"ITS."

"Thou German prince of plants, each year to theeThousands of subjects grant a subsidy."

"Thou German prince of plants, each year to thee

Thousands of subjects grant a subsidy."

In John Evelyn'sDiary, under the date Oct. 24, 1664, is the following entry:

"Next to Wadham, and the physic garden, where were two large locust-trees, and as many platani (plane-trees), and some rare plants under the culture of old Bobart."

The editor of the last edition, after repeating part of Granger's note, and mentioning the portrait, adds:

"There is a small whole-length in the frontispiece ofVertumnus, a poem on that garden. In this he is dressed in a long vest, with a beard. One of his family was bred up at college in Oxford; but quitted his studies for the profession of the whip, driving one of the Oxford coaches (his own property) for many years with great credit. In 1813 he broke his leg by an accident; and in 1814, from the respect he had acquired by his good conduct, he was appointed by the University to the place of one of the Esquire Beadles."

Vertumnus, the poem mentioned in the above note, was addressed to Mr. Jacob Bobart, in 1713, by Dr. Evans. It is a laudatory epistle on the botanical knowledge of the Bobarts; and we learn from it that Jacob, the younger, collected aHortus Siccus(a collection of plants pasted upon paper, and kept dry in a book) in twenty volumes.

"ThyHortus Siccus...In tomes twice ten, that world immense!By thee compiled at vast expense."

"ThyHortus Siccus...

In tomes twice ten, that world immense!

By thee compiled at vast expense."

The broadsides about whichH. T. Bobartinquires are of the greatest possible rarity. They were the production of Edmund Gayton, the author ofFestivious Notes on Don Quixote, &c. Copies may be seen in the Ashmolean Library, under the press-marks Nos. 423. and 438., but I think not in any other repository of a like nature.

Among the Ashmolean MSS. (No. 36, art. 296.) is a poem of 110 lines "Upon the most hopeful and ever-flourishing Sprouts of Valour, the indefatigable Centrys of the Physick-Garden." This, I apprehend, is a MS. copy of the first broadside mentioned by your correspondent.

I shall merely add, the Bobarts, father and son, were personal friends of Ashmole and Ray, and that, in all probability, among their correspondence much curious and minute information might be obtained.

Edward F. Rimbault.

(Vol. vii., p. 510.)

I was somewhat surprised to find, in No. 186. of "N. & Q.," two instances quoted of the use of theword "its" in the version of the Bible. It has long been an established opinion that this word did not exist in it; and the fact has been recently referred to by two different authorities,Mr. Keightleyin "N. & Q.," Vol. vii., p. 160., and Mr. Watts of the British Museum, in a paper "On some philological peculiarities in the English authorised Version of the Bible," read before the Philological Society on December 10, 1852.

Feeling curious on the subject, I have taken the trouble of referring to several different versions of the Bible in the British Museum, and the followingvariorumreadings of the verses quoted by your correspondent B. H. C. are the result:

1. The Wickliffite version, before 1390 (edit. Forshall and Wadden):

"And he shal ben as a tree, that is plauntid beside the doun rennyngis of watris; thathisfrut shalȝiveinhistime."—Ps. i. 3."Duke of the weie thou were inhis(sc.the vine)siȝt; and thou plauntidisthisrootis, and it fulfilde the erthe."—Ps. lxxx. 10.

"And he shal ben as a tree, that is plauntid beside the doun rennyngis of watris; thathisfrut shalȝiveinhistime."—Ps. i. 3.

"Duke of the weie thou were inhis(sc.the vine)siȝt; and thou plauntidisthisrootis, and it fulfilde the erthe."—Ps. lxxx. 10.

2. Coverdale's Bible, 1536:

"Ytbrīgeth forthhisfrute in due season.""Thou maydest rowme for it, and caused it to take rote, so ytit fylled the lōde."

"Ytbrīgeth forthhisfrute in due season."

"Thou maydest rowme for it, and caused it to take rote, so ytit fylled the lōde."

3. Matthews, 1537:

"That bryngeth forthhisfrute in due season.""Thou madest rowme for it, and caused it to take rote, so that it fylled the lande."

"That bryngeth forthhisfrute in due season."

"Thou madest rowme for it, and caused it to take rote, so that it fylled the lande."

4. Cranmer, 1539:

"Ytwyll brynge forthhysfrute in due season.""Thou madest rowme for it, and whan it had taken rote it fylled yelande."

"Ytwyll brynge forthhysfrute in due season."

"Thou madest rowme for it, and whan it had taken rote it fylled yelande."

5. The Bishops' Bible, 1568:

"That bryngeth foorthherfruite in due season.""Thou madst roome before it, thou causedst it to take roote, and it hath filled the lande."

"That bryngeth foorthherfruite in due season."

"Thou madst roome before it, thou causedst it to take roote, and it hath filled the lande."

