INDEX TO THE FIFTH VOLUME. * Indicates that Woodcuts illustrate those Articles. Aberdeenshire benefactions, 72 Adair, Sir Rob., writer in Rolliad, 83. Adamson, Sonnet on loss of Library, *Ambry in Airlie kirk, 3, 10. Colburn personalty, 84. Franklin's nationality of character, 52. Combustibility of the Diamond? replies, *Frederick the Great, 72, 90-91, 100. 44, 63. Concordance, the earliest English, 8. Amadis de Gaule, early editions, 95-96. Constable's White Horse, 28. American Presidents, 22. *Assuanlee Cup, 51. Atlantidis Reliquiem, 2. Atossa, characterised by Pope, 14. Bell inscriptions, 19, 30, 85. *Bell marks, 29. Best's Poems? 20; reply, 27. Biographical History suggested, 34. Black-book of Scone, 4. Blenheim palace stone, 79. Blessington on Society, 86. Clever, uses of the word, 23, 38, 47. Copernicus opposed to the Bible, 88. Cur morietur Homo, etc? 44; replies, Cutler's poetry? 56; replies, 56, 66, Dante, Paradiso, quoted, 97. reply, 47. English Epistolary Correspondence, 24. Exeter Change? reply, 31.. Feast of Tabernacles? reply, 35. French Newspapers, 8. Froissart statue, 37. *Galloway rock inscription? 90. Garrick Club inauguration, 55. Gay's Shepherd's Week quoted, 6. Gray, Lord, asserted sacrilege refuted, 11. Grotesque in Churches, 42. Inveni portum, etc.? 36. Invocation to the Virgin, 56, 63, 64, Ipswich Arms grant, 80. *Finhaven, Monumental sculpture, 86- Knight's Fee, and 88. Finkle Street? 35. Fox, C. J., bit of an Ode to, 84. Knight's Service defined, 94. Lansallos bell marks? 29; replies, 36. Letter receiving-boxes, 24. Leveridge advertisement, 100. Papal sovereignty, 32. Madron Well chapel? 85; replies, 93, Pope's Last hours, 31. Mai, Cardinal, Vatican Librarian, 31. Melbourne, lines on a bed? reply, 50. Newspaper, its universality, 71. Adair, Sir Robert, 83. Brown, James, Boston, 32. Porcelain, Chinese, 59-60. Rex Anglorum, see Schola Salernitana. Shakespeare Society? 2; replies, 2, 14, 34. Shropshire belfry rhymes, 19. Strutt's Queen Hoo Hall? 8. Tiled in, origin of phrase? reply, 58. Tottleben, letter respecting, 90-91. Schola Salernitana, 54, 55, 60, 73, 74, Unicorn in heraldry? 56; reply, 70. 89. Scold presentment, 98. Scotland's hills, 13. *Scottish 'yets' or gates, 61, 71. Seals, silk interwoven? reply, 48. Veritas Temporis Filia, 1. *Verona, Tomb at, 15. Victory, or Westminster Abbey ! 20. Virginia, origin of name, 4. Wayside crosses ? 38; replies, 46, 47. Welsh burial custom, 45. Will's Coffee-house closed, 66. WILLIS'S CURRENT NOTES. No. XLIX.] "Takes note of what is done- PAINTER'S PALACE OF PLEASURE. SHAKESPEARE borrowed largely from this rich storehouse of "Pleasant Histories and Excellent Novels, Tragicall Matters, and other morall Argument," for the plots of his dramas, or the enrichment of his incidents; and there are few books in early English literature, so attractive in their import, or more difficult to obtain in a clean, sound, and unexceptionable condition than the volumes under notice. A circumstance which adds to its rarity, and consequently the difficulty of obtaining the two volumes, either together, or in a co-equal condition, is the fact that each were printed at separate times. The first was printed in 1566, again in 1569, and again in 1575. The second in 1567, and again in 1580, but the title is not dated. The Harleian copy, which is noticed in Oldys' Catalogue of that superb, nay, national library, after it was purchased by Thomas Osborne, at Gray's Inn Gate, for 13,000/., a much less sum than had been expended on the binding of a portion, was formed of the editions, vol. I. 1575, and vol. II. 1567. See Catalogue, 1744, vol. III., Romances and Novels, numb. 6375. The binding red morocco, with richly tooled corners. Whether Mr. Hans Stanley was then purchaser or not, does not appear, but he presented the work to the immortal Garrick, with these lines inscribed on the fly leaf of the first volume From these dark Legends of a barbarous age, 'Twas thine, O GARRICK, in each lofty part, [JANUARY, 1855. VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA. YOUR Correspondent, M. R. C., asks why Queen Mary the First adopted this motto as a legend on her coins, adding that it was one to which Mary at no period of her life was entitled." It must not be assumed that the Sovereign ever suggests a legend for the coinage, on the contrary, she, or he, merely approves or rejects what the Master of the Mint, or