictionary in hand, and inditing such an epistle as the following, which would be couched in perfectly grammatical and colloquial language ac "Loud, loud twangs the bow-string-the snow hath a cording to the authority:stain; The steed hath no rider, the tyrant is slain. A demon's hoarse laughter is echoed around, And the foresters tremble aghast at the sound. "In Malwood is silent the light-hearted glee, The dance and the wassail, the wild revelrie. Its chambers are dreary, deserted, and lone; The day of its greatness for ever hath flown. "A wailing is heard in St. Swithin's huge pile, Mournful melody floats through the sable-dight aisle ; The dirge for the mighty, the mass for the dead,. The deep solemn requiem for William the Red." The chap-book from which the above extract was made has been already described in "N. & Q." The legend of the winter-blooming oak was in the same book, but unfortunately I neglected to make an extract. The demon-monk is alluded to by William of Malmsbury and other old chroniclers; but doubts are entertained by them as to the supernatural part of the story. The death of William did not occur in winter, but in summer, if the best authorities are to be credited. JAMES HENRY DIXON. GERMAN-ENGLISH. The neat little volumes which emanate from the press of "Bernhard Tauchnitz, Leipzig," are in general worthy of all commendation, for their cheapness, their handy size, and careful editing. The Christian world owes the baron (for such I believe he is) a debt of gratitude for the one thousandth volume of his series, being the Tischendorf edition of the New Testament in English. The Latin proverb is, nevertheless, true: "Aliquando dormitat bonus Homerus." On one of It "Dear Max,-I arrived in London yesterday. snew (snowed) so heavily that I fraught (freighted) a cab, but I was overraught (overreached) by the driver. When I offered him a shilling, he lough (laughed) at me, and pight (pitched) it on the ground; but I straught (stretched) out my hand, and picked it up. He then wox (waxed) angry, but I unpaid (did not pay) him any more. I then walked until I het (heated) myself, but still I unsweat (did not sweat). Then I raught (reached) a restaurant, where I lit (lighted) on good fare. The meat got was backen (baked). I here met with an accident. I lent (leaned) on the table and ran a fork into my finger. My hand smart (smarted) with the pain. I asked what I ought (owed), and found the charge reasonable. On my way to my lodgings I foreseen (foresaw) some difficulty in finding my way, and beseeched (besought) information. I had nearly been lorn of the streets, and updrew (drew up) at last at the proper (lost), but I catched (caught) the names at the corners place. "I forethink (intend) to uprise early to-morrow, and to fleet (pass) the day at Richmond, unless the rain should spet (pour). I shall forespeak a cab to-night. I must upwind this letter, or it will upgrow to too great a length. "Thine ever, "LUDWIG Doppeladler." Every expression here quoted is English of the olden time, and is given in the list of verbs in the dictionary, without the least intimation that it is not comme il faut at the present day. When the next edition is published, I would recommend the compiler to culf his phraseology from a source somewhat more modern. Sandyknowe, Wavertree, Liverpool. J. A. PICTON. UNPUBLISHED ANECDOTES OF EDMUND ALSO OF MRS. HATTON, SISTER OF J. P. KEMBLE. During a recent visit to South Wales I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of a gentleman whose retentive memory was well stored with personal reminiscences of the last half century. He related many anecdotes of celebrities of bygone days, of which the two following are so interesting that, for the benefit of the readers of "N. &Q." I took the liberty of asking him to give them to me in writing for publication. This he most obligingly did, and the following is an extract from his letter: "Edmund Kean, during the period of his wanderings in early life, made a short sojourn in Swansea, where an inducement was held out to him of taking up his abode permanently as a dancing-master and teacher of fencinga proposal he consented to adopt, provided twelve dancing pupils could be insured to commence with; the writer's sister, then a little girl, being one of those promised; but the stipulated number not being forthcoming, the design was abandoned, and Kean departed on that onward career which soon afterwards led him to fame. The following adventure, characteristic of the man, occurred at this time. A fine old ruin-the Oystermouth Castle was reputed, like many similar places, to be enlivened by the periodical visits of a ghost. A conversation one day on this subject led to a wager, the conditions being that Kean should occupy on an appointed night, from 10 o'clock P.M. to 2 A.M., the chamber generally supposed to be the favoured haunt of the phantom-Kean to have the benefit of a fire and the inevitable bottle of wine. Towards midnight the apparition presented itself in the true orthodox attire of a white wrapper, &c., accompanied by the sound of clanking chains and a gong. Kean bounded forward, drawing a rapier hitherto concealed, upon which the ghost prudently took to his heels, but not without a delicate touch of the weapon, producing a roar unmistakably