Dunne (p. 555).—"The Dunnes, of Bircher and Gatley, are direct descendants of John Donne, Dean of St. Paul's." No attempt is made to show the precise connexion between the Dean and Philip Donne of Welsh Newton.

Flood (p. 675).-The Right Hon. Henry Flood is stated to be the son of Warden Flood, by his marriage with Miss Whiteside. Flood was illegitimate (cf. 'D. N. B.').

Gillman (p. 764).—“ This family is of very ancient Welsh descent, the earliest records of the name of Gillman are connected with Wales, and with Cilmin Troed dhu of Glynllifon in Uwch Gwir vai in Cear-yn-Arvonshire, where he lived in the year 843, the time of Rhodri Mawr (Roderick the Great), King of all Wales. Cilmin was head of one of the fifteen Noble Tribes of North Wales, and bore arms, Argent, a man's leg couped. The records prove him the ancestor of the Gillmans of England, Ireland, and America." The next appearance of the Gillmans is in England in the fourteenth century. The "records," while supplying the Welsh ancestor, do not throw any light on the family during the intermediate five centuries. Græme (p. 803).- "This ancient family derives its lineage from Græme, who was made Governor of Scotland, and guardian to the young king, Eugene II., in 435." No proof attempted, and there is a break of nearly a thousand years before the next known member of the family.

Gronow (p. 839).—A connexion is implied between Sir Tudor ap Gronow, temp. (if he ever existed) Edward III., and the present family, whose pedigree as given by Burke goes back to the eighteenth century.

Herbert (p. 938).—It is not stated that the brothers of Mr. Herbert of Llanarth assumed the surname of Herbert in lieu of the paternal Jones. McKerrell (p. 1299).-The first seventeen lines of the family history do not refer to this family. Mackie (p. 1302).-"Ivie Mackie, Esq., of Auchencairn," was a munificent merchant in Manchester, and thrice Mayor of that City.

Mayhew (p. 1366).-Of the four columns under this name, nearly three are taken up with pedigrees of Mayhew families from which this one is not descended.

Micklethwait (p. 1380).-"The family of Myklethwayt, or Micklethwait, has been seated on its own lands in the neighbourhood of Barnsley, W.R., co. York, over six centuries. The name indicates it to be of Scandinavian origin."

Molineux (p. 1404).-This family is stated to be descended from a younger son of Sir Francis Molineux, Bart., of Teversal. "Molineux of Teversal" is not found in the current 'Peerages'; but if this pedigree is accurate it should appear.

Monro (p. 1412). The pedigree of Binning under this heading begins with a legend of a "William Bynnie." It is not stated what con

nexion there is between this Bynnie and the Binning family.

More (p. 1427).-"This is a family of great antiquity, deriving its name from the parish of More, near Bishop's Castle." Richard (or Thomas) de la More came over from Normandy, and was slain at Hastings, leaving a son "Sir Thomas de la More, who 'builte faire houses at Launceston, in Cornwall; Halton, in Cheshire; and More, in Shropshire, giving to the latter place his paternal name."" How can these statements be reconciled with each other?

O'Grady (p. 1519).-"The Milesian family of O'Grady is one of the most ancient of co. Limerick. Dr. O'Brien......assigns Conal Eachluath, King of Munster, A.D. 366, and sixth in descent from Oilliol Olum (of the race of Heber, the eldest son of Milesius, King of Spain, who colonized Ireland), as the common ancestor of the O'Gradys and the O'Briens." The next of the family was "Donald O'Grady, who fell in battle, 1309." This is but a sample of a dozen or more ancient Milesian families.

Ormerod (p. 1537).-"Henry Mere, of Manchester, born Jan. 10, 1816......and died March 17, 1873. Mr. Ormerod was alive and well on the day of the publication of Burke.

