Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 10.djvu/129

 10 s. x. AUG. s, 1903.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

101

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 1908.

CONTENTS.-No. 241.

NOTES: Changes at the Guildhall, 101 "Haze": "Hazy," 102 Dodsley's Collection of Poetry, 103 The late Sir W. B. Cremer John Shakespeare, Biomaker, 104 McDonald and McPike Families " Everglade " : its Derivation, 105 Naval Volunteers in 1795 " Hame-Bein " First Dublin Printer" Cremitt" Money, 106 Z : Name of the Letter, 107.

QUERIES : Roman Inscription at Baveno Pope's Shake- speare Quarto The Grand Khaibar, 107 Barbara Villiers Hulbert's Providence Press, Shrewsbury St. Martha Authors of Quotations Wanted Tarentine, a Herb "Bocca Mortis" "Hastle," 108 Balzac and Heine- Samuel Foote, Comedian "Minister" in Early Charters Joseph Bonaparte in England Death after Lying- Picture with Game and Elephant Dog Names, 109 Attorney-General to the Queen Fleet Prison, 110.

REPLIES: Don Saltero's Tavern, Chelsea, 110 Thomas Castle Vowel-shortening Hove, 111 " Stymie " at Golf Hungarian Grammar Titles conferred by Cromwell- Peter Quivel, Bishop of Exeter, 112 Snodgrass as a Surname Place-Names in -ox Authors of Quotations Wanted, 113 C. Barren, Pall Mall Oxford Commemo- ration in 1759 'D.N.B.' Additions, 114 Sir Menasseh Lopez ' Yankee Doodle' Coxe of Clent and Swynford, 115 Abbotsley, St. Neot's John of Gaunt's Arms ' Old Mother Hubbard,' 116 Cornish Apparitions Irish Rebel- lion of 1798 Harvey's Birthplace King's Silver, 117 Hartley Coleridge" T' Wife Bazaar "Constables of the Tower Mill at Gosport Man in the Almanac Dolls in Magic, 118.

NOTES ON BOOKS : The Seven against Thebes,' edited by Prof. Tucker Beviews and Magazines.

Notices'to Correspondents.

CHANGES AT THE GUILDHALL.

THE old Council Chamber, which has recently been demolished, was of consider- able interest from the many presentations, which make up so large a part in the civic history, that took place within its walls. It saw as honoured recipients of the City freedom Nelson, Rodney, Hood, Duncan, Howe, William Pitt, Wellington, Brougham, and many others, until in 1884 it was super- seded by the present Council Chamber.

A well-designed apartment, erected by George Dance in 1776, it very soon received suitable decorations in pictures, statues, and busts, of some interest, but frequently of uncertain merit. Alderman John Boy- dell the printseller was the greatest bene- factor in this direction. At his expense the four angles under the cupola were orna- mented by J. F. Rigaud, R.A., with frescoes representing Providence ; Innocence, or In- fancy and Youth; Wisdom; and Happiness.

" Unfortunately, these paintings never dried perfectly, and turned black. They exist no longer ; but prints of them have been published by Messrs. Boy dell & Co., dedicated to their Majesties." ' A Brief Account of the Guildhall,' J. B. Nichols, 1819, p. 39.

Rigaud, who painted to be engraved, pro- vided some of the canvases for Boy dell's

' Shakspeare Gallery,' 1810. The Alder- man's other gifts to the decoration of the Council Chamber are too numerous to mention ; he took every care they should be adequately appreciated, and a " fully descriptive " guide was published. Phillips in ' The Picture of London for 1803 ' (p. 103) says :

" In the Common Council Chamber is a capital collection of paintings, presented to the City of London by the public-spirited Alderman Boydell, to whose exertions, during a space of fifty years, the public are in a great manner indebted for the state of perfection which the fine arts have attained in this country, Among them is Mr. Copley's celebrated picture of the siege of Gibraltar. These fine pictures may be seen by application to any of the servants belonging to Guildhall, of whom, or of Alderman Boydell, may be had a book fully describing each of their subjects."

In the guide, prepared by Boydell, he writes :

"It may be a matter of wonder to some what inducement I could have to present the City of London with so many expensive pictures. The principal reasons that influenced me were these : First, to show my respect to the Corporation and my fellow-citizens. Secondly, to give pleasure to the public, and foreigners in general. Thirdly, to be of service to the artists, by showing their works to the greatest advantage; and, fourthly, for the mere purpose of pleasing myself."

Great was the public, or at least the civic, esteem of these " expensive " pictures, and the munificent donor was eulogized by Miss Tomlins in nine four-line stanzas, of which the following are examples :

In Greece, when Art Wealth's fostering power required,

Wise o'er the rest the great Pericles shone ; His liberal hand, with patriot glory fired,

Gave life to brass, and breathing words to stone.

In arts unequall'd, yet in virtuous fame, Not e'eri to Athens' name shall Briton bow ;

Hers be the poet's wreath, the patriot's flame, Since what Pericles was is Boydell now.

Not to Boydell alone was the old Council Chamber indebted for its decorations. The really fine canvas by Copley instead of being, as Phillips suggests, one of his gifts, was bought by the Corporation for 1,543?. 6s. (' An Account of the Monuments and Pic- tures in the Guildhall,' by Josiah Temple, 1849). The portraits of Queen Caroline and the Princess Charlotte by Lonsdale were presented by the Queen in 1820. The portrait of Queen Victoria by Hayter was presented by her late Majesty in 1839. The statue of George III. by Chantrey cost the Corporation in 1815 3,089?. 9s. 5d. The portrait of John Boydell was a commission to Sir William Beechey, R.A., for 200 guineas. Some of these works of art have been trans-