SIR,-You are entirely in error in what you have stated about your namesake's pamphlet on the subject of the Automaton Chess Player-this I can assure you of, and I should like to know who could possibly have made such a strange communication to you. Mr. Willis. S. T. A. G. W. thinks that he can readily satisfy his Correspondent that he and not G. W. is ENTIRELY in error. ENQUIRY. Edward Street, August 1, 1852. SIR,-Can any of your readers kindly inform me who was the author of "A Narrative of Political and Military Transactions of British India?" excuse the trouble. Yours truly, G. W. has heard the Authorship attributed to a gentleman now mentally deceased. If so, the enquiry is a painful one. ATLAS OF EPOCHS. Edinburgh, 9th August, 1852. ATLAS OF EPOCHS. Coventry, July 30, 1852. SIR,-In reply to your correspondent T. W.'s enquiry respecting an "Atlas of Epochs" (in your Current Notes for this Month), I beg to inform him that he will find the most satisfactory information in the following work, "The Historical Atlas by EDWARD QUIN, Esq. M.A., of Oxford and Lincoln's Inn." It contains 21 highly finished coloured maps, with letter-press illustrations. As suggested, they are all upon the same scale, and point out in succession from the Creation to the present time, the progress of geographical discovery, the rise and fall of states and empires, and the political changes through which they have passed. It forms a well condensed epitome of history, the value of which to a student can hardly be over-estimated. The last edition (the 4th) is the largest and most complete, It is published in imperial 4to. price £3. 10s. half bound. I am, Sir, yours truly, Mr. Willis. ENGRAVED PORTRAIT. H. O. NEW EDITION OF SHAKESPEARE!! Cambridge, 6th July. SIR,-The paragraph in the last number of your Monthly Current Notes (No. XIX.) respecting Mr. Halliwell's projected edition of Shakespeare has created much attention amongst Shakespearean Students, and if carried out in the spirit in which it is designed, as I presume Mr. H. intends to give everything of any value culled from the long and very tedious list of Shakespeariana, besides his own Collections, the work, especially with Mr. Fairholt's illustrations, must form the most noble tribute to the Poet's memory which has ever been produced. Allow me, however, to ask through your columns the name of the unique tract which cost Mr. H. upwards of £60., and which appears oddly enough, to have escaped the research of Mr. J. P. Collier, the learned V. P. of the Society of Antiquaries? I think his prospectus. The Atlas "T. W." is in search of is "Quin's His- Mr. Halliwell should have given us this information in torical Atlas," published about 1835. Mr. Willis. HOLOGRAPH AND AUTOGRAPH. August 2nd, 1852. SIR, I am rather sorry that "Johnson by Todd," (see Current Notes for last month, p. 58) did not continue his explanation of the two words "Holograph" and "Autograph," making his stop at the former; for the latter derived from the Latin signifies "Writing, entirely in one hand." Now, where is the difference between the two words? A manuscript page of an author's work is Holograph as well as Autograph, without any necessity for a signature; the former word, however, being very pedantic. According to his version, the various interesting sales of Messrs. Puttick, Sotheby, and others, should be called, "Sales of Holograph Letters," most of the lots being entirely written and signed by celebrated cha TO CORRESPONDENTS. C. E. communication on Earl St. Vincent's Motto, Mr. Crofton Croker's on Daniel O'Rourke, "K's" on Franks and Franking, and "Walker, Jun." in type, but must stand over. R. B. New York, 7th August, received, regret his accident. Mr. Squier will return by steamer of the 25th, and will certainly take news up to 21st. L. B. introduced yesterday. The artist out of town. Literary and Scientific Obituary. BURDAKIN, James, Rev. M.A. Hebrew Scholar. (Cambridge Examiner). Elmsett, Suffolk. 20th June. CLARKE, Mary Ann, Mrs. Novelist, Political Pamphleterer and Courtezan. (In 1813 this woman was tried for libel before Lord Ellenborough, who not hearing her answer repeated the question, "Under whose protection are you now living, madam ?" "I had hoped under Lord Ellenborough's," was the memorable reply. Nine months' imprisonment followed this piece of witty wicked impertinence to the Bench.) Boulogne. 21st June. Aged 74. CULLIMORE, Isaac, M.R.S.L. Egyptian and Assyrian FEUCHÈRES. Sculptor. Paris. 7th June. Durham, Q. C. and Recorder of Hull). York. 5th HARRIS, Miss. Authoress of "From Oxford to Rome.” MANSON, William. (Firm of Messrs. Christie and Manson, RAMPOLD, Doctor. Anatomist. Eslingen, Bavaria. St. Luke's Church, Chelsea, where his remains were interred on the 12th May.) 7th May. Aged 74. SCROPE, William. Works on Deer Stalking and Salmon THOMSON, Thomas, M.D. F.R.S. Science. Fishing. 13, Belgrave Square. 21st July. Aged 81. (Regius Professor of Chemistry in the University of Glasgow, and President of the Glasgow Philosophical Society.) Kilmun, Argyleshire. 