Various

“ PHOTOGRAPHIC NOTES AND QUERIES.
Portable Camera for Travellers.—Your correspondent E. S. asks for a clear description of a camera that will supersede the necessity of a dark room. Mr. Stokes has invented one; and in the early part of the photographic exhibition at the Society of Arts it was exhibited. The weight of the camera is only nine pounds, including focussing-glass, lens, shutter, &c. The shutter is so arranged that it will contain from twelve to twenty pieces of prepared paper, each piece between separate sheets of blotting-paper. ”

“ The issue by the Shakspeare Society of an edition of the Notes and Emendations to the Text of Shakspeare's Plays from early MS. Corrections in a Copy of the Folio 1632, in the Possession of J. Payne Collier, Esq., affords an opportunity, of which we gladly avail ourselves, to recall attention to a volume which is unquestionably the most important contribution to Shakspearian literature which has issued from the press for many years. ”

“ CONTENTS. Notes. ROBERTSON'S "INDEX OF CHARTERS."
This work, so often quoted, is familiar to every antiquary; but as the name of the intelligent and laborious editor does not appear in any of our biographical dictionaries, a short sketch may not be unacceptable to our readers.
William Robertson was born at Fordyce, in the county of Banff, in the year 1740. Having gone through the usual course of elementary instruction in reading and writing, he entered the Latin class at the grammar school of his native parish; a seminary then, as now, of great celebrity in the North of Scotland. ”

“ My reason for asking the question is, that I have lately found a manuscript book—a common thickish square account-book in a vellum back—containing at one end, as it seems, the minutes of the meetings of the Grub Street Society, signed by the members at each meeting: at the other end, the accounts of the funds of the association. If it should prove that the entries are genuine, and they should prove to be of any interest, I should send you some extracts from the book. ”

“ MR. R. W. THOMAS begs most earnestly to caution photographers against purchasing impure chemicals, which are now too frequently sold at very low prices. It is to this cause nearly always that their labours are unattended with success.
Chemicals of absolute purity, especially prepared for this art, may be obtained from R. W. THOMAS, Chemist and Professor of Photography, 10. Pall Mall.
N.B.—The name of Mr. T.'s preparation, Xylo-Iodide of Silver, is made use of by unprincipled persons. To prevent imposition each bottle is stamped with a red label bearing the maker's signature. ”

“ He says that the verses were "transferred from Ruffhead into Bowles' edition;" whereas they, as I have stated, were transferred into Warton's many years earlier.
After all this disquisition comes a recent Number of "N. & Q.," of which a column and a quarter is wasted by a correspondent A. T. W., who confesses that he (or she) has not a modern edition of Pope within reach, and begs to know whether these verses (repeated in extenso) "have been yet introduced to the public?"
Surely "N. & Q." should beware of correspondents that write to inquire about Pope, without having an edition of his works ”

“ PHOTOGRAPHY.—The AMMONIO-IODIDE OF SILVER in Collodion (price 9d. per oz.) , prepared by DELATOUCHE & CO., Photographic and Operative Chemists, 147. Oxford Street, has now stood the test of upwards of Twelve months' constant use; and for taking Portraits or Views on Glass, cannot be surpassed in the beautiful results it produces. MESSRS. DELATOUCHE & CO. supply Apparatus with the most recent Improvements, PURE CHEMICALS, PREPARED SENSITIVE PAPERS, and every Article connected with Photography on Paper or Glass. ”

“ The meaning of the term Yankee, which our transatlantic brethren now willingly adopt as their collective name, has acquired more notoriety than it deserved from the unlucky and far-fetched derivations which it has received in so many different publications. The term is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and of home-growth. We all know, from the veritable Diedricht Knickerbocker's History of New York, that its earliest settlers were exclusively Dutchmen, who naturally named it, though from anything but similarity in local situation, New Amsterdam. ”

“ He was blind, but on hearing some of her poems read, he exclaimed, "Oh, my God, madam, there is nothing like this in Shakspeare!" Such a compliment turned her head; she sold her annuity to publish her book, and was reduced to extreme distress and misery. This is stated in a notice of the book in The British Stage, Sept. 1817, p. 210. The article, which is signed K., was written by the editor, Mr. Jones Broughton of the India House, a friend of Hewson Clarke, and once editor of The Theatrical Inquisitor.
I agree with G. C. that the "scraps" are niaiseries; as literature nothing can be worse ”

“ By so doing you will give great pleasure to several excellent amateur photographers, and especially your constant reader,
Philophotog.
Originator of the Collodion Process.—As some think the credit of the invention of the collodion process a matter of dispute, will you allow me to remind your correspondents that the truth will be much easier to discover if they will confine themselves to actual facts?
In No. 167., p. 47., G. C. first recklessly accuses Mr. Archer of untruth, and then tests his own claim to truth by quoting from Le Gray's edition of 1852, to prove Le Gray's edition of 1850. ”

