Part 1

WILLIS'S CURRENT NOTES FOR THE MONTH.

No. XIV.] "I will make a prief of it in my Note-Book."--SHAKSPERE. [FEBRUARY, 1852.

NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS

TO THE "PRICE CURRENT OF LITERATURE."

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.

ETHNOLOGY.--The marvellous pamphlet published in New York, with reference to the Aztec Children exhibiting there, has reached G. W., with the copy to be presented to a distinguished traveller, which has been delivered to him; and he seems not inclined to disbelieve in the accuracy of any of its statements, whatever may be the opinion of G. W.'s New York Special Reporter. (See "Current Notes" for January, p. 4.)

The pamphlet purposes to give an account of the discovery of an idolatrous city called _Iximaya_, in Central America, with 85,000 inhabitants, situate somewhere about 16° 42' N. and 91° 35' W., whose priests seem to consider the flesh of Scotchmen to be a peculiar culinary luxury--when they can catch them. The information given to the discoverers of the ideal or real city of _Iximaya_, was "that a man of the same race as Senor Hammond, who was of a bright-florid complexion, with light hair and red whiskers, had been sacrificed and eaten by the Macbenachs or priests of Iximaya, the great city among the hills, about thirty moons ago, (previous to May, 1849)."

It has been asserted that Mr. Wheelwright, an American gentleman of the highest respectability, well known and much respected both in London and Liverpool as the originator of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, is (or was) well acquainted with the author of this very extraordinary pamphlet. And although it must be confessed, that if considered as a piece of mere invention, for in marvellous incident it is a formidable rival to the voyage and travels of one Lemuel Gulliver, or the life and adventures of the well known Mr. Robinson Crusoe,--yet the fact should not be forgotten, that "Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction."

G. W. anxiously looks for the opinions of the well-informed press upon this matter, which, with the exception of the _Sunday Times_ of the 15th of February, have been silent about the "Pigmies" exhibiting in New York;--and about which, as G. W.'s "Special" observed last month--"there is NO MISTAKE."

THE BAWDRICK OR BALDROCK, (_Illustrated Correction_.)--Few people feel inclined to acknowledge an error, or to make a correction. See Willis's "Current Notes" for February last (p. 16), where Sir Walter Scott's remark is quoted, that "it is ill making holes in one's own stockings for the purpose of darning them again, darn we never so neatly." However, G. W. is always happy--not to feel himself in the wrong--but to correct any mistake which inadvertently he or his agents may have made. He has therefore no hesitation about printing the following communication.

"H. T. E. informs G. W. that the engraver of the sketch of the Bawdrick, which appeared in the last number of the "Current Notes" (p. 5)," has omitted one important reference, and a letter of reference, (which H. T. E. believes he sent).

"In fig. 2, letter B, all is right.

"But in fig. 1, letter B is wrong; it should have been by the side, and where that B is should have been an E, which was thus described:

"E. A piece of hard wood, placed between the staple and the end of the clapper, which is made steady to the clapper by D, the busk board, &c.

"As engraved, H. T. E. fears it will be a terrible puzzler to the uninitiated in Campanology, and even Campanologists will wonder at the confusion. The upper joint should have been _thus_, and the lower joint square (but G. W.'s artist has reversed the thing), for it is at B that the clapper swings.

"Still it is well to have got the thing shewn to the public, and H. T. E. thanks G. W., and supposes all blunders must be set down to his correspondent's fault of indistinct writing."

Strood, Rochester, 13th Feb. 1852.

SIR,--In reference to the letter of H. T. E. page 5 of your work, I beg to send you the following extracts from the Account Book of the Churchwardens of this Parish, now in my possession:--

H. WICKHAM. "Ao. 1555. It^m. payd For a horse hyde xx^d. For maykyng of y^e bawdreck ij^d." "1556. For whytt lether for y^e bawdreck xij^d. For maykyng of iiij bawdrecks . viij^d."

THE HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE.

Liverpool, 30th Jan. 1852.

