Various

“ The Etruscans appear to have taken very great pains with the drainage of their cities; on many sites the cloaca are the only remains of their former industry and greatness which remain. They were also careful to bury their dead outside their city walls; and it is, no doubt, to these two circumstances, principally, that their increase and greatness, as a people, are to be ascribed. But why do not the present inhabitants avail themselves of the same means to health? Is it that they are idle, or are they too broken spirited and poverty-stricken to unite in any public work? ”

“ HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, and ARCHÆOLOGY have never been neglected, and our OBITUARY has grown into a record which, even we ourselves may say, has become a permanent and important portion of the literature of our country. ”

“ Is any thing known, beyond what I have stated, as to the communications with Rome on the subject of his canonization, or as to the means by which he was permitted by the English church to become a fit object for invocation and veneration?
What are the chief historical grounds that endeared his memory to the Church or the people? The compassion for his signal fall can hardly account for this, although a similar motive was sufficient to bring to the tomb of Edward II., in Gloucester Cathedral, an amount of offerings that added considerably to the splendour of the edifice. ”

“ It is much to be lamented that sufficient encouragement cannot be given in this country for the production of a Universal Biography. Roses's work, which promised to be a giant, dwindled down to a miserable pigmy; and that under "The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge" was strangled in its birth.
André des Freux, better known by his Latin name, Frusius, was born at Chartres, in the beginning of the sixteenth century. He embraced the life of an ecclesiastic, and obtained the cure of Thiverval, which he held many years with great credit to himself. ”

“ It will not be one of the least of many benefits of your publication, that, in noticing from time to time the real intention of many ancient charitable bequests, the purposes of the original benevolent founder may be restored to their integrity, and the charity devoted to the use of those for whom it was intended, and who will receive it as a charity, and not, as is too often the case, be swallowed up as a mere place,—or worse, a sinecure. ”

“ We have great pleasure in directing attention to the advertisement inserted in another column respecting some improvements about to be introduced into the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. This venerable periodical has maintained its station uninterruptedly in our literature from the year 1731. From the times of Johnson and Cowper it has been the medium by which many men of the greatest eminence have communicated with the public. At all times it has been the sole depository of much valuable information of a great variety of kinds. ”

“ Every body is aware of the prodigious and unexpected success of Gay's Beggar's Opera on its first production; it was offered to Colley Cibber at Drury Lane, and refused, and the author took it to Rich, at the Lincoln's-Inn-Fields theatre, by whom it was accepted, but not without hesitation. ”

“ The ancient population appears, moreover, to have been located in circumstances not by any means favourable to the health of the people. Those cities surrounded by high walls, and entered by singularly small gateways, must have been very badly ventilated, and very unfavourable to health; and yet it is not reasonable to suppose they could have been so unhealthy then as the author describes the country at present to be. It is hardly possible to imagine so great a people as the Etruscans, the wretched fever-stricken objects the present inhabitants of the Maremna are described to be. ”

“ Yet Dartmouth wrote, 'I do not think he designedly published anything he believed to be false.' At a later period, Dartmouth, provoked by some remarks on himself in the second volume of the Bishop's history, retracted this praise; but to such a retraction little importance can be attached. Even Swift has the justice to say, 'After all he was a man of generosity and good nature.'"—Short Remarks on Bishop Burnet's History.
"It is usual to censure Burnet as a singularly inaccurate historian; but I believe the charge to be altogether unjust. ”

“ Verse may picture the feelings of the author, or it may only picture his fancy. To assume the former position, is not always safe; and in two memorable instances a series of sonnets has been used to construct a baseless fabric of biography.
In the accompanying sonnet, there is no such uncertainty. It was communicated to me by John Adamson, Esq., M.R.S.L., &c., honourably known by a translation of the tragedy of Dona Ignez de Castro, from the Portuguese of Nicola Luiz, and by a Memoir of the life and writings of Camoens, &c. It was not intended for publication, but now appears, at my request. ”