6. Geneva Bible, 1578. In this there are two translations, one "according to the Ebrewe," the other "used in the Common Prayer":

i. "That wil bring forthherfruite in due season."ii. "That will bring forthhisfruite in due season."i. "Thou madest roome for it, and when it had taken roote, it filled the lande."ii. "Thou madest roume for it, and didest cause it to take roote, and it filled the land."

i. "That wil bring forthherfruite in due season."

ii. "That will bring forthhisfruite in due season."

i. "Thou madest roome for it, and when it had taken roote, it filled the lande."

ii. "Thou madest roume for it, and didest cause it to take roote, and it filled the land."

7. The Douay Bible (Roman Catholic version), 1609-10:

"Which shal geuehisfruite inhistime.""Thou wast the guide of the way in the sightthereof; thou didst plant the rootesthereof, and it filled the earth."

"Which shal geuehisfruite inhistime."

"Thou wast the guide of the way in the sightthereof; thou didst plant the rootesthereof, and it filled the earth."

8. Authorised version, 1611:

"That bringeth forthhisfruit inhisseason.""Thou preparedst roome before it, and didst cause it to take deepe roote, and it filled the land."

"That bringeth forthhisfruit inhisseason."

"Thou preparedst roome before it, and didst cause it to take deepe roote, and it filled the land."

It will thus be perceived that "its" is wanting in all the above passages, and that "his," "her," and "thereof" invariably supply its place. I have been equally unsuccessful in detecting the word in the Common Prayer-Book version of the Psalms, which is well known to be that of the "Great Bible," or Cranmer's edition of 1539, and which has remained in use without alteration ever since. May I therefore ask B. H. C. to be so good as to point out the particular "Old version of the Psalms" from which he has derived his quotation?

W. B. Rye.

(Vol. vii., p. 495.)

In reply to your correspondent's remarks (May 21) on my translation of Hoveden, I beg to state that, in suggesting Cork, I did not allude to the city of Cork, but theterritoryof Desmond or Cork, which probably extended to within a short distance of Waterford. Hoveden more than once, in his foreign geography, confounds places with territories or kingdoms; this fact, and the similarity of the names,CrochandCorch, as the kingdom of Cork is elsewhere called by him, led me to believe that a landing in the territory of Cork was meant. "Crook," "Hook Point," or "The Crook," is onlysupposedto have been the place of landing on this occasion. I confess that I was not aware that "Erupolis" was an alias of the diocese of Ossory: I cannot find it mentioned as such in the dictionaries at my command. My Note, however, was worded in such a way as to give offence to no reasonable person: and, among the many hundreds, perhaps thousands of suggestions, made in the notes (in a proper spirit, I hope,) I should be greatly surprised to find that I had miscarried in none. For your correspondent's information, I beg to state, that I am not an Irishman either by birth or descent; and that I have never had the good fortune to pay a visit to that country. Were I inclined to follow his example in making remarks upon the "ominousness" of names, I might perhaps retaliate upon him with interest.

Why I have forfeited all claim to be treated by this gentleman with courtesy or common politeness, I am quite at a loss to conceive; but I beg to remind him that vituperation does not carry conviction, and that criticism is enfeebled by an alliance with abuse.

Henry T. Riley.

(Vol. vii., p. 469.)

In your 185th Number, two or three Queries are proposed by theRev. Mr. Corserinconnexion with that interesting branch of literature calledBooks of Emblems. To these it shall be my endeavour to reply.

First. Some years ago I made particular inquiry from the surviving relatives of the late Rev. William Beloe, whether among his manuscripts there had been found any "Treatise on Emblems," or any notices which had a bearing on the subject? They informed me that they had made search, but without success.

Second. Of Thomas Combe, mentioned by Meres in hisPalladis Tamia, I have been unable to learn anything.

Third. It appears certain that Bunyan never published anyBook of Emblems, whatever may have been hawked under his name; nor can I find, in the Account of his Life and Writings just published in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London, or in any preceding edition of his works, that such a production was ever contemplated by him.

Fourth. In the extensive and valuable "English Books of Emblems" furnished (chiefly from his own library) byMr. Corser, he mentions R. Burton'sChoice Emblems, Divine and Moral; or Delights for the Ingenious, &c., 12mo. 1721. Perhaps my learned and accomplished friend may not be aware thatBurtonis anassumedname, placed in the title-pages of several cheap books which appeared at the end of the seventeenth and the beginning of the eighteenth centuries, but which were thought to have been written by a Mr. Nathaniel Crouch, a bookseller, who sold them. I have a sixth edition of these "choice emblems," dated 1732, which was then sold for "two shillings bound." The work is merely a collection of fifty emblems, taken, without acknowledgment, from George Wither, the copper-plate engravings being poor copies from those of Depasse. To this sixth edition there is prefixed a portrait of K. Charles I., with eight pages of sympathising verses.