2nd August. Aged 80. VINCENT, John Painter. Surgeon of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Woodlands Manor, Wortham, Kent. 17th July. Aged 75. WULFSBERG, Niels. Journalist. (Chief Keeper of the Archives of Norway). Aged 67. No. XXI.] WILLIS'S CURRENT NOTES FOR THE MONTH. "I will make a prief of it in my Note-Book."-SHAKSPERE. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. G. WILLIS gratefully acknowledges the various interesting documents and letters he has received. He is anxious that it should be perfectly understood that he is not the author of any statement, representation, or opinion, that may appear in his "Current Notes," which are merely selections from communications made to him in the course of his business, and which appear to him to merit attention. Every statement therefore is open to correction or discussion, and the writers of the several paragraphs should be considered as alone responsible for their assertions. Although many notes have hitherto appeared anonymously, or with initial letters, yet wherever a serious contradiction is involved, G. Willis trusts that his Correspondents will feel the necessity of allowing him to make use of their names when properly required. "THUS," in nautical phrase, is understood to signify straight forward, or right a head, and the orders given [SEPTEMBER, 1852. without throwing her a-back (which is a very awkward DEAR SIR, -The above more clearly explains the DANIEL O'ROURKE. SIR, AS I perceive from your Current Notes that there is some discussion going on respecting the story of Daniel O'Rourke, with which my name has been mixed up, I will confide to you all that I know respecting the origin of that popular story. The primitive idea, which makes children cry for the moon, is the foundation of it—at least of its principal incident, the flight on the eagle. In all times, people have longed after what Milton calls "Imagined lands and regions in the moon," and it was only natural that poets should seize upon the fancy of flying to that island in the sky. Indeed the late Mr. Moore told me, that Daniel O'Rourke, odd as it may seem, suggested to him the idea of those beautiful words "Oh! had we some bright little Isle of our own," which he has in the fifth Number of his Irish Melodie adapted to the air of Shcela na Guira. Bishop Wilkin seriously estimated the probabilities of getting to the moon; but balloons have proved what mathematicians had before calculated, that the project of the learned bishop is but a dream, and fit only for the poets. to the steersman when he must not deviate from the point, but proceed straight forward, thus. Lord St. Vincent was celebrated for his straightforward conduct; upon all occasions he spoke his sentiments freely, and won all hearts by the plain manly straightforward dealing both with officers and men under his command. The motto, therefore, chosen for him by his sister, when the Admiral was raised to the Peerage, was deemed appropriate, and after the general fashion of mottos, had Tales of flights to the moon exist in the Sanscrit, a double meaning. In the Peerage a fanciful derivation which appears to be the original language of fable; and is given, attempting to prove that the word thus stands for from thence this conceit has spread throughout the frankincense, and frankincense for religion. Depend upon literature of the East and of Greece. In the popular it, however, that I have given you the true history, as legends of all countries where large birds abound, flights related to me by the lady who inherits his Lordship's upon eagle-back are common, and seem to have given name, and on whom are entailed the estate at Ches-rise to the more classical fancy of winged horses, and hunt, granted, I think, by Parliament to the Earl St. therefore Daniel O'Rourke was no misnomer for the Vincent; of that I am not quite sure, but as to the recent winner of the Derby. origin of the motto and its significance, you may rely on this statement of your obliged, &c. C. E. P.S. The term Thus, in naval phraseology, is that when a ship is sailing on the wind or close to the wind. The Quartermaster who stands up on the weather side of the quarter deck, calls out to the helmsman when he has brought the ship as close to the wind as is possible VOL. II. To modern Europe, the idea of soaring to the moon, was, I believe, introduced by Ariosto in his whimsical account of Astolpho's Journey in quest of the brains of Orlando. That a very intimate acquaintance with both the literature and music of Italy was cultivated, from the beginning to nearly the close of the last century, in Ireland is sufficiently proved by the Memoirs of Lord K on Ariosto. My friend, Mr. Prior, in the second edition of his Life of Burke, has attributed-I know not on what authority-the invention of Daniel O'Rourke to a Mr. Doyle, a surgeon, who moved in the very pleasant and intellectual society of Dublin, about a century since. Whether he was the author or not can now only be matter of conjecture; but there is a traditionary story of his introduction to Quin, who had expressed a wish to see a specimen of an Irish peasant, which supports Mr. Prior's assertion. Doyle, dressed in the proper costume of the character he had to personate, was brought before a merry party, where Quin in the full tide of humour reigned paramount, according to his custom. The mock rustic acted his part with becoming awkwardness; but bandied jest for jest with "the huge leviathan." 