the designer of the medal, under the sanction of the Lords of the Treasury, may have proposed. The legend on the shillings of her predecessor, King Edward the Sixth, is TIMOR DOMINE FONS VITÆ, the family motto of the Butlers, Earls of Dunboyne; and the present Earl informed the writer that one of his ancestors was Master of the Mint in the reign of that Prince, and as a record of the fact placed his own motto on the coinage. May not that of Queen Mary have had some similar origin? It is much the fashion to imagine a Popish origin for every event of Mary's reign, and Mr. Hawkins, in his Silver Coins of England, ventures on this conjectural explanation: "The motto was adopted by the persuasion of her Romish clergy in allusion to her endeavours to restore the abominations of Popery, which had been in a great degree suppressed by her predecessors." B. N. The inconsistency of this assertion will be apparent in reverting to facts. Sir James Butler, who married Joan, daughter of Pierce Butler, Earl of Ormonde, died in Jan. 1533,leaving Edmund his son and heir, ennobled in 1541 by King Henry the Eighth, as Baron Dunboyne. It is true, the armorial motto appears to be TIMOR DOMINI FONS VITE, and that legend is attached to the shillings of King Edward the Sixth, from 1547 to 1551, but not the slightest evidence is to be found that connects Lord Dunboyne with the mint affairs of either monarch, in England or Ireland, in which latter country he seems to have been a resident, and married Julia, who after a month's marriage, was the widow of Gerald the red haired,' fifteenth baron Kerry killed in Desmond, August 1, 1550. Edward, Baron Dunboyne, was deceased in 1566. Below these dedicatory lines, Garrick, thus highly rived from the Vulgate version of the Bible, Proverbs, complimented, wrote The above lines were written by Mr. Hans Stanley, who gave me this book. D. G. Upon Mrs. Garrick's decease, the library of her husband was dispersed by public auction, when this copy was purchased by Mr. Jolley for 281. 17s. 6d., and on the 16th inst. was, in the last day's sale of his books, purchased by Mr. Lilly for 187. VOL. V. The legend on the shillings of Edward the Sixth was dexiv. 27. The editions by Henry Stephens, of Paris, being then very popular among the Reformers.-Ed. POPE'S SKULL has the animal passions strongly developed, nor are the organs of veneration or benevolence very prominent; it is, however, devoid of what is vulgarly designated "bumps and lumps," and is singularly pre-eminent for the harmonised disposition of leading characteristics. The operation of the brain upon the skull evinces indisputably how active while living were the poet's exercise of ideality and the reflective powers. January 10. J. D. II. B SHAKESPEARE AND CAMDEN SOCIETIES. IN Current Notes, 1852, pp. 31, 39, were notices of the termination of the Percy Society, and the final adjustment of its pecuniary affairs, honourable to all parties by whom they had been conducted. There are, or were, two other similar Societies; the Shakespeare Society and the Camden Society, concerning which little officially has been heard recently, so as to learn whether they are defunct, or only in a state of suspended animation. As regards the Shakespeare, it has certainly been stated in several booksellers' catalogues that it is closed, and the stock of books and the Shakespeare portraits sold off; but I am not aware that any announcement of such being the case, has been officially made, or any account of the funds furnished to the members. It would be satisfactory to the subscribers to receive any information or explanation regarding these matters, through the medium of your useful and entertaining Current Notes. F. R. A. PHOENICIAN PALEOGRAPHY AND LITERATURE. ON the observations of the Editor, who appears to lean to the general opinions of Oriental scholars, on the subject of Paleography and Phoenician literature, but on in Current Notes, vol. iii. p. 73, I proffer the followwhich a volume might be written; attached to the article ing remarks: are written those ancient remains which have of late nists to the Syrian coasts from the Erythræan seas. First. Herodotus says the Phoenicians came as coloStrabo, that they came from the Persian gulf. Vallancey, that the Phoenicians and the Persians were of the same family; and as to the language called Phoenician, I can assert it was used over a much wider extent