of this world, the supernatural part of the business ending with a rush to the rescue by the ghost's accomplices. The whole party next day enjoyed the proceeds of the bet in the shape of a dinner, which, as may be supposed, was a joyous affair." "Mrs. Hatton, the sister of J. P. Kemble and Mrs. Siddons, resided for many years and died in Swansea. For a considerable period of her later life she had been confined to her house by an accident which disabled her from the future exercise of her profession on the stage, and she received an annuity jointly contributed by her brother and sister, Mr. John Kemble and Mrs. Siddons. This annuity was at one period withdrawn under the following circumstances:-Mrs. Hatton wrote a work in three volumes entitled Chronicles of Gooselake,* in other words, Annals of Swansea; also some brochures, in which several of the leading residents of that day, believing themselves, whether justly or not, to be the objects of satirical allusion, addressed to Mr. Kemble a request that he would use his influence to induce his sister to desist from further proceedings of this kind. His letter of expostulation had the effect of arousing the Kemble blood in this high spirited lady, eliciting from her the reply that she would not continue to accept the annuity sub A number of Mrs. Hatton's works are in the British Museum Library, to be found under her nom de plume, "Anne of Swansea," but this Chronicle of Gooselake is not among them. jeet to any conditions or interference with her free action; the correspondence resulting, as stated before, in the annuity being withdrawn. During its suspension Mrs. Hatton was reduced to considerable straits, earning an inadequate livelihood from the precarious results of au thorship. On one occasion, being so occupied while confined to her bed by illness, an acquaintance called, and and unknown to Mrs. Hatton represented her case to Mr. was so affected by the scene presented that he at once Kemble, who, to his honour, immediately and unconditionally caused the annuity to be restored. For many years she was in the habit of periodically receiving a circle of friends, whom she entertained by readings of uncommon power and pathos from various dramatic and other works, together with an almost endless repertoire of anecdotes, principally derived from her own acquaintance and observation of scenes and persons eminent and interesting in their day. I was often one of her guests on those occasions. The only memento in Swansea of this lady that I am aware of is contained in the collection of the Swansea Museum-a cast of her head." GOVERNOR WALKER'S SWORD. J. P. The following letter published in the Belfast News Letter of Nov. 1, 1870, deserves preservation in the columns of "N. & Q." W. H. PATTERSON. "Sir, I have had an opportunity of examining a sword which was worn by Governor Walker during the siege of Derry, and as this interesting relique is now in private hands, it occurred to me that a notice of it might be of interest to your readers, particularly as I think there can be no doubt regarding its genuineness. The history of the sword is briefly this:-Down to the end of last century it remained in the hands of members of the Walker family, relatives of Governor Walker, and by them it was always known as The Governor's little dagger,' the surname naturally being omitted by a family of the same name. The story which accompanied it was that it was Governor Walker's constant companion during the whole of the siege. About seventy years ago the sword was given by a Miss Walker to Mr. Basil Gray, a gentleman to whom she was engaged, and who was residing at that time in the county of Derry. Mr. Gray possessed the sword for many years, and, on his deathbed, gave it as a most valuable keepsake to his friend Mr. O'Donnel, an officer of constabulary, then stationed in the county of Derry. Mr. Gray died at Coleraine, and so great was the friendship between him and Mr. O'Donnel, that Mr. O'Donnel had him buried in his own family burying-ground. The sword is at present in the possession of the writer, but belongs to a member of Mr. O'Donnel's family. The sword is small, straight, and light. Its length is exactly 24 inches; the blade is 19 inches long, and 1 inch broad, double-edged for five inches. The hilt is covered with leather, and is lapped spirally with fine twisted silver wire. There is an S-shaped steel guard 3 inches long between the blade and hilt. The scabbard is of leather, bound with iron in the usual way, but having, like a bayonet scabbard, a stud for attaching it to a belt. The most interesting thing about the sword itself is the motto, or inscription on the blade. This has become rather faint from the effect of cleaning, &c., but as it is repeated on both sides of the blade, it can be made out easily. The inscription, which is in fine Roman capitals and in two lines, reads thus :— X WHO X LOVES ME × LET × HIM × WEARE X ME "The blade is fluted, and the inscription is placed in two of the flutes. The smith has left the o' out of ' resolved' in both places. I am not sure that the sense is continued from the first line to the second, and that, therefore, the inscription should be regarded as one motto, or as two distinct mottoes. Sword-blade mottoes were much used in former times, and some antiquaries and others have collected large numbers of them. "If the foregoing inscription has been noticed before, I should much like to know if it occurs in precisely the same form. Perhaps some of your correspondents could throw light on the subject.