  Lord Byron.—What relation to the poet was the Lord Byron mentioned in the Apology for the Life of George Ann Bellamy? Philadelphia. Curious Custom of ringing Bells for the Dead.—In Marshfield, Massachusets, it has been customary for a very long period to ring the bell of the parish church most violently for eight or ten minutes, whenever a death occurs in the village; then to strike it slowly three times three, which makes known to the inhabitants that a man or boy has expired, and finally to toll it the number of times that the deceased had numbered years of existence. The first settlers of Marshfield having been Englishmen, may I ask if this custom ever did, or does now, exist in the mother country? Malta. Unpublished Essay by Lamb.—Coleridge is represented in his Table Talk (p. 253. ed. 1836), to have said that "Charles Lamb wrote an essay on a man, who had lived in past time." The editor in a note tells us he knows "not when or where." I do not find it in the edition of his works published in 1846, nor have I been able to discover it in any of the journals, to which he contributed, that have fallen in my way. Have any of your correspondents met with it? Peculiar Ornament in Crosthwaite Church.—On lately visiting Crosthwaite Church, Cumberland, I was exceedingly struck with the great peculiarity of a carving, pointed out to me by the sexton, on the left jambs of all the windows in the north and south aisles, both inside and out. It is in the form of a circle with eight radiations, and always occurs about half-way between the shoulder of the arch and the sill. During the late restoration of the church, it has been covered with plaster in every case in the interior, save one in the north aisle, which is left very distinct. It does not appear on any of the windows at the east end or in the tower. I noticed a similar figure over the stone door-way of the old inn at Threlkeld, with the letters C G inscribed on one side, and the date 1688 on the other. The sexton said, he had never been able to obtain any intelligence as to its symbolical meaning or history, although he had inquired of nearly every one who had been to see the church. Can any of your correspondents throw a light upon the subject? Cromwell's Portrait.—In the Annual Register, 1773, "Characters," p. 77.; in Hughes's Letters, ii. 308.; in Gent. Mag., xxxv. 357.; and in Noble's House of Cromwell, i. 307., is a statement, originally made by Mr. Say, of Lowestoft, in his account of Mrs. Bridget Bendish, importing that the best picture of Oliver which the writer had ever seen, was at Rosehall (Beccles), in the possession of Sir Robert Rich. Where is this portrait? Has it ever been engraved? Beccles. Governor Brooks, about a century since, was governor of one of the West India Islands. I have heard Cuba named as his government; and it might have been that, the short time Cuba was in Old Books.—I notice some of your correspondents, having fancied that they have picked up at some old book-stall an invaluable treasure, are coolly told by others more learned, "It would be a bad exchange for a shilling;" and, again, "If it cost three shillings and sixpence, the purchaser was most unfortunate." May I ask the value of the following? They came into possession of my family about thirty years ago:
Handsomely got up; gilt edges, pp. 339. Also,
The Privileges of the See of Canterbury.—I find preserved by William of Malmsbury, in his Chronicle, book iii., the following letter from Pope Boniface to Justus, Archbishop of Canterbury, respecting the privileges of his see:
How can the expressions I have Italicised be reconciled with the creation of the Archiepiscopal See of Westminster? Tor-Mohun. Heraldic Colour pertaining to Ireland.—There occurs in the Dublin University Magazine for October, 1852, an article entitled "A Night in the Fine Arts' Court of our National Exhibition," and at the conclusion a "Note," in which I find the following remarks:—
May I inquire at what time, and under what circumstances, blue was substituted for the old favourite green? St. Lucia. Descendants of Judas Iscariot.—In Southey's Omniana is the following:
Is anything farther to be met with on this curious subject? Parish Clerks and Politics.—In Twenty-six Psalms of Thanksgiving and Praise, Love and Glory, for the use of a Parish Church (Exon., And. Brice, 1725), the rector (who compiled it), among other reasons for omitting all the imprecatory Psalms, says,—
That such practices were indulged in, we have the farther evidence of Bramston the satirist: "Not long since parish clerks, with saucy airs, Apply'd King David's Psalms to state-affairs."[3] Can any readers of "N. & Q." point out examples of such misapplication? The Art of Politicks, in imitation of Horace, 1729, with a hybrid portrait of Heidegger, the arbit. elegant. of his day. "Virgin Wife and widowed Maid."—Whence come the words "Virgin wife and widow'd maid," quoted, apparently, by Liddell and Scott in their Greek Lexicon, s.v. ?p???e???, as a rendering or illustration of Hec. 610.? "??f?? t' ???f??, p???e??? t' ?p???e???." "Cutting off the little heads of light."—Perhaps you or one of your correspondents would help me to the whereabouts of some thoughtful lines which I recently came across, in a volume which I accidentally took up, but the name of which has completely skipped my memory. The lines referred to typified Tyranny under the form of the man who puts out the gas-lights at dawn: "Cutting off the little heads of light which lit the world." I am not sure of the rhythm, and so have put the lines like prose; but they wind up with a fine analogy of the sun in all its glory bursting on the earth, and putting the proceedings of the light extinguisher utterly to nought. Medal of Sir Robert Walpole.—On a brass medal, without date, rather larger than half a crown, are these effigies. On one side the devil, horned and tailed proper, with a fork in his right hand, and marching with a very triumphant step, is conducting a courtier in full dress (no doubt meant for Walpole), by a rope round his neck, into the open jaws of a monster, which represent the entrance to the place of punishment. Out of the devil's mouth issues a label with the words, "Make room for Sir Robert." Underneath, "No Excise." On the reverse are the figures of two naval officers, with the legend, "The British Glory revived by Admiral Vernon and Commodore Brown." This refers of course to the taking of Porto Bello in November, 1739. Is this piece one of rarity and value? La FÊte des Chaudrons.—In the exhibition of pictures in the British Institution is one (No. 17.) by Teniers, entitled "La FÊte des Chaudrons." In what publication can the description of this fÊte, or fair, be found? Who first thought of Table-turning?—Whilst the people are amusing themselves, and the learned are puzzling themselves, on the subject of table-turning, would you have any objection to answer the following Query? Who first thought of table-turning? and whence has it suddenly risen to celebrity? Hagley. College Guide.—Will some of your correspondents kindly inform a father, who is looking forward to his boys going to college, in what work he will find the fullest particulars respecting scholarships and exhibitions at the different colleges in both universities? Querist is in possession of Gilbert's Liber Scholasticus (1843), the Family Almanack for 1852, and, of course, the University Calendars. |
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