“ In that map the country I was passing through appears as a large blank, with the words "Unknown mountainous region." But I found it abounding in prosperous villages, and tracts of land cultivated both for rice and dry grain. So far from being "unknown," its forests have a numerous though scattered population; and as to its being "mountainous," there is scarcely a hill in the entire "region." There is a meagre map of Ceylon, drawn by George Atkinson, who was civil engineer and surveyor-general of the colony, and published by Wylde in 1836. ”

“ By LOUIS F. KLIPSTEIN, of the University of Giessen, 2 thick vols. post 8vo. cloth, 12s. (original price 18s.)
A DELECTUS IN ANGLO-SAXON, intended as a First Class-book in the Language. By the Rev. W. BARNES of St. John's College, Cambridge, author of the Poems and Glossary in the Dorset Dialect. 12mo. cloth, 2s. 6d.
"To those who wish to possess a critical knowledge of their own native English, some acquaintance with Anglo-Saxon is indispensable; and we have never seen an introduction better calculated than the present to supply the wants of a beginner in a short space of time. ”

“ We must therefore, perhaps, look out for some more obscure and worthless poet, whose "principal" Milton's "accessory" was to "help out."
When writing on this subject before, I said that Samuel Hartlib had not settled in England at the time of Sir H. Wotton's letter to Milton (Vol. vi., p. 5.) . I am indebted to Warton for that mistake. He fixes the date of his coming hither to "about the year 1640." (Illustrations of Milton's Minor Poems, p. 596.: Lond. 1775.)
Samuel Hartlib figures amongst the correspondents of Joseph Mede in March, 1634, and even then dated from London. ”

“ My principal objection remains. Thomas Randolph was far too popular a poet to have been contemptuously alluded to by Wotton or any one else in that age, and, making all due allowance for laudation and compliment, Wotton does disparage the poems to which Milton's Masque was appended.
I think that quaint old Winstanley gives the general opinion of Randolph. He says:
"He was one of such a pregnant wit that the Muses may seem not only to have smiled, but to have been tickled at his nativity, such the festivity of his poems of all sorts."—Lives of English Poets, p. ”

“ She was lady-like and sensible upon all matters except her own poems. Of course his opinion was easily formed; but he assured her that, though the poems were very good, they would not suit the public taste, and that she would be rash in publishing. ”

“ The size is small folio.
E. S. Jackson.
Erasmus Smith.—The undersigned is much interested in learning something of the life and history of Erasmus Smith, the founder of the numerous schools in Ireland that still go under his name, and are governed by a chartered incorporation. If it was a great act to found and endow so many schools, assuredly Erasmus Smith gives additional authority to the dictum, that "The world knows nothing of its greatest men." ”

“ J. B. HOCKIN & CO. manufacture PURE CHEMICALS and all APPARATUS with the latest Improvements adapted for all the Photographic and Daguerreotype processes. Cameras for Developing in the open Country. GLASS BATHS adapted to any Camera. Lenses from the best Makers. Waxed and Iodized Papers, &c.
PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES.—A Selection of the above beautiful Productions may be seen at BLAND & LONG'S, 153. Fleet Street, where may also be procured Apparatus of every Description, and pure Chemicals for the practice of Photography in all its Branches. ”

“ A small part only of the mass may now appear above the surface, and may even be wholly concealed by alluvial deposits, in which case the research would, of course, be in vain, unless happily aided by local tradition, which at the outset should be sedulously sought for. ”

“ R." and "the late R.'s poems" do not seem to be supported by the facts. Randolph's poems were printed at Oxford in 1638, but in which month we are not told. The first question then is this, Were they printed before or after the 13th of April, when Wotton's letter was written? If after the 13th, or even the 6th of April, when Milton's presentation copy of Comus was forwarded, of course the matter is decided. ”

“ Morma has no meaning whatever.
J. S. Warden.
Goldsmiths' Year-marks (Vol. vi., p. 604.; Vol. vii., p. 90.) .—I observe that, a few weeks ago, in the "N. & Q.," one of your correspondents made inquiries respecting the publication of my paper on plate-marks, which was read at the Bristol meeting of the Archæological Institute.
In reply, I beg to inform him that he will find, in the last two Numbers of the Journal of the Institute, the first and second parts of the paper, and that the concluding portion of it, and I hope also the table of annual letters, will appear in the forthcoming Number. ”

“ The research, if successful, would be of interest enough, both for history and science, to perpetuate a man's name. In the hope that some of the correspondents of "N. & Q.," now sojourning in, or likely to visit the locality, may be tempted to undertake it, I send you these suggestions, extracted from an article of no small scientific interest and value ”

