ROPE-TYING.-There is a passage in the life of Apollonius of Tyana which has a curious bearing on the performances of the Brothers Davenport. Apollonius, according to Lucian, was a skilful magician, and made a profession of it; but his biographer, Philostratus, portrays him as a philosopher, with the power of performing miracles. I have not access to the original; but, in Tillemont's Life of Apollonius Tyaneus, which is compiled from Philostratus, it is stated that, being imprisoned by the Emperor Domitian

"whilst he was in chains he assured Damis, his pupil, who followed him into prison, that Domitian could do him no hurt. And, to show him what he could do, he freed his leg from the chain which was fastened about it, and then put his leg into the chain again."

Tillemont quotes this from Philostratus, Vita Apoll. Thyan., c. xv. pp. 366, 367. Apollonius had visited India, and professed to have acquired much of his skill amongst the Brahmans.

J. EMERSON TENNENT.

"COOPER."-The following passage from Every Day Papers by Andrew Halliday, Lond. 1864, ii. 257, explains the origin of this mixture of stout and porter:

"Some brewers, who are jealous for the reputation of their beer, employ a traveller, who visits the houses periodically, and tastes the various beers, to see that they are not reduced too much. This functionary is called the Broad Cooper. When the Broad Cooper looks in upon Mr. Noggins, and wants to taste the porter, and the porter is below the mark, Mr. Noggins slyly draws a dash of stout into it. And this trick is so common and so well known, that a mixture of stout and porter has come to be known to the public and asked for by the name of "Cooper."

T. C. DUCHESS OF QUEENSBURY. Walpole, in his Letter to Montagu of May 18, 1749, describing an entertainment given by the Duke and Duchess of Richmond, speaks of this eccentric lady "in her forlorn trim-a white apron and a white hood; and would make the Duke swallow all her undress." Upon which the editor has the following

note:

"I was at an auction of books, at Tom's Coffee House,

near Ludgate, where were above fifty people. Books were sold with a great deal of trifling and delay, as with us, but very cheap; those excellent authors, Mounsieur Maimbourg, Mounsieur Varillas, and Mounsieur le Grand, tho' they were all guilt [sic] on the back, and would have made a very considerable figure in a gentleman's study, yet after much tediousness were sold for such trifling sums, that I am asham'd to name 'em."

The book from which I quote, is rather curious, being "after the ingenuous method" of Dr. Martin Lister's Journey to Paris in 1698, of which, as I understand, an excellent notice may be found in the Retrospective Review, xiii. 95–109. Авива.

JOHNSONIANA. There are many phrases and peculiar expressions in current use in this present nineteenth century, which, we flatter ourselves, are of recent invention; but which may, nevertheless, be traced back to the sturdy old lexicographer. One of these comes across me as I turn over some of Boswell's "magnetic" pages. The Doctor is writing to console his friend Dr. Lawrence on the loss of his wife, and uses the following magnificent language:

"He that outlives a wife whom he has long loved, sees himself disjoined from the only mind that has the same hopes, and fears, and interest; from the only companion with whom he has shared much good or evil: and with whom he could set his mind at liberty to retrace the past, or anticipate the future. The continuity of being is lacerated," &c.

My remark applies to the phrase "continuity of anything." I apprehend this to have been perfectly new at the time it was used: one, in fact, of Johnson's own creating. It is of great force and elegance; but, if I mistake not, nine out of ten would look on it as a Gallicism of our own day. In French physical works, we continually read of a solution of continuity" instead of a break, &c. This query, therefore, arises: Ias any French author so used the word continuity before Johnson? Or, can any French author be supposed indebted to Johnson for it? PHILOLOGUS.

AMERICAN DEPRECIATION OF CURRENCY. - In December, 1779, and in the state of Maryland, an English officer (one of the convention troops) re(Aubury, ii. 492), he has printed in full length. ceived an innkeeper's bill which, in his Travels amounting in paper money to 7321.; and this bil he paid in gold with four guineas and a hal Englishman paid a debt of 1551, to an America (Mahon's England, vi. 416). In other words, the with the value of one sovereign. At this time General Washington said, "A waggon-load o money will now scarcely purchase a waggon-loa of provisions." It is just now an interesting question to Americans, Who lost the differenc between 7321. and 47. 14s. 6d. ?"