of country than was occupied by the Arabians and Persians. In this language, which in fact resembles the Chinese, in its almost total absence of grammatical inflections, caused considerable sensation throughout the literary world, viz., the cuneiform monuments of Babylon, Nineveh, Persepolis, and Behistan. On the north part of The SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY ceased at the close of 1853; the pillar of Alahabad, we find, in a character not as yet the reason stated, that the Honorary Officials were desirous of retiring. In March 1854, the entire stock of the works, deciphered, as I am aware by any but myself, a history printed at the expense of the members, was sold by public which appears to be an account of the deluge, and deauction for about 4601., the disposal, to Mr. Skeffington, of scribing the spot where Noah was buried. See Asiatic the remaining impressions of the Ellesmere Shakspeare por- Researches, vol. vii. p. 180, pl. 6. All these writings trait was a private arrangement. No official account of are to be read from left to right. May not this Phoenithe affairs of the Society, or its termination, has been pre- cian language, this older dialect of the Arabic have been pared for the members, nor does it, on enquiry, appear that almost universal in the days of Heber? Again, may it any such statement is contemplated. not have been remodelled about six hundred years after, in the days of Ishmael, to somewhat in its present form? Secondly, Gesenius in his Monumenta Phoenicia, has numerous specimens of this language; and the Sinaic Our Correspondent may rest assured hopes are entertained, that the CAMDEN SOCIETY is about recovering from its supposed state of suspended animation, by the following signs. During 1854, the members have received the "Letters of Lady Brilliana Harley," and the first part of " Bp. Swin-Valley has supplied 178 inscriptions in the same ford's Household Roll." Some Extracts from Grants temp. Edward the Fifth, are promised during this month, January 1855; and also, the Report of the Council elected May 2, 1853, with the report of the Auditors upon the Society's receipts and expenditure “from the 1st of April, 1853, to the 31st March, 1854." The Camden Society appears to have lost of its phalanx of members, nearly one half. It is lamentable to reflect, how perverted have been the means and resources of this once leading and embodied power of deservedly distinguished men of all professions. Had the subscriptions and the labours of the members, located as they were and are in all the counties, been devoted to the enlargement and reconstruction of Camden's Britannia, they would have conferred especial honour on the name of the Historian whose celebrity they usurped to emblazon a notoriety which they have but faintly attempted to maintain. Such a work would have resulted in establishing an eternal national monument, and created a halo of imperishable glory on the Society; or, had that been deemed too much, a republication of Horsley's Britannia Romana, with additions based upon the annotated copies, by Professor Ward and others, in the British Museum Library, would really have rendered an important service in aid of Historical Literature, while on the contrary, many of their distributed emanations are found on book-stalls neglected and unheeded, a memorable memento of the mischiefs of inefficient or misdirected talent, and ample pecuniary means. language. See Trans. of Royal Society of Literature, vol. ii. part 1, plates. In these inscriptions, written some before, and others soon after the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, one word occurs more than one hundred and forty times, a sufficient evidence to prove that for the most part, I speak cautiously, and think I may say altogether, Phoenician inscriptions must be read from left to right. The one word alluded to is in numb. 142, sna, Mount Sina. The first letter is the Hebrew, samech, or s; the second is the Syriac and Arabic, nun or n; and the third, is the Samaritan and Runic alaph, or a; sometimes the letters are joined as in numb. 2, where it occurs three times; and at others, the letters are somewhat altered in form, but always distinguishable, even to a tyro. Surely, this word proves that all the sentences must be read from left to right; and also, that the writing is made up of MIXED ALPHA BETS. Thirdly, I have a printed copy