Owen (p. 1544). "The pedigree of this family is registered in the Heralds' College from Rodri Mawr, King of all Wales." The printed pedigree starts with "Madac ap Jevan, of Caerinion, descended from Grono ap Owen, son or grandson of Howell Dda, King of South Wales," and proceeds, without the formality of dates, through several generations until it arrives at Rowland Owen, in 1611. Then four more dateless generations. William Owen, Esq., of Bettws, married in 1704, and the eldest son of that marriage himself got married two years later.

Peareth (p. 1579).-Hercules Peareth, living 1576, is stated to have been "probably a descendant" of the family of De Penreth, though there is no apparent reason for the guess.

Philips (p. 1606).-" John Philips, Esq., of the Heath House......born 1695," cf. Philips (p. 1607), where his younger brother is stated to have been "born Feb. 15, 1693." "Robert, of The Park, Manchester,......born 1759, married 1798,......and died March 14, 1884." A hitherto unnoticed centenarian.

Prichard (p. 1654).-A delightful Welsh pedi gree, beginning with "Caradoc Vraich Vras, Eart of Hereford and Prince between Wye and Severn. He reigned from A.D. 520 to 570, and married Tegan Eurvron, daughter and sole heir of Belenaur, King of Monmouth." The family remained "princes between Wye and Severn" for eight generations; several later representatives bore the titles of "Prince of Brecon, Regulus of Radnor and Builth." The fourteenth in descent from Caradoc Vraich Vras

genius to throw you in that mystical thing beauty, you get it actually for nothing, and it stands there for ever, as a mountain does in nature, a glory in the sun, and the sum-total of every-day life.

No architect in the world has ever had such a chance of doing for a city what fell to be done by the hand of Wren. Very few could have met it with such abundant originality on such a stupendous scale. But Sir Christopher Wren was more stupendous even than ever was his opportunity. He has left behind him proof that if it had been required he could have easily thrown off three times as much work, and it is probable that it would have been still better than it is. For the variety of circumstances would have brought him new suggestion of variety, and the greater his restrictions the more were his ease of adjustment and his originality made apparent, as in St. Nicholas Cole Abbey and St. Mary Aldermary. Or take the steeple of St. Vedast Foster, and observe the facility and mastery of the geometric mason manipulating the lower story concave to the next convex or nearly circular scope, with a rigid rectilinear spire surmounting all. He bas achieved this without a discord. It is possibly the most curiously skilful steeple in the world, as Bow is the most beautiful by far. Before pulling down anything of Wren's we ought to remember that, with the exception of Inigo Jones, he is the only architect of consummate power and taste who has for the last three bundred years decorated London on any scale of importance. We should also bear in mind that all his pinnacled towers and pointed steeples, jutting up above the houses into the air, have (in each case) a special reason of their own for being where they are, a special office to perform; they are grouped and planned with infallible instinct by a master in such studies; one elicits beauty from the other, and all, as they mount in air, are meant, as they cluster round it, to embellish the mighty curvatures of cupolated Paul's. Every steeple that the Bishop's blunder takes away knocks, as it were, a hole through the sky picture carefully calculated by the consummate draughtsman with whom we have to do. This is simple madness on the part of London. We can never restore it once it is destroyed, though we should seek it with repentance and in tears. We have now no breed of architects who can lift a building into ether symmetrically, that like his shall yield an eye-culture involuntary and gratuitous. Before you pull down wait, in the name of common sense, until you at least are able to build up decently again a something else as good. Stand a little below St. Dunstan's in Fleet Street, and catch in the afternoon sun the spit of St. Martin's, Ludgate, piercing the mighty cupola behind it, till you feel, as you quickly will, that it trebles the expanse and magnitude thereof by the startling contrast. You will not then dissent from us who maintain that a crime is being done

CAPITAL LETTERS.-There is, I think, a noticeable decrease in the use of initial capitals. This is not so marked in print as in manuscript; a large proportion of the manuscript destined for the press depending for the distribution of capitals, stops, &c., upon the printer and the proof-corrector. There are, for instance, many substantives which may or may not chance to be treated as "proper nouns when set up in type: ex. gr., a Meeting, an Entertainment, the Event of the day, a Committee, a Minister, an Archangel, a Pope-the Pope, the " proper nouns. King are always treated as North, South, East, West not unfrequently retain their capitals when used as adjectives.