T. J. BUCK TON.

"TURNING THE TABLES."-Instead of considering this proverb, or saying, as a metaphor taken from the vicissitudes of fortune between two opponents at a gaming-table, or backgammon (as suggested to MIRGLIP in the Notice to Correspondents, 3rd S. vi. 140), its origin, I am disposed to believe, may be traced to a passage in Pliny. During the Augustan age, the Romans expended inordinate sums of money on tables made of the most costly materials: of ivory, gold, silver, marble, and highly-prized woods. The citrus-wood, the produce of the forests of Mount Atlas (Plin. xiii. c. 29) became at one period the most valued and attractive material for the purpose. These tables were denominated Tigrine, or Pantherine, from the spots of the grain-the lines of which also resembled, at times, the eyes of a peacock's tail: pavonum caudæ oculos" (Plin. loc. cit. e. 31). The price of a single table equalled Senator's income (Seneca, De Benef., vii. 9, p. 136). Cicero, notwithstanding his comparatively moderate means, gave no less than one million sesterces-about 9,000l. sterling (Plin. loc. cit. c. 29). And the sale for its weight in gold, of one belonging to Ptolemæus, King of Mauretania, proves Martial's Epigram to be no exaggeration : —

"Accipe felices, Atlantica munera, sylvas :
Aurea si dederit dona, minora dabit."-xiv. 89.
"This citrus table Mount Atlas sends to thee,

a

quas

Were it of pure gold, the gift far less would be." "Mensarum insaniæ," observes Pliny, 66 fœminæ viris contra margaritas regerunt." Wives, when reproached for extravagance in pearls, retort the table-mania (that is, turn the tables,) on their husbands." W. PLATT. Conservative Club.

"RED stand for Richarde Earle of Dorset, whose Book this formerly was, and by his daughter, Margaret Countess Dowager of Thanet (together with seaven other books, all of the same binding), was since left as part of 1676," her legacy to me.

(Signed with a monogram formed of the letters C and H, surmounted with a Viscount's coronet, neatly outlined.)

The date refers to the year when the Dowager Countess of Thanet died, Christopher Lord Hatton not being created a Viscount until 1682. Richard Earl of Dorset died 1624. He was the first husband of the more celebrated Anne Clifford, Countess of Dorset, Pembroke, and Montgomery. Their daughter, Lady Margaret Sackville, married, 1629, John Tufton, Earl of Thanet, and died his widow August 14, 1676. Her daughter, Lady Cecilia Tufton, was the first wife of Christopher, second Baron Hatton, and afterwards Viscount Hatton. Margaret, Countess Dowager of Thanet, by her will, dated June 20, 1676, proved at Doctors' Commons (Bence, 106), gives to her daughter, the Lady Anne Grimstone, her jewels, pictures, coins, china, and books of what sort so

"I give to my son-in-law, the Lord Hatton, 1007.; and also my said eight books, covered with red velvett, and marked with the letters R. E. D."

The death of her daughter, Lady Cecilia Hatton, was a dreadful event. Her husband and his family were residing, when he was governor of Guernsey, 1672, at Cornet Castle, in Guernsey. The magazine of powder was fired in the night by lightning; the lady and several of her women were blown into the sea and killed. Lord Hatton was blown through the window of his bedroom upon the ramparts of the castle, but he and his children received little injury. One of the children, an infant, was found the next day alive, sleeping in its cradle under a beam. Aubrey, tho antiquary, tells a remarkable story, how "the Countess of Thanet saw, as she was in bed in London (the candle then burning in her chamber), the apparition of her daughter, my Lady Hatton,"

...

"who was then in Northamptonshire," so that it must have been sometime before this catastrophe. It is probable that on the death of Viscount Hatton, 1706, the eight volumes went to the Finch family, Anne Hatton, only surviving child of Cecilia Lady Hatton, having married Daniel Finch, Earl of Nottingham, from whom descended the Earls of Nottingham and Winchelsea.

Melford, Suffolk.

RICHD. ALMACK.

John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, to Mr. (afterwards Sir William) Cecil, 1st Feby. 1547-8.

"After my right harty commendacions thies may be to require you to gyve credyte to this berer, my servunt; who shall at lengith shew you th' affect of this my sending at this tyme, which ys at the instant sute and request of certeyn of my neybors concerning the preferment of a certeyn free scole, wherin sondry poore folkes hath allso theyr fynding, that they may opteyn my Lorde's grace* good favor for the preferment therof, which they wold styll kepe in the same foundacion. Wherin his grace shall do (in myn opynyon) a right charitable act, and your furderunce herin shalbe by theym honestly consyderyd.

"So I byde you for this tyme hartely farewell. At Ely Place this fyrste of February, Ano 1547. [1547-8.] "Your Loving ffrend, J. WARWYK.

"To my loving freende, Mr. Cicell." Holinshed speaks of the "Earl of Warwick's lodging, which was then at Ely Place, in Holborn. Stow, in his Survey of London, speaks of the "Bishop of Ely's Inn, commonly called Ely Place, as it pertaineth to the Bishops of Ely." Dudley's letters, while he was Earl of Warwick, were dated from Ely Place. The Serjeants-atLaw held their feasts in this house. At one of them, held in 1531, Henry VIII. and Queen Katherine dined there with the foreign ambassadors, Lord Mayor, judges, aldermen, citizens, merchants, and the "Crafts of London." Stow relates that this feast continued for five days.