Mr. Corser'slist of English works is very complete. I possess, however, an unpublished manuscript translation of Alciato into English verse. It is of the time of James I., and possesses much merit; but it has unfortunately been mutilated.

I also possess the following:

"Amorum Emblemata figuris æneis incisa studio Othonis Væni, Batavo-Lugdunensis. Emblemes of Love, with verses in Latin, English, and Italian, obl. 4to.: Antverpiæ, 1608."

Prefixed is an English dedication "to the most Honourable and Worthy Brothers William, Earl of Pembroke, and Philip, Earl of Montgomerie, Patrons of Learning and Chevalrie," whose coat of arms also is given.

"The Doctrine of Morality, or a View of Human Life according to the Stoic Philosophy, &c. A translation, by T. M. Gibbs, from the French of M. De Gomberville, with 103 copper plates by Daret, folio: London, 1721."

To each engraving are appended quotations from Horace, &c., with English translations: but both engravings and quotations have been pirated (without the least acknowledgment) from Van Veen'sHoratia Emblemata.

It must be admitted that a comprehensive work on European Books of Emblems, illustrated with fac-similes of the various engravings, &c., is a great desideratum in modern literature. I feel highly flattered by the kind commendations whichMr. Corserhas bestowed upon my two small attempts towards such a work, and by his encouraging me to proceed "to enlarge and complete" the same. Now, I do not altogether despair ofenlargingit. But when my excellent friend puts forward a proposal tocompleteit, he should be informed that my library alone contains nearly 250 volumes strictly emblematical, and published during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By far the greater part of these are in Latin. To carry forward a work of such magnitude to anything likecompletionmust therefore be rather wished for than expected.

Jos. B. Yates.

West Dingle, near Liverpool.

Allow me to add the following toMr. Corser'slist:

"The Christian's Divine Amusement, consisting of Emblems and Hieroglyphicks on a great Variety of Subjects, Moral and Divine, in four books. By the late Rev. Mr. J. Jones. Embellished with near 100 beautiful emblematical cuts, 12mo. pp. 191.: London, 1764."

I know not who the Rev. Mr. J. was, but his book is the old one of Francis Quarles. The author, or rather adapter, attacks and demolishes the fable as a method of instruction, and would substitute the emblems. In remodelling Quarles, Mr. Jones makes the following alterations, or improvements:—Instead of the Latin motto under each cut, he presents us with four lines of English verse, which contain a general explanation of the emblem. The page facing the cut he divides into two parts or sections of odes and hymns suited to common psalmody, and the moral, or application, also in a poetical dress.

A prose work belonging to the class under notice is an

"Emblematical Representation of the Paradise of God; showing the Nature of Spiritual Industry, in the similitude of a Garden well ordered, dressed, and kept. London, 1779."

The author of this was a visionary Scots gardener named Alexander Clark, who had been favoured with a special manifestation of divine glory, "by which," he says, "(to my own astonishment) I was enabled to see through every profound passage of Scripture, and to spiritualise every material thing;" but he belongs to my fanatical ratherthan to my emblematical shelf, and may be worth a separate Note hereafter.

Under the name of Farlie, or Fairlie,Mr. Corsermixes up the titles of two distinct books; they are now before me, and divide themselves thus:

1. "Lychnocavsia, sive Moralia Facvm Emblemata. Light's Moral Emblems. Authore Roberto Farlæo, Scoto-Britanno. 12mo.: London, Th. Cotes for M. Sparke, 1638."

Containing fifty-eight emblems in Latin and English, each with a cut, with a dedication in Latin to the Earl of Ancrum, and one in English to his Countess. There are also complimentary verses by J. Hooper, Christ. Drayton, Mr. Povey, Thos. Beedome, and Edm. Coleman.

2. "Kalendarium Humanæ Vitæ. The Kalendar of Man's Life. Authore R. F., S.-B. 12mo. London, for W. Hope, 1638."

With a Latin dedication to his patron the Earl of Ancrum. The book contains verses upon the various stages of man's life, under the heads of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter; again subdivided into moralisations upon the months, as corresponding with the periods of life, as "August, or Man's Youth," &c. This has also a variety of curious cuts, and both have engraved emblematical titles, the latter bearing on its face "G. Glover fecit."

When book-rarities were in more request, these were costly little volumes; and I shall be glad if any of your correspondents can direct me where to find any notice of Robert Fairlie, the author of two of the most interesting of the emblematical series.

J. O.

[The following paper, which has been kindly communicated to us byMr. Pollockat the request ofDr. Diamond, describes a process which deserves the especial attention of our photographic friends, for the beauty and uniformity of its results.]

The papershould be carefully chosen, by holding up every sheet to the light, and only those sheets which are homogeneous in appearance and free from spots should be kept for use.