SIR,--I have to complain that your Correspondent T. M. rushes into print so incautiously on the subject of his tobacco-pipe. From the accuracy of his quotation, he appears to have had the Society's volume before him, yet he has taken no trouble to arrive at the truth. Mr. Lamb's paper was read three months before the woodcut of the pipe in question appeared; but as the latter was of peculiar form, it was engraved, as well as one or two others that had not been exhibited. All of these were minutely referred to. Thus, in the NOTE RESPECTING THE PLATES, p. iii. there is the following:--"No. 14 [on Plate IV.] is from 'Willis's Current Notes,' for April, 1851; the stem is of bamboo, and the top of the bowl of brass. It was found in taking down an old inn at Fulham in 1836." From a mutilated copy I send you the actual leaf for the use of T. M.;[1] and have to express my sorrow that he does not possess either more patience or more civility,

A. HUME, D.C.L. Corresponding Secretary.

[1] G. W. _has forwarded it to his Correspondent, and begs to thank the Rev. Dr. Hume for this correction of T. M.'s oversight, and the manner in which an acknowledgment has been made to "Willis's Current Notes," which it gratifies him to find considered worthy of the attention of_ THE HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE.

THE LATE J. M. W. TURNER, R.A.

_G. W. has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of five communications respecting the Sketch of the late Mr. Turner, which appeared with_ J. T. A.'s _letter in the January number of_ "Current Notes," (p. 1.) _Four of his correspondents are pleased with the Sketch, and one who signs himself_, D. R. _states that he knew Mr. Turner well, and considers it to be, "no caricature, but on the contrary, an excellent likeness_."

_However, the following epistle, expresses a different opinion._

Yarm^o. Feb, 2, 1852.

SIR,--How very vexing it is that the "rude sketch" favoured by your obliging correspondent, (J. T. A.) was not placed in the hands of some R. A. (before engraved), who was acquainted and well knew that celebrated painter, and from that ("rude sketch") and the knowledge he (R. A.) had of the late Turner, would have favoured us with a more characteristic portrait. Was he not more than four feet in stature? This represented ("Current Notes," January, 1852, p. 1), reminds us of a wooden punchinello more than any thing that ever breathed, and not at all _credible_ to the "Current Notes." All such Notes are highly interesting if properly done.

In haste. Yours faithfully, W.

THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER, (_Author of the "Century of Inventions"_).--R. C. particularly thanked for his communication.

ANCIENT SIGNET EXPLAINED.

Southwick, near Oundle, Jan. 30th, 1852.

SIR,--Your excellent little work, "Current Notes," is worthy of all praise and support; as affording to the Numismatist, the Paleologist, and the Archeologist, &c. the means not only of giving a written account of their various studies, but also of exhibiting facsimiles of the objects of their research. At the same time that I thank you for the insertion of my last (p. 3, Jan. 1852), allow me to present you with one of, I think, much greater interest to the Chronologist and Historian, taken from "Gesenii Monumenta Phoenicia, Pars 3, Tab. 11, fig. XL. bis,"

The letters at the top of the signet are _Ch sr b l_; and the reading is, "_The great king_." At the bottom of the signet they are, _A ch m n_; and the reading is, "_Achemen_," and with the Greek termination _Achæmenes_. On the right side they are _a n b_, Hebrew [Hebrew letters: Aleph, nun, and Bet], taken as numerical characters, _i.e._ 1000, 700, 2; making the date 1702. On the left, the figure like the Greek [Greek: ou], is the sign of Taurus, to denote the month when the sun entered into Taurus. The _dove and leaf_ seem to refer to "_the dove and olive leaf_," Gen. viii. 11.

Let me now refer your readers to Drummond's Origines, v. 1, p. 310:

"The Greeks fancied Achæmenes to have been the name of the progenitor of Cyrus; but _Achæmenes_ is nothing else than a corruption of one of those pompous and impious titles, which were assumed by the kings of Iran, and of which the inscriptions explained by M. de Sacy afford many examples. _Achæmenes_, as I have shown elsewhere, signifies _Rex coeli_ in ancient Persian."