At the same time that Christ's Hospital was founded, St. Thomas's Hospital was established for the relief of the sick. Bridewell also, built by Henry VIII., was appropriated "for the correction and amendment of the vagabond and lewd; provision also being made that the decayed housekeeper should receive weekly parochial relief."

In connection with this is a very curious letter from Ridley, Bishop of London, preserved among the Lansdowne MSS., in the British Museum:† "To the righte Woourshipfull Sr William Cicill, Knighte, One of the Principall Secretaries unto the Kinges Maiestie. "Good Mr Cicill, I muste be a suter unto you in our Master Christe's cause, I beseache you, be good unto him. The matter is, Syr, Alas, he hath lyen to too long abrode (as you do knowe) wthout Lodginge, in the Stretes of London, both hungrie, naked, and colde. Now thankes be unto all mightie God, the Citizens are willinge to refreashe him and to geave him, both meate, drinke, clothinge, and fyreinge. But Alas, S", they lacke Lodginge * Protector Somerset. Lansdowne MSS., vol. iii.

for him; for in some one howse, I dare saie, they are faine to lodge Thre families under one Roffe.

Sr, there is a wide Large emptie howse of the Kinge's

Majesties, called BRIDEWELL, that would wonderfullie well serve to lodge Christe in, if he mighte finde suche good Freindes in the Courte, to procure in his cause. Suerlie I have suche a good opinion in the Kinges Matie, that if Christe had suche faithefull and hartie freindes, spede at the Kinge's Matics handes. that would hartely speake for him, he should undoubtedlie Syr, I have pro

mised my Brethren the Citizens in this matter to move you, because I doo take you for one that feareth God, and would that Christe should lye no more abrode in the Strete. There is a Rumor, that one goeth aboute to buy that howse of the Kinge's Matie, and to pull it downe, if there be any suche thinge, for Gode's sake, speake you in or Master's cause. I have written unto Mr Gates more at large in this matter. I joyne you wth him, and all that love and looke for Christe's finall Benediccon on the latter daie. If Mr Cheke (in whose recoverie God be blessed) were amonges you, I would suerlie make him in this behaulf, one of Christe's speciall Advocates, or rather one of his principall Proctors, and suerlie I would not be saide nay. And thus I wishe you in Christe evr well to Fare. "From my howse at Fulham, this presente Sondaie, beinge the xxixth daie of Maij, 1553.

"I pra yow suffer the beror hearof to talk ij or iij wordes with yow in this cause."

Nicholas Ridley was translated, by Edw. VI., from the Bishopric of Rochester to that of London, April 1, 1550. Edward died July 6, 1553, only five weeks after Ridley's letter was written. On the accession of Mary, Ridley was deprived and burnt to death by her orders, October 16, 1555. Can any of the readers of "N. & Q." furnish any further light on the subject? Barnsbury.

G. A.

[The letter of the Earl of Warwick, we are inclined to think, does not relate to the foundation of Christ's Hospital; but may refer to a projected school at the Charter House, at this time the property of the Earl (afterwards created Duke of Northumberland). In 1542 the CharterHouse was granted by Henry VIII. to John Brydges and Thomas Hale for their joint lives; and, in 1545, to Sir Edward, afterwards Lord North. This nobleman sold it to the Earl of Warwick, who being afterwards attainted of treason, it reverted again to the Crown. On a copy of the Letters Patent of Queen Mary, granting for the second time the Charter-House to Lord North, is the following memorandum :- -"There is enrolled a grant from the Queene [Mary] unto Sir Edward Northe, of the scite of the House or Priory of the Carthuse, within mencōned to be granted by these Lres patentes of 36 Henry VIII., and of the gardens, gates, conduyts, and other things within menconed, and in the said Lties patents of 1 Mariæ specifyed to come to the Crowne by the attaynder of John, Duke of Northumberland. Soe it seemeth that Sir Edward North, after the grant thereof to him, 36 Henr. VIII., did sele or conveye the same to the Duke of Northumberland; who afterwards being attaynted of treason for rebellion, the pmisses thereby came to the Crowne agayn at the begynning of Queene Maryis reigne, who granted the same agayn to Sir Edward Northe, with the same libertyes as are mencōned in this of 36 Henr. VIII."

In 1550 Ridley was translated from Rochester to London; and both in the council-chamber and the pulpit, he

that the book she read was written before Mrs. Hofland's publications, to the best of her belief. Can you identify the work referred to? EIRIONNACH.