The albumenshould be obtained from new-laid hens' eggs; twenty-four is a convenient number to use at a time: these will yield twenty-four ounces of albumen, to which should be added six ounces of distilled writer (making thirty ounces in all) and four per cent. of chloride of ammonium, viz. one ounce and a quarter.

The albumen water and chloride should be whipped with a silver fork for several minutes, and then put into a narrow tall jar, and allowed to stand for not less than two days (forty-eight hours). In cool weather it will keep well for eight days, at the end of which time the upper half of the albumen is to be poured off into a shallow vessel, rather larger than the sheets of paper intended to be albumenised.

To put the Albumen on the Paper.—Take a sheet by two opposite corners; turn one up; place the sheet boldly on the albumen, the centre first coming in contact with the albumen; lower the corners of the paper, gradually carefully excluding, the air. Let the sheet so placed remain four minutes: then take it by the turned up corner, and rip it from the albumen quickly, so as to carry up a quantity of the albumen with it. Let it drain for a minute or two, moving it so as not to allow the albumen to run in streaks; pin it to a piece of tape; and, when dry, pass a very hot iron over the back. This ends the albumenising process.

To make the Paper sensitive.—Place the albumenised side downwards, for four minutes, on the surface of a solution of nitrate of silver, of the strength of ninety grains to the ounce of distilled water; pin it up by one corner to dry, and keep it between pieces of blotting-paper. This must be done by yellow light, or the light of a candle.

To print from the Negative.—The simplest apparatus to have is a number of pieces of plate-glass a quarter of an inch thick, colourless, about twelve inches by ten in size.

The sensitive paper is to be placed on one of the plates of glass, sensitive side upwards, and the negative is to be placed firmly upon it, collodion side downwards; and a second glass plate is then to be placed on the negative, and the whole arrangement exposed to the light. The time for exposure is from three minutes to an hour. With a little practice the negative can be lifted up, and the positive viewed front time to time, without any risk of displacement.

The best rule is to print the lightest shade on the positive very decidedly darker than it would be wished that it should remain permanently.

To fix the Positive.—On removing it from the pressure frame, place it in a bath made as follows:

Water

6 oz.

Hyposulphite of soda

1 oz.

Nitrate of silver solution, 50 grs. to oz.

15 minims.

Iodide of silver, dissolved in a saturated solution of hypo.

10 minims.

Chloride of gold

2 grains.

Chloride of silver (blackened by light)

5 grains.

Acetic acid

2 drops.

Mix these: let them stand some hours; and filter before use. If the chloride of silver is omitted, the bath will do very well, but will very much improve with age, as it will acquire chloride of silver from the positives placed in it.

The time to leave the positive in the fixing bath varies from one hour to twelve. To get good black and white tints, the average time is five or six hours. When the desired tint is obtained, remove it into a bath composed of

Water 6 oz.Hypo. 1 oz.

Water 6 oz.

Hypo. 1 oz.

Leave in this for half an hour, and then keep it in running water for several hours. If the water is hot, the time of soaking may be lessened: boiling water is objectionable. Nearly dry the positive between sheets of clean blotting-paper, and finish it by passing a very hot iron over it.

General Remarks.—The albumenised paper will keep any length of time in a dry place.

When made sensitive, as directed, it will keep three days, always supposing that it is both prepared and kept most carefully excluded from white light. If, instead of a solution of nitrate of silver of ninety grains to the ounce, a weaker one be used, to make the paper sensitive, it will keep when sensitive a much longer time,—with a thirty-grain solution, a fortnight, or sometimes even a month; but then it does not give a positive of the same force and tone as that obtained with the stronger solution.

After the fixing bath has done its day's work, it should be poured back into the bottle from which it came, and the bottle be filled up from the finishing bath; and so the bath is kept always of the same quantity; and by adding from time to time chloride of gold, it is kept of the same quality.

The nitrate of silver and chloride of silver will never have to be renewed. The iodide of silver should be added as at first, viz. ten drops for about every two hundred positives fixed; and the acetic acid, viz. two drops for about every four hundred.

In a bath of twenty-four ounces, as many as thirty positives, five inches by four, may be placed at one time: but the dark tints will then appear very slowly and gradually.

To insure a good positive, next to having a good negative, it is most important to print of the right depth, neither too much nor too little. Great attention should be paid to this: for the finest tints are only to be obtained in positives exposed exactly the right time.

Positives printed in a bright sun quickly are always better than those obtained by longer exposure without sun.

H. P.

21. Maddox Street, Regent Street.

Test for Lenses.—In applying the methods recommended in your last Number for the purpose of testing lenses, there is one precaution absolutely necessary to be taken, but which all your correspondents have omitted to point out. The operator must take care that hisfocussing-glassis placed at precisely the same distance from the lens as thecollodionisedglass is. To insure this, my practice is to place a piece of ground glass in the dark frame, which is afterwards to receive the collodionised glass, and to obtain the focus of the lens on that; then to put in the proposed plate, and obtain an impression as described byMr. Shadbolt. In this way I secure myself from what I believe is often a source of fallacy in these experiments, and am sure that I give the lens a fair trial.