In the delightful letters of Edward Fitzgerald a curiously large proportion of the nouns have initial capitals, and this applies no less to the later than to the earlier letters. The following passage is taken from what was probably the last letter he wrote:

"I never see a new Picture, nor hear a note of Music

except when I drum out some old Tune in Winter on an Organ which might almost be carried about the Streets with a handle to turn and a Monkey on the top of it."

The custom of giving initial capitals to all general towards the middle of the last century. nouns substantive seems to have become pretty

their use of capitals, which they employ far more French writers and printers vary hut little in sparingly than we do. They give minuscules to adjectives derived from proper nouns (français, anglais, parisien, &c.); they do not, as a rule, write the names of the days of the week and of the months with capitals; and such words as les croisades, la renaissance, are not thus distinguished. Most Englishmen would write "the Edict of Nantes"; but I think the majority of Frenchmen would write "l'édit de Nantes." An educated Englishman rarely writes "street" in addressing a by no means suggest to its recipient that the writer on an envelope would

letter; but "rue de

was illiterate.

"

relevant to investigate careful editing. This volume comes from the eminent house of Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co., and a note at the end of the table of contents states that it has "been carefully edited by Alex. Murray, 26th Dec., 1868." It is, of course, a long time since 1868, and it is possible that, in the interim, Mr. Murray and his publishers may have given fresh consideration to the work; but the fact remains that within the year this copy formed one of a fresh stock of new books, claiming distinction as one of 'Moxon's Popular Poets.' And it is a handsome and attractive volume, which one would gladly take up at such odd moments as are favourable for the perusal of one of the immortal ballads. It was in this way that I thought of using my copy, and I recently began with the romance entitled (according to Scott) The Lass of Lochroyan.' An example of careful editing occurs in the alteration of the title to 'The Lass o' Lochryan,' but few of Mr. Murray's readers would be inclined to take objection to this, although it is quite unnecessary in the light of Scott's explicit introduction. Why Mr. Murray should have been careful to omit Scott's note on Dr. Wolcott, illustrative of the last sentence of the introduction, is more difficult to comprehend. In the sixth stanza, however, of the ballad itself one is brought completely to a stand. This is how the story goes according to Mr. Alex. Murray :

Syne she's gar'd, built a bonny boat,

To sail the salt, salt sea.

On turning to Scott, to see whether he could be capable of passing such nonsense, this is what we find :

Syne she's gar'd build a bonny boat,

To sail the salt, salt sea.

That is, she has ordered (boat-builders to) build a bonny boat. The reading presents no difficulty whatever until after it has been carefully edited, and then it is as tough as an obscurity of Sor dello.' It is possible to unravel, as a rule, the tangled confusion of a bald and blundering reprint, but it is not always so easy to grapple with unintelligent editing, especially when it has been very carefully done. Several other emendations throughout this ballad do not destroy the sense, but they were uncalled for. "Ye'er" for ye're may be a misprint; but "yett" for yate, "deid " for dead, "dee" for die, and a comma for Scott's mark of exclamation need not have been introduced. Shall we say, Ab uno disce omnes; and conclude that if one ballad in this reprint presents such various notes of offence, the accumulated mass of error would be of an overwhelming character? While not unduly pressing this point, I think there is no rashness in saying that the condition in which the one ballad has been found is enough to stir an alert suspicion regarding the others. THOMAS BAYNE.

Helensburgh, N.B.