-I am yours, &c. W. H. P. "Belfast, Oct. 31, 1870." BARBARA HOOLE.-Nineteen poems by this lady were originally printed in the Hull Advertiser, between July 26, 1794, and March 24, 1798. Some are signed "Nemorina," the others "Penseroso," and all are written from Sheffield save the last, which is from Bristol. On pp. 63-68 of Poems by Barbara Hoole, Sheffield, 1805, is an "Ode on the Death of the Rev. Thomas Browne, late of Hull." This had previously been printed (with some variations) in Poems on several Occasions, by the late Rev. Thomas Browne, of Kingston-upon-Hull, 1800, pp. 171-5, and is there signed "Nemorina"; and p. 169 has a sonnet to the memory of Mr. Browne, bearing the same signature, which was printed in the Hull Advertiser March 24, 1798. One of Mr. Browne's poems (p. 66) is "addressed to a young lady, who wrote many beautiful poetical pieces, which appeared in the Hull Advertiser, signed 'Nemorina." The list of subscribers to Mr. Browne's Poems contains "Mrs. B. Hoole, Sheffield, two copies." Mr. Browne had been the editor of the Hull Advertiser (see "N. & Q." 3rd S. viii. 94), and many of his own poems first appeared in that paper signed "Alexis" or A." Only eleven of the nineteen poems by Barbara Hoole are reprinted in her volume of Poems, 1805. One of the seven omitted is addressed to "Alexis." Hull. W. C. B. CRUCIFIX FOUND IN WOMERSLEY CHURCH.When the fine church of Womersley, near Pontefract, was undergoing restoration, a large crucifix was discovered, once apparently richly set with jewels. It is now carefully preserved at the hall, and I was told, that the circumstance of the feet of the Saviour's figure being placed side by side and pierced each by a nail, afforded strong evidence for assigning an earlier date to it than the thirteenth century. About and after that period the feet were crossed and transfixed by a single nail. No doubt your learned and accurate correspondent F. C. H. will be able to tell me whether this statement is accurate or not. At the back of the crucifix was another representation of the Saviour, incised in the metal covering, proving it to have been used in processions-so that those who followed after might gaze on the suffering Lord. The cross was a Greek one in form, and, as far as I recollect, about a foot in length. JOHN PICKFORD, M.A. Bolton Percy, near Tadcaster. APRIL FOOL.-I see two allusions in "N. & Q." to April Fool's Day, but neither has reference to its origin. It would appear that this lies with the Jews; my authority being Whitaker's Almanack for the current year, where the following extract is given from the Public Advertiser of April 13, 1789: "Humorous Jewish Origin of the Custom of making from the mistake of Noah, in sending the dove out of the Fools on the First of April.-This is said to have begun ark before the water had abated, on the first day of the month among the Hebrews, which answers to the first of April; and to perpetuate the memory of this deliverance, it was thought proper, whoever forgot so remarkable a circumstance, to punish them by sending them upon some sleeveless errand similar to that ineffectual message upon which the bird was sent by the patriarch. The custom appears to be of great antiquity, and to have been derived by the Romans from some of the Eastern nations." The last paragraph is a little obscure; for if "from some of the Eastern nations," why not from the Jews themselves direct? W. T. M. COINCIDENCES.-The reviewer in The Athenæum of the Rev. Thomas Corser's Collectanea AngloPoetica, remarking on the similarity of thoughts in different authors, says:— it "When we meet with the passage 'Nor God alone in the still calm we find, He mounts the storm and walks upon the wind'is impossible not to be reminded of Addison's line in the 'Campaign '— 'Rides on the whirlwind and directs the storm.'" But are we not also reminded of two passages in the Psalms, which were doubtless in the meother bards who have used the same imagery? mory of both the poets, as also in Cowper's and Thus Ps. xviii. 10: "He rode upon the cherubims and did fly: he came flying upon the wings of the wind." and Ps. civ. 3: .... and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind." J. A. G. Carisbrooke. GREEK ON INN SIGNS.-In A Sketch of the History of Kirkstall Abbey, by S. S. Hilton (12mo, pp. 44, Leeds, 1806), I read (on p. 44) concerning the Star and Garter inn at Kirkstall Bridge, that it is "probably the only one in the kingdom whose sign is adorned with a Greek motto: Tò pérov. I can, however, name another: the Hildyard Arms at Patrington, East Yorkshire, which bears, of course, the motto of that family (already discussed in your pages, 4th S. iv. 297, 371; v. 24): wλéov I TAVTOS. Hull. W. C. B. "Cette forme de déclaration de guerre, conservée par la tradition, est curieuse : nous ne l'avons vue nulle part ailleurs." The readers of "N. & Q." perhaps some one of them has nate than M. Souvestre, and light on this tradition. read everything: BALLOON POST.