E. S.

Washing Collodion Pictures.—I have never offered to your readers an opinion in photography without havingbonâ fidetested it, to the best of my ability; and however correct my friendMr. Shadboltmay be, chemically and theoretically, I am convinced that in practice so good a tone is never obtained in a positive collodion picture which has been washed, as in one which has been instantly fixed with the old saturated solution of hyposulphite of soda. The unpleasant tints obtained upon positive collodion pictures, I believe to be much dependent upon the frequent washings in the proofs. When a collodion picture is properly treated, it surpasses in pleasing effect every other photograph.

H. W. Diamond.

Cremonas(Vol. vii., p. 501.).—A discriminative account of the violins and basses by the great Italian makers, showing, in every ascertainable instance, the date of manufacture, and thereby forming to some extent a chronological catalogue, as it were, of the works of each master, would be, indeed, a curious and interesting achievement. Such a task, involving much consultation of books and examination of instruments, calls for sounder eye-sight and larger opportunities than are possessed by me; but I shall rejoice if the desire expressed by your correspondent H. C. K. shall be found to have stirred up some competent investigator. Time and accident are gradually attaching, to the fine instruments in question, a kind ofsibyllineintensity of value; and the inquiry, if omitted now, may become impossible hereafter. Let us not fear, however, that those "cunning'st patterns of excelling art," the Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri fiddles, will eventually perish without worthy issue, and "die, and leave the world no copy." Provision to the contrary, it seems, has already been made; Monsieur Vuillaume "has ta'en order for't," that is to say,ifhis instruments, which at present look very like faithful fac-similes of the renowned classic prototypes, shall verify the confident predictions of their admirers, by continuing to stand the test of time.

My authority for 1664 as the date of birth of Antonio Stradivari, is a living Belgian writer, Monsieur Fétis, who has not stated from whencehe has adopted it. I find that the ParisBiographie Universellegives no fixed date, but only a conjectural one,about1670, so that 1664maypossibly be right.

G. Dubourg.

Brighton.

James Chaloner(Vol. vii., p. 334.).—Mr. Hughesis mistaken in imagining that James Chaloner the herald-painter was the same person as James Chaloner, Governor of the Isle of Man, and one of the judges of Charles I. He will find the error exposed by Chalmers (Biog. Dict.,Jas. C.), and in my family, as descendants of the latter James Chaloner, there are among his papers many which prove the governor to have been (asMr. Hughesdoubts) the son of Sir Thomas Chaloner of Gisborough.

Should any farther doubts remain on the subject, I shall be happy to give all information required concerning these papers, among which are the original commission of governor and captain, signed by Lenthal, and twenty-one letters from Lord Fairfax to his "dear cousin James Chaloner." The son of Sir Thomas Chaloner married Ursula Fairfax. It may be presumed the herald-painter did not stand in the same relationship to the Parliamentary general. Lord Fairfax thanks his correspondent for a copy of "his"History of the Isle of Man.

Ursula.

Irish Convocation(Vol. vi., p. 317.; Vol. vii., p. 345.).—In vol. i. ofLetters written by the late Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, and several of his Friends, from the Year 1703 to 1740, &c., with Notes, by John Hawkesworth, LL.D.: London, 1766,—will be found some account of the Irish Convocation in 1711. See Archbishop King's Letters at pp. 110, 111. 122, 123. 132, 133. 140, 141.

J. K.

St. Paul's Epistle to Seneca(Vol. vii., p. 500.).—It is not manifest whether J. M. S. wishes for information simply respecting the MS. in Merton College, or whether his inquiry really relates to theprintingof the fourteen spurious epistles, eight of which are ascribed to Seneca, and six to St. Paul.

If your correspondent is curious about the particular MS. he mentions, which is a very old one, and was the gift of William Reade, Bishop of Chichester (who had been a Fellow of Merton) about the year 1370, he may consult theCatal. Lib. MSS. Ang. et Hib., part. ii. p. 23., Oxon. 1697; and should he desire to peruse the fictitious Epistles, he may easily discover them in theBibliotheca Sanctaof Sixtus Senensis, lib. ii. pp. 102-104. Francof. 1575, or in FabriciiCod. Apoc. Nov. Test., ii. 892-904. Jacobus Faber Stapulensis has inserted them in the handsome volume of hisCommentaries on the Epistles of St. Paul. (Fol. clxxvi.-clxxix.: Paris, 1517.) I find them also annexed to theEpistole Francisci Philelphi, 4to., Hagenau, 1514. So far as I can perceive, it does not appear that the correspondence in question was published amongst any of the works of Seneca earlier than the year 1475; and it is commonly omitted in later editions. (Fabr.,Bib. Lat., i. 429.: Venet. 1728.) Vid. RaynaudiErotemata, p. 119.: Lugd. 1653.; Nicolai AntoniiBiblioth. Hisp. vetus, tom. i. pp. 39, 40.: Matriti, 1788.