So much for _guess-work_, which cannot be too much reprobated. I do not pretend to any skill in chronology, but the calculation appears to be so simple, that I will attempt it, taking the dates of our authorized version of the Bible.

Deluge 2349 A.C. Signet engraved 1702 _from_ the Deluge Or 647 A.C. Cyrus begins to reign 537 A.C.

Therefore, from the beginning of the reign of Achæmenes to the same of Cyrus is 110 years.

From this remarkable signet we obtain the historical truth, that Achæmenes began his reign in the month Taurus, 1702, after THE _Deluge_. I have found the Deluge taken as an epoch in various Cuneiform and Egyptian, &c. documents, that have not been explained to the public.

Yours truly, T. R. BROWN.

_T. R. B.'s translation received, but must stand over for the present._

ROBERT HOBLYN, _quere_ RICHARD? No. 59, Grey Street, Newcastle, Tyne, January 28th, 1852.

SIR,--In your "Current Notes" for this month (p. 7), a correspondent, A. K., enquires about "Robert Hoblyn" and his Works. Presuming he has made a mistake in the name, and that he means "Richard" instead of "Robert," I send herewith a list of some of "Richard's" Works,

I remain, yours, Mr. Willis. THOMAS GRAY.

Richard D. Hoblyn, A.M., Oxon, author of "Medical Terms," "Scientific Terms," "Manuals of Natural Philosophy of Chemistry, and of the Steam Engine," "First Books in Science," &c. &c.

ROBERT HOBLYN.

4, Birchin Lane, February 7th, 1852.

SIR,--In answer to a letter in your "Price Current" for January 25th, (p. 7), addressed to you, and signed "A. K." I beg to inform your correspondent that "Robert Hoblyn," published the following works:--

"Bibliotheca Hoblyniana," 8vo. London, 1767.

"The First Book of the Georgics of Virgil, Lat. and Eng. with Translation in blank verse, and notes, 8vo. London, 1825."

It is worthy to notice that "M. A." is affixed to his name in the last named work.

I am not aware that he published any other works; but a perusal of the Catalogue of Printed Books in the British Museum would satisfactorily decide this point.

Perhaps your correspondent means "Richard Hoblyn," whose publications are very numerous.

Your obedient servant, S. I. TUCKER.

LAVERS, _the Bookseller_.

Overseal, Ashby de la Zouch.

SIR,--I should be very much obliged to any of your correspondents who will give me information respecting Mr. Lavers, a bookseller in London, who flourished about the third quarter of the last century; especially any thing relating to his wife and descendants.

Very faithfully yours, J. M. GRESLEY. 13th Feb. a.d. 1852.

TRADESMEN'S TOKENS.--Can any of your readers inform me if there are any Tradesmen's Tokens of Scotland, issued during the 17th century; and if not, can any cause be assigned for it. I have a very large collection of tokens of the 17th century, of England, Wales, and Ireland, but not one of Scotland, which is very singular, as the towns of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Sterling, Perth, &c. must have had as great need of a small currency, as many small villages in England, of which there are many specimens.

By far the most numerous of the English tokens belong to the Southern and Midland districts: of the city of Oxford alone I have 62 varieties. The Northern Counties are much fewer in number: of Cumberland I have only tokens of two towns, Carlisle and Cockermouth; of Northumberland, the town of Newcastle only; of Westmoreland, Appleby, Kendal, and Kirby Steven.

The ordinary value is the halfpenny for the Southern Counties, having usually the Arms of some Company of the City of London, and the initials of the issuer, his wife and family name, with the name, trade and business at full length. The great bulk of these tokens are of a monotonous character, with a few curious exceptions.

One of square shape, issued by Thomas Dedicot, in Bewdley, has the legend, "SQUARE DEALING." A copper token of Worcester, has a brass plug in the centre. A facetious Boniface of Leeds gives us the double-entendre, "BEWARE THE BEARE," with his sign of the Bear. To make the catch better, it should be known that in Yorkshire, BEER and BEAR, are pronounced alike. The device and motto of the Baron Bradwardine is consequently older than the time of the author of Waverley. Roger Dickinson, of Robin Hood's Bay, affects a heart-shaped token, on which are represented the popular heroes, Robin Hood and Little John: Little John is represented half the size of Robin Hood, instead of being considerably taller, not knowing he was so nick-named from his gigantic stature. There are other tokens of octagon and diamond shape.