—I have just received a letter from Paris written' on paper supplied by the government. The paper consists of a single sheet, post 8vo, and when folded up presents the following inscriptions on the front and back of the letter. On the front, above the lines for the address, is a vignette, which represents two hands joined in fess, above them a tablet inscribed "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité"; over which is a dexter hand erect, the first and second fingers elevated towards the words "République Française," which are surrounded by rays of light; the whole flanked by banners and oak and laurel branches, and from beneath depends an anchor. In the left-hand corner is printed" Par Ballon monté-Décret du 26 septembre 1870." A thirty centime stamp of the late empire is in the usual place. Beneath the address is Art. 2. Le poids des lettres expédiées par les aérostats ne devra pas dépasser 4 grammes." On the back : 66 Peuples insensés, nous égorgerons-nous toujours pour le plaisir et l'orgueil des rois? .. Gloire et conquêtes signifient crimes; défaite signifie haine et désir de vengeance... Une seule guerre est juste et sainte: celle de l'Indépendance... Paris défie l'ennemi. France, cipite-toi toute entière. Mort aux envahisseurs!" Beneath these sentences is a translation in outrageous German-e. g. Gloire is translated Frevel; the War of Independence is rendered das Unhabhängige, and the last sentence commences "Paris trotzt den Feind." The letter bears the Paris post-mark, "31 octobre," and the London stamp, November 5. WRONG DATES IN CERTAIN BIOGRAPHIES.In continuation of a recent note by one of your state that I have found the majority of memoir correspondents (4th S. vi. 341), permit me to writers most inaccurate as to dates. Popular books of biography are especially at fault in this respect; the writers not consulting even readily available sources of information. For example, in 1856 I published a memoir of James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, in the second volume of the Modern Scottish Minstrel-in which by a reference to the baptismal record of the parish of Ettrick I corrected the date of the Shepherd's birth, as previously set forth by his biographers. I showed that he could not have been born on January 25, 1772, since he was baptized on December 9, 1770! Yet the Rev. Thomas Thomson in a memoir of the poet prefixed to the octavo edition of his works, published by Messrs. Blackie of Glasgow in 1865, has repeated the original error. In the Scottish Nation the late Mr. William Anderson states that John Gibson Lockhart" was born in Glasgow in 1793." From a member of his family I received a narrative, setting forth that he was born in the Manse of Cambusnethan on June 14, 1794; but on examining the parish register of Cambusnethan, I found that he first saw the light on June 12 of that year. Another friend of Sir Walter Scott, Archibald Constable, the distinguished publisher, is reprepré-sented in all his memoirs as having been born in the parish of Carnbee, Fifeshire, on February 24, 1775. From the baptismal register of Carnbee parish, a few days ago, I made the following Thomas Constable extract. "1773, Feb. 24. and Elizabeth Myles had a child born, and bapvarious memoirs of Lady Anne Barnard née Lindtized on the 27th, named Archibald." In the say, authoress of "Auld Robin Gray," December 8, 1750, is assigned as the date of her birth. From the baptismal register of Kilconquhar, her native parish, I have transcribed what follows: J. E. CUSSANS. MADAME DE SÉVIGNÉ.-For the last few years I have read everything which came to hand regarding this estimable lady, without being able to discover that the writers had read through the whole of the letters to her daughter on which her fame is founded. If they had done so, I think much may have been discovered to qualify the unlimited praise usually bestowed on the letters in their occasional grossness, as we now understand the expression. Or may this reticence be held as another proof of the ultra-refinement in literature which is now becoming so fashionable? I do not Balearras, and his Lady, Anne Dalrymple, had a child To this subject I shall probably return. Snowdoun Villa, Lewisham, S.E. Queries. MOULSON OF WHEELOCK AND KENSINGTON, WEST DERBY, AND ASHBURNER. Perhaps the following curious letter* may, at a time like the present, not be uninteresting. I have recently discovered it among some last-century papers that came to me some years ago, and am desirous of some information respecting the descendants of the writer and his correspondent's family. The letter is interesting as being from a Frenchman, the head of a French branch (of two or three generations) of an English family, and written about a year before the commencement of the French revolution, and five years before the murder of the king (Louis XVÏ.), mentioned in the letter. The writer was a commodore in the French navy, and at the date of this letter was Commandant of Dunkirk, receiving that appointment, as appears from other letters, from the king in consideration of the bad health of his wife, and when he was about to join his division of the French fleet at Toulon. This speaks well for Louis XVI.: · "Dear Cousin, "Dunkerque, Janry. 