R. G.

Captain Ayloff(Vol. vii., p. 429.).—I possess a small volume (a 12mo.) by "Captain Ayloffe," with a title-page as follows:

"A Pocket Companion for Gentlemen and Ladies; being a true and faithful Epitomy of the most exact and ample Histories ofEngland; containing all the material Particulars in every reign of theEnglishMonarchs, from Egbert to her present Majesty, being 884 years. With forty-nine Copper plates curiously engraved, being the effigies of every Monarch. London, printed by J. Nutt, near Stationers' Hall, 1703."

It is dedicated "To the Honourable Col. Archibald Row, Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scots Fuzileers," and signed "W. Ayloffe." Then follows an introduction of six pages.

Should the above be useful toMr. Sternberg, I shall feel pleasure in having made the communication by means of the useful and intelligent publication of "N. & Q."

Goddard Johnson.

Plan of London(Vol. vii., p. 382.).—L. S. W. asks whether there is a good plan of London, and answers his Query thus,None. I beg to differ from him, believing that no city in the world possesses so good a plan as that lately made under the late Commissioners of Sewers. It is true I and my tenants have paid very dearly for it, but having examined both the reduced plan and block plan very carefully, am compelled to admit their accuracy. It is published in sheets at two shillings each; size, three feet by two feet; scale ofblock plan, five feet to one mile;reduced plan, one foot to one mile. On each plan accurate levels of every place is given. An index-map, price threepence, is also published.

A. P.

Canonbury.

Syriac Scriptures(Vol. vii., p. 479.).—The editions of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, preceding the Bible Society's edition, are,—

1. Nov. Testam. Syriac. et Arabic. Romæ, typis Sacr. Cong. de prop. Fide, 1703, fol.2. Nov. D. N. Jesu Christi Test. Syriac. cum versione Latiná, currâ et studio Joh. Leusden et Caroli Schaaf. Secunda editio à mendis purgata. Lugduni. Bat. Typ. Jo. Mulleri. John. fil. apud Vid. et fil. Cornel. Boutesteyn, Samuelem Luchtmans, 1717, 4to.3. Biblia Sacra quadrilinguia N. T. Græci, cum versione Syriacâ, Græcâ vulgari, Latinâ, et Germanicâ, accurante M. Christ. Reineccio, Lips. 1713, fol.4. Psalter, by John. Aug. Dathe, 1768.5. Sacrorum evangeliorum versio Syriaca Pholoxeniana ex codd. MSS. Ridleianis, nunc primum edita cum interpretatione et annotationibus Josephi White. Oxon. 1778.6. Pentateuchus Syriace. Ex Polyglottis Anglicanis summa fide edidit M. Georgius Guil. Kirsch. Gymnasii quod Hofæ est, in Principatu Baruthino Rector. Hofæ et Lipsiæ ap. A. Fr. Bœhm, 1787, 4to.

1. Nov. Testam. Syriac. et Arabic. Romæ, typis Sacr. Cong. de prop. Fide, 1703, fol.

2. Nov. D. N. Jesu Christi Test. Syriac. cum versione Latiná, currâ et studio Joh. Leusden et Caroli Schaaf. Secunda editio à mendis purgata. Lugduni. Bat. Typ. Jo. Mulleri. John. fil. apud Vid. et fil. Cornel. Boutesteyn, Samuelem Luchtmans, 1717, 4to.

3. Biblia Sacra quadrilinguia N. T. Græci, cum versione Syriacâ, Græcâ vulgari, Latinâ, et Germanicâ, accurante M. Christ. Reineccio, Lips. 1713, fol.

4. Psalter, by John. Aug. Dathe, 1768.

5. Sacrorum evangeliorum versio Syriaca Pholoxeniana ex codd. MSS. Ridleianis, nunc primum edita cum interpretatione et annotationibus Josephi White. Oxon. 1778.

6. Pentateuchus Syriace. Ex Polyglottis Anglicanis summa fide edidit M. Georgius Guil. Kirsch. Gymnasii quod Hofæ est, in Principatu Baruthino Rector. Hofæ et Lipsiæ ap. A. Fr. Bœhm, 1787, 4to.

An elaborate criticism on No. 5. (the Oxford edit.) appears in Eichhorn'sRepertorium, vol. vii. p. 1., by D. Gottlob Christian Storr.

T. J. Buckton.

Birmingham.