The Welsh tokens are generally of very good execution: the halfpenny of Edward Lloyd, of Kidwelly, is very neat; a few of Carnarvon are small, and issued at one penny, of a similar character to those of Ireland, which I have next to mention.

The Irish tokens are of a different character to those of England and Wales, being generally small, issued at one penny, and the issuer styling himself Marchant. The penny token of John Whittle, of Kilkenny, 1656, has the Arms of the Commonwealth on it; the only instance that I know of: the King's Arms are plentiful enough.

Besides the list of towns given by Lindsay in his "View of the Coinage of Ireland, 1839," I can add from my collection, Ballinasloe, Downpatrick, Loughrea, Mount-Mellick, Navan and Roscommon, besides many varieties of the towns Mr. Lindsay has published.

The circulation of these tokens was forbidden under severe penalties in 1673, but in Ireland they were continued partially to near the close of the 18th century, when another general issue of tokens throughout Great Britain was allowed by Government, owing to the great scarcity of small money. The tokens of this period are of an entirely different size and character to those of the preceding century.

WM. BOYNE. Leeds, Feb. 1852.

LITHOGRAPHY.--Some years ago, letters and papers of William Combe, the well known author of "Dr. Syntax," came into my possession, and with them a paper, of which the following is a copy:--

"_I have been told of one Who being ask'd for bread, In its stead Returned a stone._

_But here we manage better. The Stone we ask To do its task, And it returns us every letter._

_Wm. Combe, January 23, 1817._"

"_This is the first impression of Ackermann's Lithographic press._"

Combe was so intimately connected with Ackermann's establishment, that there can be no doubt of the fact that the paper I have, was truly the very _first_ impression in Lithography in England. The poetic scrap was no doubt Combe's own, and the facsimile shews that it was in Combe's writing.

ROBT. COLE. 52, Upper Norton Street.

STERNE'S AUTOGRAPH.--As mentioned by A. C. K. in "Current Notes" for January, p. 2, as _occurring on the title page_[2] of his "Tristram Shandy," is not I believe often met with, but I doubt much its having been written for the gratification of particular friends, to whom copies of the work were presented.

I have two (the title pages only) in my possession.

ROBERT COLE. 52, Upper Norton Street.

[2] G. W.'s respected Correspondent A. C. K. said "_at the head of the first chapter in some or one of the volumes_" of a few of the first editions.

MIDDLE AGES.--MEDIÆVAL.

These terms are now so frequently used in reference to periods and works of art, that it would be useful to your readers if some competent person would define precisely what period is comprehended in the term _mediæval_. In a recent Exhibition many works of a comparatively late date were classed as mediæval. Mr. James, speaking of _Charlemagne_, says--"the precise birth-place of the greatest man of the middle ages is unknown." Here he refers to the year 742. Some of the correspondents will, perhaps, through your "Notes Current," define the limits of this term.

S. E.

ARCHÆOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS.

SIR,--With regard to the inquiry made in your "Current Notes" for December, p. 93, with respect to Archæological publications, I wish to direct your Correspondent to a publication issued by the Architectural Societies for Northampton, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Bedfordshire, consisting of the Reports and Papers read before those Societies in the year 1850. The second part, comprising the Transactions for the Year 1851, is now in the press, and will shortly be published. These two parts will form one handsome octavo volume, printed more especially for the use of the Members of the above Societies, but a few copies are reserved for general sale, for which Mr. Masters is the agent; Thinking that your Correspondent might be glad to hear of the existence of this volume, I thought it as well to trouble you with this note.

I remain, yours faithfully, T. PYNDAR LOWE.

Saltfletby, Louth, Jan. 29.