of the Magni Atlantis et soubmersæ Atlantidis Reliquiem, called Phœnician, but which I think to be Runic. The heading "Atlan," is from right to left, but the narrative is alternately up and down, in eighteen lines of two feet one inch in length. This professes to have been written seven hundred years after the deluge, which it describes in most poetical language, and in which are mentioned as situated in the mountain passes of the Atlantic range, inns for the refreshment and rest of travellers. The writing on this Atlantic monument has been considered to be "pseudophoenicia et spuria," but those, who with the late E. H. Barker, considered it as a forgery, knew not how to decypher it. See Gesenii Scripturæ Linguæque Phoenicia, cap. ix., where the first sign on the right hand at the lower end of the inscription, being a hieroglyph, is read as a letter, and some few of the letters themselves not being understood, no sense has been made of the whole inscription, but its internal evidence is quite sufficient to prove it not a forgery. Southwick, near Oundle, Jan. 15. T. R. BROWN. MISQUOTATION.-Butler makes the knight while reasoning with his lady love, observe, For what is worth in any thing, But so much money as 'twill bring? Hudibras, Part II. Canto i., Edit. 1678, p. 219. This couplet has since undergone a slight change, For what's the worth of any thing, But so much money as 'twill bring. Athenian Sport, 1724, 8vo. p. 154. But a more recent adaptation in the Gentleman's Magazine, Sept. 1854, p. 262, exhibits a phraseology widely differing from the original. The value of a thing Dublin, Jan. 1. ABUSES IN THE ARMY. A. S. Cradock, in his Literary and Miscellaneous Memoirs, vol. i. p. 171, referring to Lord Chancellor Erskine, says, "Erskine sent me his pamphlet on the Abuses of the Army, and we afterwards examined together his Remarks on Annuities, they were both printed by Tom Davies of Russell Street, Covent Garden." These productions of the noble author do not seem to be known, at least they are not to me; but, as it is pretty well known that abuses in the army have not ceased to exist, it would be curious to see whether they in any way differ from those which engaged the attention of Erskine, and I shall be glad if you, or any of your readers, will furnish some information on the subject. F. R. A. AMBRY AND EFFIGY IN AIRLIE KIRK, THE Ambry, scot., almerie, or almorie, a recess in churches for depositing the alms for the poor, is of considerable antiquity. Du Cange defines it "the Cape-hus of Elfric; a cupboard, storehouse, cabinet, etc.," in that sense, closets, or presses, for containing food and articles for domestic uses are generally known. Every church or chapel in the days of Papal domination, had its ambry; and were frequently hewn from one stone, The front, decorated with the sculptured denotations of the five Passion wounds of Christ, shows by the broken moulding, the former sockets for the embedding of the iron fastenings. On the wall within, cut into the stone, are the initials a. f. with three crescents, the armorial bearings of the family of Fenton, originally from the border, but who were the lords of the lands and barony of Baikie, in the parish of Airlie, in 1291, if not before, and were extinct in the male line about the middle of the fifteenth century.* Possibly the ambry was made at the expense of one of the lords of Baikie; or, during the incumbency of one of the family, as parson of this kirk, the initials and arms being intended to denote the period. The same symbols of our Lord's Passion, represented on the ambry, are also found on the coping stone of an old burying aisle, with the addition of the Scourge, the pillar to which Christ was bound, holy lance, and the pincers; with carvings of the fleur-de-lis, surmounted by a coronet. These, I infer, from their superior delicacy of execution, are of later date to the emblems on the front of the ambry. The coping stone is said to have Nisbet, referring to Haddington's Collections from the Registers, describes the arms of Fenton of Baiky, arg. three crescents, gules. William Fenton, Lord Baiky, is so designated in a perambulation with Alexander Ogle, Sheriff of Angus, in 1410. By their arms in our old registers being arg., three crescents gules, Fenton of Ogile, Fenton of Carden, and Fenton of Kelly, were cadets of Fenton of Baikey. System of Heraldry, edit. 1804, vol. i. p. 92. |