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REVERENCE FOR THE DOVE IN RUSSIA.-The following paragraph, from the Sporting Magazine of January, 1825, is worth reproducing in 'N. & Q.': 'Pigeons are rarely seen at the tables of the Russians, who entertain a superstitious veneration for these birds, because the Holy Ghost assumed the form of a dove. They are therefore kept more for amusement than for siderable expense."—Vol. xxv. N.S., p. 307. food, and are often maintained with great care, at a con

ASTARTE.

to

'PICKWICK.'-Everything which relates 'Pickwick' has great attraction for many of the readers of N. & Q.' I therefore make no apology for asking you to transfer the following from the Church Times to your own pages, where it will be indexed for future use. It has been contributed to your contemporary by a gentleman who writes under the pen-name of "Peter Lombard":

"I picked up one little bit of information about Pickwick' which appears to be quite genuine. Strolling up Abbeygate Street in the afternoon I turned into a shop to make a small purchase, and as the keeper appeared dishe told me that this was the house in which Bishop Tomposed for conversation I sat down and joined in. First line was born. Though I am not an enthusiastic admirer of that prelate, I was interested because of his connexion with Winchester, a city very dear to me, so I heard what little my new acquaintance had to tell me. Then he went on to say that his father was for some years proprietor of the Great White Horse at Ipswich. I was on

the alert in a moment. 'It was there,' I said, 'that Mr. Pickwick went after Jingle, after leaving Bury.' • It was, sir.' And it is quite clear,' I went on, 'that for some reason Dickens did not like the White Horse, for he slates it right and left.' Dickens,' was the reply, did his best to ruin the house, but he really made its fortune. Hundreds of people have been there to see it after reading about it. But I can tell you a curious thing about it. It was Dickens's own mistake about going into the wrong bedroom. There is a sort of triangle on the top of the stairs, and there are two doors just alike, and he went in where some people were in bed, and they roared out at him and he bolted all in confusion.' He went on to tell me that the room is still called Mr. Pickwick's room, and that it is No. 16.' That same evening in the coffeeroom of the Angel we met a party, one member of which was known to me as a literary character, and he told us that they had just come from Ipswich, and that they had been to the Great White Horse, and he had slept in Mr. Pickwick's room. 'Number sixteen?' said I. • The very one,' was the answer. Of course, after that, I read to my little party that same evening the adventure with the middle-aged lady with the curl papers, and most exhilarating was the laughter which it produced."-Church Times, April 6, p. 362.

K. P. D. E.

A PIONEER NEWSPAPER: THE 'NORTHAMPTON MERCURY.'

"Wednesday last was May 2nd. On May 2nd, 1720, the first number of the Northampton Mercury was pub. lished, with the imprimatur of R. Raikes and W. Dicey, near All Saints' Church.' Wednesday last was, therefore, the one hundred and seventy-fourth anniversary of has happily attained an age which very few newspapers the birth of this journal. The Northampton Mercury in the world can boast...... To-day begins the one hundred and seventy-fifth yearly volume of this journal, and the

Не

number of the issue is 9,050.......The Robert Raikes of the Northampton Mercury afterwards went to Glouces ter, where he established the Gloucester Journal. was the father of the Robert Raikes, the founder of Sunday schools. The name of Dicey was upon every issue of the Northampton Mercury from May 2nd, 1720, to May 2nd, 1885."

The above interesting note is extracted from the Northampton Mercury of May 4. How many other count newspapers can boast of an equally long existence? I think the list is a very small one, and might very suitably find a place in the pages of 'N. & Q.' JOHN T. PAGE.

5, Capel Terrace, Southend-on-Sea.

REMARKABLE DROUGHT IN WINTER. -In a MS. apparently compiled between the years 1679 and 1684, by the Rev. Thos. Leigh, B.D., Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, it is incidentally recorded (in Latin) that there were "no rains from the beginning of September, 1517, to the month of May, 1518," a period of at least eight months. Having failed to find mention of the fact in print, I make note of it for the benefit of your readers. W. I. R. V. PALLISER. It may interest some of your numerous readers to know that this rather common name in the north of England is derived from the paliser, or man who attended to the oak palings of the deer parks. In North Yorkshire the boundary of the ancient park is still known as the paled dyke. EBORACUM.