COMETS.-In the opening chapter of Mr. Hind's work on The Comets, there is this passage:

"The Chinese astronomers, though they looked upon comets without any fears of their malignant agencies, had a very fanciful opinion respecting them, which, nevertheless, led to the frequent observation of the position of these bodies," &c.

What was the fanciful opinion alluded to? and where can I find detailed information on this point? E. V. H.

Derby.

"DEADLY MANCHINEEL" TREE.-In A Naturalist's Sojourn in Jamaica (Longmans, 1851), the above reference is made to a handsome tree which

has acquired, throughout the West Indies, a very repulsive reputation. Suspecting exaggeration in the statements afloat, I plucked a few of the freshest and youngest leaves, and rubbed them with some force over the pulse of my wrist, and against the earnest remonstrance of some friends; but there was no result whatever, much to the surprise of the latter. Was this simply an exceptional case?

S. Q.

GUILING. — In an article in the Quarterly Review, on "Workmen's Benefit Societies," occurs the following extract from the Rules of an old Society in Gloucestershire:

"No member on the feast day shall provoke another by calling him nicknames, or by guiling at him, or casting meat or bones at another, or about the room; neither shall any member feed another by way of fun, and wasting the victuals, to the shame of the company."

What is the meaning of "guiling"? And I don't quite see the fun of feeding another. H. FISHWICK.

-

WHO OR WHAT WERE HENGIST AND HORSA ? It is generally supposed that Hengist and Horsa were two men, who led the Danes and Jutes; but there is every reason to believe that they were simply two poles surmounted by horses heads, and were carried in advance of the army as tutelary deities. At this day, the houses in Jutland are all built with the gable rafters projecting in the form of a V, each limb being surmounted by a horse's head. On inquiring of any of the inhabitants the meaning of this, the answer invariably is-"Oh, those are Hengist and Horsa; they are put up for good luck."

Hengist in the Danish means a stallion; and Horsa, a mare. There is a tradition in the country that these were formerly worshipped as gods. Jutland, from time immemorial, has been celebrated for its breed of horses, which no doubt were brought with them in their migration from Asia; and, to this day, they pay great attention

to the rearing of horses. The Saxons were composed of Danes and Jutes. From these grounds, I think I have shown that there are good grounds for believing, that Hengist and Horsa were merely a stallion's and a mare's head, carried on poles at the head of the army. Another instance to be added to the many, showing the proneness of Pagan nations to deify animals that are useful to them. The analogy to the Roman eagles will not escape observation.* S. C. SEWELL, M.D.

Ottawa.

IRISH POOR LAW.-In Swift's Sermon on the wretched Condition of Ireland (Works, vii. 30), it is said that by the ancient law of that country, and still in force when he wrote, every parish was bound to maintain its own poor. What law was that? In the debates in 1840, on the introduction of the present Irish poor law, it was always treated as a measure wholly new in principle and detail; and especially it was assumed that there was no existing law of settlement, as the above extract would seem to imply. LYTTELTON.

IRISH SONG.-Above forty years ago I heard a song, part of which and the chorus I recollect, viz. :

"There's the childer stark naked, all covered wid' rags, Who eat no honest bit, but the morsel they steal; At home there is nothing but three empty bags, And the devil a skirret to fill them wid' meal. To your kill me now, arrah! dow, wid' your cold water now;

Water's a drink only fit for a whale. Boney got beat at the poor game of Waterlow, Whiskey had brought him off clean as a nail. "Is it me you disparage,' said Phelim, 'you devil? A tight Dublin lad, and so handsomely cast; And you, faith and troth, the curst Spirit of Evil, Auld wadlin' Peg Shambles, the sport of Belfast: A short leg and a shorter, a head wid' one eye in't; A mouth wid'out teeth, that you better might bawl; A nose cocking up, to behold your eye squint ; And a hump on your back, like the huge linen hall.' To your kill me now," &c., &c.

Was this song ever published? If so, when When I heard it, it was attributed to the Marquis and where? I never saw it in print or manuscript. Wellesley; and said to have been written by him during the first time he was Lord-Lieutenant of

Ireland.

PATRICK KEIR, M.D., published

C. D.

"An Enquiry into the Nature and Virtue of the Medicinal Waters of Bristol, and their Use in the Cure of Chronical Distempers. London. 8vo. 1739."

He was buried at St. Mark's, Bristol; and his epitaph is printed in Barrett's History of Bristol, p. 348. It thereby appears that he died December 17, æt. thirty-seven. Unfortunately, the year

[* Four articles on the historical existence of Hengist and Horsa appeared in "N. & Q." 2nd S. i. 439, 517; ii. 76; iii. 170.-ED.]