Part 3

A TRAVELLING NAME.--I have heard or read somewhere of a story about one of the authors of the "Rejected Addresses"--indeed, I now remember that he told it to me himself--how that he once travelled in a stage coach with a very agreeable old lady, who was well acquainted with London society, and with whom he conversed for a considerable time about various mutual friends and circumstances that could only be known to them, or to their immediate circle, with so much familiarity, that the old lady's curiosity being roused, she ventured to inquire his name. "James Smith, madam," was the reply. "Oh, that's your travelling name, is it? But it won't do for me."

J.

SMITH.--Has not some one written, or is not some one going to write, a history of the Smiths? It really might be made a very amusing book, and some one--I forget who--actually told me that "the far-famed Ruffian of the Adelphi," (O. S.) was collecting materials for or from such a book. I subscribe my real name--identify, if you can, Mr. Willis.

JOHN SMITH.

PILGRIM'S BADGE?--A Correspondent has kindly transmitted to G. W. a rubbing from which the annexed woodcut has been made, of a small brass ornament, found at Launde Abbey, in Leicestershire, which abbey or priory was founded by Rd. Basset, in the reign of Henry III. dissolved by Henry VIII., and Cromwell, Earl of Essex, had a grant of it. In the Chapel (all that remains of the Priory) is a monument to his son Gregory, Lord Cromwell, of the date of 1551. The ornament is supposed to be a Pilgrim's Badge, brought from Rome, and probably was buried with him.

M. C. S.

1st January, 1852.

ANCIENT KEY.--I. D. is thanked for the drawing of an Ancient Key found in October last, in the parish of Stoke Holy Cross, near Warwick; but as no particular interest attaches to this key in an antiquarian point of view, it is not worth engraving.

THE LIBERTY STONE IN CASTLE STREET, LIVERPOOL.--T. B. B. (Burnley, 1st December) thanked, but the space at G. W.'s command does not permit of his inserting the extract forwarded to him from the _Liverpool Albion_.

PRINTS OF OLIVER CROMWELL AND "ST. LUKE'S DAY."

A "Young Print and Portrait Collector" would be obliged by any explanation respecting a portrait of Oliver Cromwell, of an allegorical nature, surrounded by various emblems and devices, which evidently bear upon the events of his life. He is represented standing between two columns, in armour, with a wreath of laurel in place of a helmet. This print has neither name or date of any kind upon it.

Another print is one marked published 1816, by J. T. Smith, called "St. Luke's day," a "poor painter removing;" is this intended as a caricature upon some artist of the time?

Jan. 6th, 1852.

D. E., 47, _Blessington Street, Dublin,_ thanked for his suggestions. The R. I. A.--T. C. D. and the Dublin Society, however, cannot in the slightest degree influence the conduct of G. W.'s "Current Notes."

If these learned bodies regard their own situation, they will not object to "any slang, coarseness, or Americanisms." They should rather reflect how much America has and _probably_ will teach young Ireland--BUT NOT _through_ their agency, as publishers.

THE HOLY GRAHL, Δ. as confessedly "made up of quotations," is an article not suited to G. W.'s "Current Notes."

ADMISSION OF LITERARY INQUIRERS TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS.

Regulations under which permission will be given to Literary Inquirers to make searches among the Public Records, without payment of fees, contained in a letter addressed by the Right Honourable Sir John Romilly, Master of the Rolls to Sir Francis Palgrave, K.H., the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records: dated at the Rolls House, 4th December, 1851:--

1st. That the individuals seeking to avail themselves of the permission shall address a letter to the Deputy Keeper, stating generally their objects of research, so as to show that the applications are really and _bonâ fide_ for literary purposes, and that the applicant shall also attend the Deputy Keeper personally thereon, and give such further explanation as may be required; and that thereupon the Deputy Keeper shall, if he be satisfied with the statement and explanation, authorise the Assistant Keepers to allow the applicant to inspect such Indexes of Records, and also such Original Records, and to make such copies or extracts in pencil required by the applicant as the Deputy Keeper may think advisable.