26, 1788. "I received with the greatest pleasure in life your kind favour of ye 23rd of last month, and am happy to hear that you and family are well; but since my last to you I have had the unhappy misfortune to undergo the cruel fate of providence in being bereaved of my bosom friend, who, after a cruel and long fit of sickness, departed this life on the 4th of June last, much regretted by all that knew her, but the greatest loss on me. She was only come to the age of twenty-one, and all that she left to console me in this life are two fine boys: one five years of age, and the other eighteen months. They amuse me in the evening with their little chattering notes, which helps to pass away, my weary time; but all their little enchantments can't make me forget the many sociable hours passed in company with their dear Mamma, who, without flattery, was allowed by all that were acquainted with her to be one of the finest of women, in person and quality-with whom I was happy for the small space of six years, and then obliged to part with her in the flower of her age and height of our happiness. The long sickness of my dear wife kept me from going to Toulon to join my Division; and, before all my family affairs are settled, his Majesty hath honored me with the command of this port, where I hope to stay for some time, a place of honor and ease; as there come but few ships of his Majesty here, I have but little trouble on me. "I wrote to your brother for an abstract from the College of Arms of our family, but he did not understand what I would have, or he could not find an account of the family; but since that time, I made it my business to go to London on that purpose, where I find that our forefathers hath (sic) been very neglectful in their entries, for I only find a list so low as Mr. Thomas Moulson, son and heir. I think that he must have been your father's grandfather; and as I mean to bring up the list of my family, if you and your brother will be so good as to send me a list of all our family on your side the water, I will have them inregistered also; for it will cost me no *On two sheets, one having a German water-mark"Sebille van Ketel and Wassenberch." more to inregister fifty in a generation than one person, and it is extremely necessary for our family to be kept up in the College of Arms. I find that we are truly descended from the co-heirs of Rosengrave, Orbs, and Hargrave; which, for my children's sake, I intend to revive in the College of Heraldry at Paris, by which they become noble of France, although I find that the family hath lost all claims of that nature in England. I hope to hear from you oftener than what I have heretofore; for I shall ever be happy to hear from any of my family, although I am an open enemy to the country in which my grandfather first drew the breath of life. Give me leave to acknowledge to you that the ties of relations shall never be forgotten in me, and I declare to you that had not it been for the press, that broke out at the time I was at London, I should have come to Liverpool, although I could not have been good company at that time, as my late misfortune lay heavy upon me after so short a date; but, thanks be to him that is all supreme, I find myself greatly reconciled in my unhappy state by the help of a natural philosophy, which every man should make use of on such occasions. 66 Be so kind as to give my greatest and most respectful compliments to your good husband and children, your brother and family, wishing that you may all live to see many happy years like this in peace and tranquillity. If my place doth not keep me too much employed the next spring, I intend to call over and see you; but it is uncertain; for, in case of a movement in the navy, I shall find work sufficient to keep me here. "I hear by a captain from your port, that Miss Moulson, your brother's daughter, is going to take upon herself a married life; and as I hear that she is very handsome, I hope her fortune will be equivalent to her beauty. "I see, often, persons that inform me of your brother and family; but not one that knows you, which I suppose must be occasioned by his living so much nearer the harbour than what you do. "Adieu! for this time. I leave you here to judge by this evening's pen [peen,' sic original] how my case is at present, and still remain, "Dear Cousin, "Your most obedient and affectionate Cousin, "MOULSON." "This ffor Mrs. Mary Ashburner of the Lowe Hill, West Darby, by Liverpool, England." There It is impossible to read this letter without feeling a strong regard for the love and patriotism of the writer. His and his father's birthplace was France: they were both bred Frenchmen, but in the midst of war the son appears not to. have forgotten that he was an Englishman by the male and chief blood; his mother, and perhaps grandmother also, being French women. is a charm in the way this English-Frenchman speaks of his youthful wife and their offspring, that is not altogether French nor perhaps much English, in the present day. Marriages in those times were early in France, and Madame Moulson appears to have been of the age of fifteen on her marriage to Monsieur; whilst the latter was about forty-which may account for the depth of his affection, and be some sort of a warranty that she was perfectly worthy of it. The letter itself (though the handwriting is refined and full of |