Meaning of "Worth"(Vol. v., p. 509.).—As this suffix enters into the composition of many of our English surnames, particularly in the northern counties,Mr. Lower(and probably your readers in general) will be glad to have the explanation of an able Anglo-Saxon scholar and antiquary, the late lamented Mr. John Just of this town, whose merits as a philosopher and etymologist were highly appreciated by the learned societies in this district. It occurs in a paper read at a chapter of the Rosicrucians in Manchester a few months since:

"Worth.—Weorthe, Anglo-Saxon, a field, &c.Worthmeans land, close, or farm. It does not necessarily imply any residence, although thereon might be a hall or mansion. It likewise sometimes means nothing more than road or public way. Hence it is connected with the names of many places on our old roads, as Ainsworth, Edgeworth, on the Roman military road to the north; Failsworth, Saddleworth, on the Roman military road from Manchester to York; Unsworth, Pilsworth, on the old road between Bury and Manchester; also Ashworth, Whitworth, Butterworth, on old roads, and connected with old places, near Rochdale. Whether originally land, closes, or farms,worthswere acquired properties. The old expression of 'What is he worth?' in those days meant, 'Has he land? Possesses he real property?' If he had secured aworthto himself, he was called aworthyperson, and in consequence hadworship,i. e.due respect shown him. Aworthwas the reward of the free; and perchance the fundamentals of English freedom were primarily connected with such apparently trivial matters, and produced such a race ofworthiesas the proud Greeks and haughty Romans might not be ashamed of.Worthis pure Anglo-Saxon. The Scandinavians applied it not in their intercourse with our island."

Broctuna.

Bury, Lancashire.

Khond Fable(Vol. vii., p. 452.).—This fable is clearly from Lokman, of which the following is Hélot's translation:

"Une moustique se posa un jour sur la corne d'un taureau, et, pensant qu'elle pouvait être trop lourde pour lui, elle lui dit: 'Si je te suis à charge, fais-le-moi savoir afin que je m'envole.' Le taureau lui répondit: 'Je ne t'ai point sentie au moment où tu es descendue, je ne saurai pas davantage quand tu t'envoleras.' Cette fable regarde celui qui cherche à s'attribuer de l'honneur et de la gloire tandis qu'il est faible et méprisable."

The sense of the Bull's reply in Arabic seems to be:

"O you, whatever you are [Ya hadi], I did not know when you descended, nor shall I know when you take yourself off [Taterin]."

A pointed reply, leaving the mosquito one horn of the dilemma.

T. J. Buckton.

Birmingham.

The following lines by Prior immediately occurred to my mind on perusing J. C. R.'s interesting note. The points of resemblance between the two fables are somewhat striking:

"'Say, sire of insects, mighty Sol!'A fly on the chariot pole cried out,'What blue-bottle aliveDid ever with such fury drive?'"'Tell, Beelzebub, great father, tell!'Says t'other, perch'd upon the wheel,'Did ever any mortal flyRaise such a cloud of dust as I?'"MORAL."Myjudgment turn'd the whole debate!Myvalour saved the sinking state!"

"'Say, sire of insects, mighty Sol!'A fly on the chariot pole cried out,'What blue-bottle aliveDid ever with such fury drive?'

"'Say, sire of insects, mighty Sol!'

A fly on the chariot pole cried out,

'What blue-bottle alive

Did ever with such fury drive?'

"'Tell, Beelzebub, great father, tell!'Says t'other, perch'd upon the wheel,'Did ever any mortal flyRaise such a cloud of dust as I?'"

"'Tell, Beelzebub, great father, tell!'

Says t'other, perch'd upon the wheel,

'Did ever any mortal fly

Raise such a cloud of dust as I?'"

MORAL.

"Myjudgment turn'd the whole debate!Myvalour saved the sinking state!"

"Myjudgment turn'd the whole debate!

Myvalour saved the sinking state!"

Cowgill.

This fable is found in the collection assigned to Babrius. It is the eighty-fourth in the excellent edition of these fables by Mr. G. Cornewall Lewis: Oxford, 1846.

W. H. G.

Winchester.

Collar of SS.(Vols. iv.andv.,passim).—In the discussion on the subject of the collar of SS., in the columns of "N. & Q.," I find no mention of an incidental observation of Thomas Fuller, which occurs in the notice of John Gower, the poet, in the Worthies of Yorkshire, and is deserving of some notice:

"Another author (Stow) unknighteth him, allowing him only a plain esquire, though in my apprehension the collar of SSS. about his neck speaketh him to be more. Besides (with submission to better judgments) that collar hath rather a civil than a military relation, proper to persons in place of judicature; which makes me guess this Gower some judge in his old age, well consisting with his original education."

Mr. Foss, I see, mentions (Vol. iv., p. 147.) the existence of the collar on the poet's monument, and suggests that he might have worn it as a court poet.

H. C. K.

—— Rectory, Hereford.

