Symbolism in Raphael's Pictures.—In some of the most beautiful pictures of "The Virgin and Child" of Raphael, and other old masters, our Lord is represented with His right foot placed upon the right foot of the blessed Virgin. What is the symbolism of this position? In the Church of Rome, the God-parent at Holy Confirmation is, if I remember right, directed by a rubric to place his or her right foot upon the right foot of the person confirmed. Is this ceremony at all connected with the symbolism I have noticed?

Wm. Fraser, B.C.L.

"Obtains."—Every one must have observed the frequent recurrence of this word, more especially those whose study is the law: "This practice on that principle obtains." How did the word acquire the meaning given to it in such a sentence?

Y. S. M.

Army Lists for Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.—Where are they to be found? Not at the Horse Guards, as the records there go back only to 1795. I want particulars of many officers in both centuries; some of them who came to Ireland temp. Charles I., and during Cromwell's Protectorate, and others early in the last century.

Y. S. M.

Anonymous Poet.—

"It is not to the people of the west of Scotland that the energetic reproach of the poet can apply. I allude to the passage in which he speaks of—

'All Scotia's weary days of civil strife—

When the poor Whig was lavish of his life,

And bought, stern rushing upon Clavers' spears,

The freedom and the scorn of after years.'"

Peter's Letters to his Kinsfolk, vol. iii. p. 263. Edin. 1819.

Who is "the poet?"

Anon.

John Bale.—Strype, in his Life of Parker, book iv. sec. 3. p. 539. edit. 1711, speaking of Bale, says: "He set himself to search many libraries in Oxford, Cambridge," &c.

Bale himself, in the list of his own writings, enumerates "ex diversis bibliothecis."

Did this piece contain any account of his researches in libraries alluded to? If so, has it ever been published? Tanner makes no mention of it in his Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibernica.

H. F. S.

Cambridge.

A short Sermon.—In an essay on Benevolence, by the Rev. David Simpson of Macclesfield, it is reported of Dean Swift, that he once delivered in his trite and laconic manner the following short sermon, in advocating the cause of a charitable institution, the text and discourse containing thirty-four words only:

"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will He pay him again. Now, my brethren, if you like the security, down with your money."

When and where did this occur, and what was the result?

Henry Edwards.