66 "You're a droll fellow, my man," at last said Quin; you remind me of a story I once heard ;" and Quin told it accordingly to the delight of the company. "Well then," said Doyle, "your honour reminds me of another; and-" How the connexion was brought about is not related; but Doyle told the story of Daniel O'Rourke, which was received with shouts of laughter; and it is needless to say the deception was not carried on much longer. Whatever the source of the story may have been, it became orally very popular, and was a particular favourite in the South of Ireland. I have been told that it was printed in a miscellany published somewhere in Scotland about 1790, but I never saw it in print before my version. One of your Correspondents, A. (March, Notes, p. 18), states that it may be found in Dr. Anderson's "Bee," for January 1794, p. 338. Another, W. B. (June, Notes p. 55) in the "Dundee Repository." And I have no doubt of the accuracy of both these statements. In 1820 it certainly did appear in the most popular of all Scotch miscellanies-Blackwood's Magazine-agreeably versified by the late Mr. Samuel Gosnell of Cork, and not improbably touched up by the late Doctor Maginn ; but, as usual with poems in ottava rima, considerably dilated by humourous and sometimes highly poetical digressions. I remain, Sir, your humble servant, 3, Gloucester Road, Old Brompton. FRANKS AND FRANKING. August 3, 1852. SIR,-With reference to "A Modern Collector" and his enquiry respecting franks and franking in your May number, page 38, I have been hoping to find some notice taken by one at least of the very numerous collectors there are of such, some of whom, doubtless, have gathered information as to origin, &c. As I could never see the interest in forming such a collection, I have contented myself by keeping in one volume those of really eminent characters, or possessing interest from their antiquity. Tracing them back as far as I can, I come to the facsimile of Sir Isaac Newton's thirteen interesting letters to John Covell, D.D. rescued from oblivion by Mr. Dawson Turner, a copy of which he kindly sent me, these bear date Feb. 3, 1688, at that period with a frank, no date was used, being simply, Frank For the Is. Newton. graph letter: : as there can be but little doubt that it is the Holograph or Autograph of two persons, the writer of the letter and the party signing. To explain myself more clearly, let me ask, is it wrong to call a letter written entirely by our Queen, and signed by her, an autograph? I should much like to have seen G. W. C.'s communication, which you have not inserted, it might have thrown additional light upon a subject I have often heard discussed, and always ending in the two words being considered synonymous. To Mr. Willis. Yours, WALKER, Jun. (In compliance with this wish, G. W. appends G. W. C.'s communication.) Manchester, July 5th, 1852. SIR,-The "Young Country Collector of MSS." is informed that "Holograph" means a deed executed, or written wholly by the grantor's own hand. It is derived from the two Greek words-öλog whole, and yoápw I am, Sir, yours, &c. to write. Mr. Willis. G. W. C. AUTOGRAPH, APOGRAPH, AND Holograph. August 27, 1852. SIR,-Your Correspondent E. (Current Notes, August, p. 72) is incorrect in stating that Autograph is derived from the Latin, and signifies "Writing entirely in one hand." It is derived from the two Greek words avros and ypapw, and means, the signature, or original writing of a person (in contradistinction to " Apograph, a copy.") There is an evident difference between the two terms. In using the word Autograph there is a vagueness, an uncertainty; I do not necessarily express whether the deed is partially or wholly in the writer's own hand. In employing the word Holograph there can be no doubt on the subject. Hence it is a term made use of in Scottish law. Edinb. August 19th, 1852. DEAR SIR,-Your Correspondent, "A Customer and an Alchemist," (Current Notes for July, p. 64) who wishes to find a list of Alchemical books, will see a list of 731 different works on that subject, in a work published in London in 1815, entitled, "The Lives of Alchemystical Philosophers." There was a collection of the works of the early Alchemists made by Lazarus Zetznerus, bookseller at Strasbourg, and published in 1713 in 5 thick vols. 8vo. This work contains about 200 treatises on the Phi losopher's stone, and is well worth the inspection of those curious about Alchemical matters. Correspondent, I will be very glad. Mr. Willis. I remain, yours truly, J. S. |