This mode of proceeding, which is equally required for the security of the Records, and for the protection of the business searchers, will in fact be beneficial to Literary Inquirers; for the more fully they explain their objects, the better will the Deputy Keeper and the other officers be able to direct them to the documents which may be useful to them.

2ndly. That all the applications before mentioned be entered in a book, and be reported to the Master of the Rolls.

3rdly. That a book be kept at each branch office, in which the Assistant Keeper shall enter a note or particular of the Rolls, Records, Books, or Documents, called for, inspected, or used by the applicant, nearly in the same manner, _mutatis mutandis_, as is practised with respect to Manuscripts in the British Museum.

But this book is to be considered as confidential, and not to be shown to the public without express permission of the Master of the Rolls or Deputy Keeper.

4thly. That, in case of any impropriety or abuse of the privilege, the Assistant Keepers do forthwith report the same to the Deputy Keeper, in order that he may bring the same before the Master of the Rolls.

It will be necessary also to explain to the Literary Inquirers that the time of the various officers and other persons employed in the Public Record Office is so wholly engrossed by the performance of their present duties, that it will not be possible for the officers to assist any Literary Inquirers beyond the production of the documents, and giving a general explanation, if needed, of their character and nature. No applicant ought to present himself who is not sufficiently acquainted with the hand-writing, abbreviations, and language of ancient documents, so as to be able to read and decipher their contents.

The Literary Inquirer will have free access to the documents, but, this being done, he will have to conduct the inquiry from these documents in such manner as his own knowledge and capacity may best enable him to do.

_G. W. is informed that the reading Public are indebted to John Bruce, Esq., the Treasurer of the Society of Antiquaries, for this important concession on the part of the Master of the Rolls; and it has been suggested that a suitable testimonial should be presented to Mr. Bruce by those historical inquirers who are likely to derive such valuable aid from his exertions._

F. S. A.

LITERARY AUCTIONS.--That there is no lack of enthusiasm among amateurs for the possession of rare and curious works, is evidenced by the prices which some books of this class brought at a sale just concluded by Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson, being the first sale of importance this season. Among them may be noticed the following:

ORLOGE (l') DE SAPIENCE, folio, _nouvellement imprimée à Paris_, 1493. A VERY SPLENDID SPECIMEN OF PRINTING ON VELLUM, _from the celebrated Press of_ VERARD, _ruled with red lines, bound in red morocco extra, gilt edges, by Bauzonnet, with a well made pigskin case to contain it_.

Of this singular Ascetical Romance, M. Van Praet states that six copies are known as being printed on vellum: of these three are in the National Library at Paris, all of which are more or less adorned with miniatures, two of them, like the present, having the summary of the chapters (left blank for the insertion of the miniatures) written in a contemporary hand on the margins. The Harleian copy, afterwards in the collections of Count Macarthy and Mr. Hibbert, was adorned with thirteen miniatures: the present beautiful volume has SIXTEEN, the additional ones being at the commencement of the chapters, in which the same subjects are treated in a different manner. THE whole of the fine miniatures are in the best style of French art. THIS LOT SOLD FOR £45.

Literary and Scientific Obituary.

CHILDREN, John George. Science. Late Secretary R.S. Halstead, Kent.

GRAEFE, Dr. Christian. Greek and Roman Antiquities. St. Petersburgh. 11th December.

JACOB, William. F.R.S. Political Economist. 31, Cadogan Place. 17th December. Aged 89.

LUTTRELL, Henry. Wit and Poet. Brompton Square. 19th December. Aged 86.

SADLIER, Rev. Dr. Provost, Trinity College, Dublin. 14th December.

STEEL, James. Editor and Proprietor Carlisle Journal. Carlisle. 16th December. Aged 55.

TURNER, Joseph Mallord William. R.A. 47, Queen Anne Street (Chelsea?). 19th December. Aged 76.

WARBURTON, Eliot. Historian and Novelist. Lost in the wreck of the Amazon. 4th January.

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Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.