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.--With reference to the January Number of "Current Notes," p. 2, and the reply to an inquiry (from J. P., Philadelphia, 18th November) respecting the Author of "Father Tom and the Pope, or a Night at the Vatican,"--a paper which appeared in Blackwood some years ago, W. C. J. A. has had the goodness to inform G. W. that the reply given by F. M. is not quite correct.

"The writer of that paper was Mr. Samuel Ferguson, then and still a Member of the Irish Bar, going the North-East Circuit, and a native of Belfast. Mr. Ferguson is also the author of some spirited stanzas, published in the same Magazine, entitled, 'The Forging of the Anchor,' and is very favourably known as the author of some interesting papers in 'Blackwood,' and in the Antiquarian department of the 'Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,' of which learned body he has been for several years a member."

"Mr. F." adds W. C. J. A. "has, _I believe_, but I am not quite sure, written in the 'Dublin University Magazine.'"

THE SHADOOF.--I beg to inform W. G. with reference to his observations in your "Current Notes" for December last, that the Shadoof as engraved by you at p. 96 is in common use all over the State of New York in places where wells are obliged to be sunk, the machine being far less costly than a pump, and such as anybody can construct.

We have abundance of rivers and streams, so many indeed, that I have never seen a windmill in America.

YOUR N. Y. ES-PECIAL REPORTER.

THOMAS HOOD.--How lamentable is it to observe, from the research of A. K. in Willis's "Current Notes" for December (p. 90), and for which I sincerely thank his Correspondent, that so eminent a man as Thomas Hood should so recently have departed from among us without record of his death.

His Song of the Shirt alone, written with so humane a purpose, surely demanded some notice. Are you aware that the Song of the Shirt suggested the American Sewing Machine, exhibited in the World's Fair, for the purpose of relieving poor females from the nightly drudgery of "stitch--stitch--stitch?" W. S.

AMERICAN TESTIMONIAL TO MRS. COWDEN CLARKE.

MR. WILLIS,--Some of your correspondents appear mighty fond of Old Oaken Chairs, and I rather think if they were to visit the good old City of Aberdeen, and go into the "Auld Kirk," they will see an Oak Chair somewhat older than the engraved specimens in your "Current Notes," and on a scroll over it, they will see written

"=The Chaire of Veritie.="

But what do you say to the New Rosewood Shaksperian Chair, sent from New York as a complimentary testimonial to an amiable lady living at Bayswater, the inscription on which exquisite piece of work is as follows:

TO MRS. MARY COWDEN CLARKE THIS CHAIR IS PRESENTED BY A FEW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF AMERICA AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE, FOR THE UNEQUALLED INDUSTRY WHICH GAVE THE READERS OF ENGLISH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD HER CONCORDANCE TO SHAKSPERE.

_G. W. begs to add, that it is unnecessary for him to engrave the beautiful drawing forwarded to him of this Chair, as he perceives an engraving has already appeared in the Lady's Newspaper for the 24th January, and he has returned the drawing as requested._

KATY-DID.--G. W.'s _New York Special Reporter writes him as follows, in reference to the paragraph, p. 90 of "Current Notes" for December last._

SIR,--Please inform "_An Entomologist_" that it will afford your Special Reporter much pleasure to send him a live specimen of the KATY-DID next _fall_. We have no _Autumn_ in America! It is then they begin to sing, or rather to say: at present they are, to use the words of Davie Gellatley, "A' dead an' gane--a' dead an' gane." I first heard them one evening in August among the elms on the battery, and so loud was the noise, I fancied it was made by porters landing bars of iron on the adjoining quays.

The jingle of the song your Entomological correspondent enquires after was something like this; but I will send him a copy when I can procure one.

"The dear little Katy-did sat on a tree, And surly and sulky and savage was he, His supper was stolen away by a bee, But he thought his own deary had hidd'n it, And while he kept calling 'twas you, Katy-did, She merrily cried--'Katy-did-n't,'

[_Chorus of Boys and Girls._]

Katy-did--Katy-didn't--Katy-did--Katy-didn't."

The moral of the song is, that a lady will always have the last word, be she insect or woman.

Mr. Willis.

SCRAPS FROM THE UNITED STATES