“ It was from Welbeck Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, that William Lord Briwere obtained subjects for his abbey at Tor; and Bruern, or Temple Bruer, in Lincolnshire, belonging to the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell (see Dugdale's Monast., new edition, vol. vi. par. ii. p. 801.) , would seem to owe its name to some connexion with the Brewer family, as did also, perhaps, Bruera in Chester, &c.
Mention is made of a William de la Bruera in the History of Northamptonshire (edit. Oxon., 1791, tom. i. p. 233.) ”

“ PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS and VIEWS by the Collodion and Waxed-Paper Process. Apparatus, Materials, and Pure Chemical Preparations for the above processes, Superior Iodized Collodion, known by the name of Collodio-iodide or Xylo-iodide of Silver, 9d. per oz. Pyro-gallic Acid, 4s. per drachm. Acetic Acid, suited for Collodion Pictures, 8d. per oz. Crystallizable and perfectly pure, on which the success of the Calotypist so much depends. 1s. per oz. Canson Frères' Negative Paper, 3s.; Positive do., 4s. 6d.; La Croix, 3s.; Turner, 3s. Whatman's Negative and Positive, 3s. per quire. ”

“ Turner's name appears as an exhibitor there every year between 1790 and 1850, excepting the years 1821, 1824, and 1848. Several views of Fonthill Abbey, and "The Fifth (not the Tenth) Plague of Egypt," were exhibited in 1800, and "The Tenth Plague of Egypt" in 1802.
G. B.
"For God will be your King to-day" (Vol. vii., p. 67.) .—In reply to your querist H. A. S. with respect to the above line, I believe that it belongs not to Somersetshire, but to Ireland; not to Monmouth's rebellion, but to the civil wars of 1690. ”

“ CIBBER'S "LIVES OF THE POETS." (Vol. v., p. 161.)
Allow me to draw your attention to a curious letter which I transcribe, with reference to the above. It appears to have escaped the notice of Mr. Croker, although it corroborates his statements. It was written by the bookseller himself who published the Lives, and would seem to set the matter as to their authorship completely at rest. Griffiths appears to have been also the editor of the Monthly Review; and Cartwright, the inventor of the power-loom, to whom the letter is addressed, to have been one of his contributors. ”

“ Rosa, who asks about Men of Kent and Kentish Men, is referred to our 5th Vol., p. 322.
I. N. (Leicester.) There must be something wrong in the preparation of your chemicals. Consult the directions given in our Nos. 151, 152. We have seen some glass negatives of landscapes taken by Dr. Diamond during the past week, which have all the intensity which can be desired. The time of exposure in these cases has varied from fifteen to sixty seconds, the lens used being a single meniscus. ”

“ This circumstance naturally led him to a minute acquaintance with the subject; and induced him to publish, in 1794, a quarto volume, entitled Proceedings relative to the Peerage of Scotland from 16th January, 1707, to 20th April, 1788: a work which has been found of the greatest service in conducting the elections of the representative peers of Scotland. ”

“ Mr. Walpole certainly failed in his attempts to clear a way through it. Will any of your botanical readers give me the proper name of the plant? and also of the "Giant Arum," which the same people call the king or chief of plants?
Seleucus.
Shearman Family.—Is there a family named either Shearman or Spearman in Yorkshire or in Wales? What are their arms? Is there any record of a member of this family settling in Ireland, county of Kilkenny, about the middle of the seventeenth century; his name, &c.? Are there any genealogical records concerning them? ”

“ Mary Mackey was vain and weak, but true-hearted, {110}generous, and affectionate; she conceals nothing, and lays bare her poverty and her wish to marry again. She advertises herself under the form of a pony for sale ”

“ The readers of "N. & Q." know well what discussions have been raised upon such phrases as "Prenzie Angelo," "Whose mother was her painting," "Ribaudred nag," "Most busy, least when I do it," &c. The writer of the Notes and Emendations, now first published, has given in these, and hundreds of other difficult and disputed passages, corrections which are consistent with Shakspeare's character as the poet of common sense. He converts the "prenzie Angelo" into the "priestly," and the "prenzie guards" into "priestly garb." So that the passage now reads—
"Claud. ”

“ In reply to Mr. A. F. Westmacott (Vol. vii., p. 38.) , I have, in my collection of engraved portraits, one of the subject of his inquiry, "Martha Blount." It is in stipple, by Picart, after a picture by Gardner. I have no idea the portrait is rare, and think your correspondent may easily procure it among the printsellers in London.
J. Burton.
Quotations wanted (Vol. vii., p. 40.) .—Bacon, in his Essay "Of Studies," has this sentence:
"And if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not." ”