“ OPINIONS RESPECTING BURNET
A small catena patrum has been given respecting Burnet, as a historian, in No. 3. pp. 40, 41., to which two more scriptorum judicia have been appended in No. 8. p. 120., by "I.H.M.". As a sadly disparaging opinion had been quoted, at p. 40., from Lord Dartmouth, I hope you will allow the following remarks on the testimony of that nobleman to appear in your columns:—
"No person has contradicted Burnet more frequently, or with more asperity, than Dartmouth. ”

“ But we doubt whether he has done any thing better calculated to promote this interesting branch of Archæology than by the production of his Introduction to the Study of Gothic Architecture, which—originally written as part of a series of elementary lectures recommended by the Committee of the Oxford Architectural Society to be delivered to the junior members, and considered useful and interesting by those who heard them— is now published at the request of the Society. ”

“ I have no means of accurately testing this assertion by reference to any undoubted version of the date of the original publication, but I have no doubt that this might easily be done through the medium of your paper; and I think you will agree with me that, if it should be substantiated, not only is credit due to the Queen's printers, but also that it is an example which ought to be followed, without exception, in all future editions of the Prayer Book. ”

“ Possibly the great majority of the people may have been dissatisfied with their rulers, and gladly removed to another place and another form of government. It is even possible, and indeed likely, that these great public works may have been carried on by the forced labour of the poorest and, consequently, the most numerous class of the population, and that, consequently, they had no particular tie to their native city, as being only a hardship to them ”

“ Frusius had studied, with equal success, theology, medicine, and law: he was a good mathematician, an excellent musician, and made Latin verses with such facility, that he composed them, on the instant, on all sorts of subjects. But these verses were neither so elegant nor so harmonious, as Alegambe asserts 1, since he adds, that it requires close attention to distinguish them from prose. Frusius translated, from Spanish into Latin, the Spiritual Exercises of Loyola. ”

“ The catalogue deserves the attention of all collectors of manuscripts, as it is, as far as circumstances will admit, a classified one. There are upwards of one thousand lots in the sale—many of a very curious and interesting character. There are Greek and Latin versions of the Scriptures, manuscripts of the 13th century, Ruding's original collections for his History of the Coinage of Great Britain ”

“ I have no doubt that much curious and valuable matter might be discovered, by pursuing into the remote receptacles of historical knowledge the lives and characters of persons who have become, in Catholic times, the unauthorised objects of popular religious reverence after death. ”

“ Little as public attention has of late years been devoted to commentating upon Pope, his writings and literary history, there are no doubt many able and zealous illustrators of them among lovers of literature for its own sake: and many a curious note upon the Bard of Twickenham and his works will probably be evoked by the announcement, that now is the moment when they may be produced with most advantage, when Mr. Murray is about to bring forth a new edition of Pope, under the able and experienced editorship of Mr. ”

“ Within was the skeleton of a full-grown man, partially preserved; the skull lay between the thighs. There is no record of the decapitation of any person at Pomfret of sufficient dignity to have been interred in a manner showing so much care for the preservation of the body, except the Earl of Lancaster. The coffin may have been removed here at the time the opposite party forbade its veneration, from motives of precaution for its safety. ”

“ Space that has been given to other matters will be curtailed, variations in type and arrangement will afford additional room, and all that can in any way be gained will be devoted to our main and peculiar purpose. ”

“ NARES defines Daysman, an umpire or arbitrator, from his fixing a day for decision; and adds, "Mr. Todd shows that day sometimes meant Judgment." Jacob, in his Law Dictionary, tells us, "Days-man signifies, in the North of England, an arbitrator or person chosen to determine an affair in dispute, who is called a Dies-man or Days-man." ”

“ The changes we are now about to introduce have for their design a more strict adherence to what we look upon as our peculiar path. We shall henceforth devote ourselves more particularly—we may say almost exclusively—to the great subjects we have mentioned. ”