Chaucer's Knowledge of Italian(Vol. vii., p. 517.).—To the proofs that Chaucer was well acquainted with Italian literature, brought forward in "N. & Q." by J. M. B., it may seemunnecessary to add any more. Yet, if it were only for the purpose of recalling your readers' attention to the elegant and instructiveDissertation on the State of English Poetry before the Sixteenth Century, by the late Dr. Nott, of All Souls' College, will you permit me to adduce that learned writer's authority, in opposition to the opinion of Sir Harris Nicolas, that Chaucer was not versed in Italian literature? Dr. Nott's Dissertation is entombed in the two quarto volumes of his edition of theWorks of Surrey and Wyatt(London, 1815); and it is much to be wished that it were reprinted in a separate and more accessible form.

J. M.

Oxford.

Pic Nic(Vol. vii., p. 387.).—The following extract from an Italian newspaper raises a considerable presumption that this word is not now considered in Italy as an Italian one; the date is Sept. 1841.

"Se qualche delirante vi ha dato ad intendere che i Bagni di Lucca sono il soggiorno prediletto dell' Italiano, ci vi ha detto una solenne bugia."I Bagni di Lucca appartengono, come tant' altre cose in Italia, esclusivamente allo straniero."

"Se qualche delirante vi ha dato ad intendere che i Bagni di Lucca sono il soggiorno prediletto dell' Italiano, ci vi ha detto una solenne bugia.

"I Bagni di Lucca appartengono, come tant' altre cose in Italia, esclusivamente allo straniero."

Then follows a description of the numerous English arrivals, while the Italian—

"Spera di rinvenir sulle alture di que' colli un piè di patria tutto per lui, e ascende i sentieri ornati di bosco. Ma abbassando gli occhi ci s' accorge che non è solo. Un'Amatorea cui forse l' ignobile itinerario dellaStarkeha rivelate quella sublime veduta, sta colassu scarabocchiando uno sbozzo pell' Album del suodrawing room. Più lunge, povero Italiano! più lunge! Ecco la scena si cambia ... i sentieri divengono più ardui ... in fondo, mezzo nascosto dal fitto fogliame apparisce ... un casolare; un villano lo invita ad entrare ... e gli parla in Inglese, in Francese, ed in Tedesco!... ci s' allontana impazientito, e corre più lunge!... I castagni divengono rari.... Aride roccie annunziano il vertice dell' Apennin. Ancora una breve salita, e poi ci sarà sul più alto pinacolo del Prato Fiorite. Ma al piè del viattolo è un inciampo! e l'occhio sconfortato scorge la livrea di ungroome da un lato una sentimentaleLady, che si è arrampiccata più lassa e prosaicamente seduta sulla sua sedia portatile sta scrivendo una lettera sopra un foglio a vignetta. L' Italiano continua ad ascendere ... e giunte alla vetta ... all' amplissima libera vista, il cuore dell' Italiano batte più forte ... la mente s' esalta, e i più energici pensieri vi bollono.... Ma gli occhi ritornano svegliati dei passi dei Cavalli, appiè del ripiane s' affaccia una numerosa comitiva ... è unpique nique! Fuggi fuggi mal capitate Italiano la straniero l' inseque anco nel nido dell aguila!"

Here the "pique nique" is evidently the climax of all that is "straniero."

K. E.

Canker or Brier Rose(Vol. vii, p. 500.).—I suspect that this term refers to the beautiful mossy gall, so commonly seen on the branches of the wild rose, which has been called thebedeguarof the rose. This is the production of a cynips; and, from its vivid tints of crimson and green, might well pass at a short distance for a flower, brilliant, but scentless. Hence Shakspeare's allusion:

"The canker-blooms have full as deep a dyeAs the perfumed tincture of the roses."

"The canker-blooms have full as deep a dye

As the perfumed tincture of the roses."

W. J. Bernhard Smith.

Temple.

Cancreandcrabein French are synonymous, meaning the same; Anglicè, crab (fish).

Now, we have crab-tree, a wild apple-tree; a canker rose, a wild rose; dog rose, dog-violet, horse leech, horse chestnut. In all these cases the prefix denotes inferiority of species.

H. F. B.

Door-head Inscriptions(Vol. vii., pp. 23. 190.)—In Watson'sHistory of Halifax(1775, 4to., p. 257.), in describing the High Sunderland, an ancient mansion near Halifax, formerly the residence of the Sunderlands, he notices that "over the north door is written,Ne subeat Glis serdus, a mistake forsurdus; and over a door on the south side,Ne entret amicus hirudo."

As some of your correspondents doubt as to the proper reading I have thought it worth while to give this duplicate version. I recollect the inscription well, having been sorely puzzled, when a schoolboy, in my frequent walks to High Sunderland, to understand these two inscriptions. I must not omit the inscription on the south front:

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