Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 1.djvu/423

 10* s. i. APRIL so, 1904.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

347

industrious and, in many ways, admirable historian to a thoroughly deserving writer does him every credit, and reference is now made to it here in order to supplement what is said as to the author's first appearance as a novelist. In his ' Memories of a Long Life,' David Douglas notes with interest the fact that Mrs. Carlyle, in a letter of 5 November, 1857, makes an allusion to Miss Craik's first novel. The point is not one of the first importance, but as the authors of recent literary text-books ignore Miss Craik, it seems worth while to note and rectify Morley's reference. THOMAS BAYNE.

['Riverston,' a novel by Georgiana M. Craik, was published in three volumes by Smith & Elder in 1857.]

RUSSIAN FOLK - LORE. The following instance of Russian folk-lore of a new kind appears in the Morning Post of 4 April. It is worth preserving in a corner of ' N. &, Q.' :

" The St. Petersburg Correspondent of the Petit Parisien telegraphs to-day [3 April] : ' Rumours are current among the Russian troops in Manchuria to the effect that the Japanese possess wonderful magnetic stones endowed with magical properties, rendering the adversaries of the owners incapable of fighting. The Russian officers are endeavouring' to destroy the superstition by performing experi- ments with magnetised stones in the presence of the soldiers, but the men, nevertheless, continue to lament their hard fate in being sent to fight sorcerers.'"'

ASTARTE.

11 COPY "=COPYHOLD. " My leases or copies in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Worcester- shire, or elsewhere " (will of Martin Sandys, of Worcester, Esquire, 5 Sept., 1750, P.C.C. 31 Searle). GEORGE SHERWOOD.

50, Beecroft Roa.d, Brockley, S.E.

THE MOON AND THE WEATHER. The incessant rain for the last year or more has led me to consult 'N. & Q.' for an explana- tion. Its pages should solve every difficulty; but my search as yet has been unavailing. I find, however, some notes under the above heading in the First and other Series, but generally dismissing ex cathedra the question of lunar influence.

In Dr. Adam Clarke's works ('Detached Pieces,' vol. ii. No. 16) there is an article on the subject, to which it may be worth while to make reference. He there sets out a table, said to have been prepared by Dr. Herschel, and " professing to form prognostics of the weather by the times of the change, full and quarters, of the moon "; and he continues, "I have carefully consulted this table for several years, and was amazed at its general accuracy." This table was disclaimed by Sir

John Herschel as the work of his father; but, whoever the author, Dr. Clarke considered " the table, judiciously observed, might be of public benefit." The general principle under- lying it appears to oe that the nearer the change of the moon to midnight, the greater the probability of fine weather. This is sub- ject, of course, to other conditions, all of which are shown in the table. Dr. Clarke was hardly the man to write carelessly, and if readers of ' N. & Q.' would like to see his table I will forward it.

A propos of this subject, there are some lines, written years ago, in the visitors' album of the " White Lion " at Bala which should not be lost. I quote from memory : The weather depends on the moon, it is said,

And I've found that the saying is true, For at Bala it rains when the moon 's at the full,

And it rains when the moon 's at the new.

When the moon's at the quarter, then down comes

the rain;

At the half it 's no better, I ween; When the moon's at three quarters, it's at it

again, And besides it rains mostly between.

Lucis.

WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that the answers may be addressed to them direct. r.

MANZONI IN ENGLISH. I should like to know if there is a good English translation of Manzoni's 'Cinque Maggio/ and of the famous chorus in the 'Conte di Carmagnola,' by the same author. Many years ago I read a masterly translation of ' Cinque Maggio ' in one of the American magazines the Eclectic Magazine from the pen, if I recollect aright, of Lord Derby; but that number of the magazine is now out of print. I remember that the rendering of the line

Fu vera gloria? Ai posteri, &c., was striking :

Was it true glory? Answer ye That are not, but that are to be.

C. LOMBARDI. Portland, Oregon.

WALBEOFF FAMILY. Can any reader of ' N. <fe Q.'give me information with regard to this family? Do any of the name still exist?

DIPLOMAT.

'THE GRENADIER'S EXERCISE OF THE GRENADO.' Would W. S. kindly inform me where a copy may be seen of ' The Grenadier's Exercise of the Grenado in H.M. First Regi-