“ It ran for 62 nights (not 63 nights, as has been stated in some authorities) in the season of 1727–1728; of these, 32 nights were in succession; and, from the original Account-book of the manager, C.M. Rich, I am enabled to give an exact statement of the money taken at the doors on each night, distinguishing such performances as were for the benefit of the author, viz. the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 15th nights, which put exactly 693l. 13s. 6d. into Gay's pocket. This is a new circumstance in the biography of one of our most fascinating English writers, whether in prose or verse. ”

“ Eyre and Spottiswoode's last rubricated edition of the Common Prayer, as far as was practicable; they were carefully collated with the original, and all variations corrected, except those which would materially affect immemorial use. The entire hymns are of great length, but all those verses which have been at all generally sung in churches are to be found in the edition to which we refer. ”

“ Dr. Farmer has stated that Shakspere took the name which he has given to one of the leading characters in the Merchant of Venice from a pamphlet entitled Caleb Shilloche, or the Jew's Prediction. The date of the pamphlet, however, being some years posterior to that of the play, renders this origin impossible. Mr. C. Knight, who points out this error, adds—"Scialac was the name of a Marionite of Mount Libanus."
But "query," Was not Shylock a proper name among the Jews, derived from the designation employed by the patriarch Jacob in predicting the advent of the Messiah—"until Shiloh come"? ”

“ Hereford, with the office of the 'Pokership,' and custody of the forest or chase of Prestwood for life. The same word occurs in the edition (the 3rd) of 1741, and in that edited by Sir Egerton Brydges in 1812 (vol. iv. p. 57.) .
If Pokership be not a misprint or misreading of the original authority, viz. Pat. 2. Jac. I. p. 21., for Parkership, can any of your readers tell me the meaning of "the Pokership," which is not to be found in any book of reference within my reach? I like the "NOTES AND QUERIES" very much. ”

“ MISCELLANIES—including ANSWERS TO MINOR QUERIES:— Darkness at the Crucifixion—High Doctrine—Wife of King Robert Bruce—The Talisman of Charlemagne —Sayers the Caricaturist—May-Day—Dr. Dee's Petition —Lines quoted by Goethe—Queen Mary's Expectations —Ken's Hymns—Etymology of Daysman, &c. MISCELLANEOUS:— Notes on Books, Sales, Catalogues, &c. Books and Odd Volumes wanted Notices to Correspondents Advertisements
ORIGIN OF A WELL-KNOWN PASSAGE IN HUDIBRAS.
The often-quoted lines—
"For he that fights and runs away
May live to fight another day," ”

“ May again fight, on other daie.
"¶ Judgeyng that it is more for the benefite of one's countree to renne awaie in battaile, then to lese his life. For a ded man can fight no more; but who hath saved hymself alive, by rennyng awaie, may, in many battailles mo, doe good service to his countree. ”

“ The piece of skin has been pronounced to be human by the highest authority. As the above query might lead to some lengthy "notes," I desire only to be informed of the titles of any works, ancient or modern, in which distinct mention, or allusion, is made of the punishment of flaying.
R.V.
Winchester.
MINOR QUERIES.
Pokership or Parkership.—In Collins' Peerage, vol. iv. p. 242., 5th edition, 1779, we are told that Sir Robert Harley, of Wigmore Castle, in 1604, was made Forester of Boringwood, alias Bringwood Forest, in com. ”

“ Your readers will, I am sure, all unite with me in commendation of your correspondent "M's" correct feeling in offering to restore this monument to its original site. I hope "M's" example will find many followers. There are hundreds of {189} these pillaged brasses in the hands of "collectors," and your admirable publication will have effected a great public good, if it shall have been instrumental in promoting their restoration.
Cambridge, Jan. 1. 1850.
E. VENTRIS.
Ancient Motto.—In reference to a query (No. 6. p. 93.) , and a reply (No. 7. p. 104.) ”