TWICE BURIED IN ONE DAY."The Sixth day Anthony Cole, of Chadwick, was twice buryed, first in the Quaker's Yard, then in the Churchyard."-Parish Register of Bromsgrove, Sept., 1661. C. E. GILDERSOME-DICKINSON.

Eden Bridge.

RACES RIDDEN BY WOMEN.-Mr. C. J. Ap perley, who, when George IV. was king, was an accomplished writer on hunting, racing, coaching, and kindred topics, under the name of Nimrod, on one occasion visited Ripon. Among the observations he made there is one worth transferring to N. & Q.':

"On the Monday succeeding St. Wilfrid's Sunday, there were for many years races on Ripon Common, for prizes of various value; and one called the Lady's Plate, of 157. value, for horses, &c., the best of heats, and twice round the common for a heat, to be ridden by women. This is the only proper definition of what is now called the Ladies' Plate that I have ever met with."--Sporting Magazine, 1827, vol. xx. N.S., p. 287.

ASTARTE.

THOMAS KIRKLAND, M.D., MEDICAL WRITER. -His baptism is thus recorded in the parish register of Ashbourne, co. Derby: "October, Anno Domini 1772, Baptized 14 Thomas Son of Mr Tho: Kirland & Mary Ux. Ashbourn." He married at Packington, co. Leicester, Aug. 3, 1747, Dorothy (born 1723), daughter and coheir of Joseph Palmer,

Esq., Queen's Messenger (born circa 1683, died in London, December, 1750), by his wife Elizabeth (born 1689, married 1708, ob. circa 1728), daughter of Thomas Bate, of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, co. Leicester, gent. She died Jan. 24, 1785, and was buried at Ashby aforesaid on Jan. 28 following. The name of Thomas Kirkland fails to appear in the List of the Graduates in Medicine in the

University of Edinburgh, 1705-1866,' 8vo., Edin., 1867, although an entry therein records that William Kirkland graduated M.D. in 1772.

Dr. Kirkland died at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Jan. 17, and was buried in the chancel of the parish church on Jan. 22, 1798.

This note will serve as an addition to the account of him appearing in 'Dict. Nat. Biog.,' vol. xxxi. p. 219. DANIEL HIPwell.

AUTHOR OF QUOTATION-So long ago as Oct. 26, 1889 (7th S. viii. 329), I asked as to the authorship of a little French song, which, it appears, I did not then quote correctly. Perhaps I may now be permitted to give the correct version and the author's name :—

Peu de Chose. La vie est vaine : Un peu d'amour, Un peu de haine...... Et puis-bonjour! La vie est brève : Un peu d'espoir, Un peu de rêve...... Et puis-bon soir !

From an article by Mr. William Sharp on 'La Jeune Belgique,' in the Nineteenth Century of September last, I have ascertained that this delicate marvel of rhymed philosophy is by the Belgian author Léon Montenaeken. Mr. Sharp says the lines have been attributed to a dozen different French poets, old and latter-day. The more reason that justice should be done here and now to the talented Belgian poet. JAMES HOOPER. Norwich,

cently the ancient Lincolnshire town Bourne was, A CURIOUS LAND SALE CUSTOM.-Quite reland within the district, the scene of a curious on the occasion of the disposal of some meadow custom, an account of which may be worth preserving in N. & Q.':—

"The land, known as the White Bread Meadow, was brought to the hammer by direction of the Charity Trustees, and, in accordance with traditional usage, a number of boys started in a race, the bidding lasting while the boys were running, the lot being ultimately let to the person who had made the highest offer at the moment the possession of the first place in the race was decided. The rent of the meadow was then expended in white bread loaves, which were distributed to the poor of the locality.”—Echo, April 16.

C. P. HALE.

ISLAND OF BARBADOS. - It is curious that reference books and newspapers should still be