Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 12.djvu/531

 10 s. XIL NOV. 27, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

439

gestion of the Walrus concerning sea-sand in ' Alice through the Looking-Glass ' :

" If seven maids with seven mops

Swept it for half a year, Do you suppose," the Walrus said, " That they could get it clear ? " Mr. Curtis does not, we think, mention Seven Dials. Robert Brace's spider succeeded at the seventh attempt, and encouraged him to do the same.

Robert Laneham's letter concerning Queen Elizabeth's entertainment at Kenilworth has a curious passage on " The seavenz." For seven days he was slack in annotation, and excuses himself by indicting some remarks " whereof part iz : fyrst how according to her highnes name Elizabeth, which I heer say oout of the Hebru signifieth (amopng oother) the Seauenth of my God : diuerz things heer did soo justly in number square with the same. Az fyrst, her highnes hither cumming in this seauenth moonth: then prezented with the seauen prezents of the seauen godes and after, with the melody of the seauen sorted muzik in the dolphin, the Lake- ladiezgift."

Nine, apart from its position as the square of three, has perhaps acquired some of its reputation for potency from the consideration that its multiples add up to nine in a way extraordinary to the non-mathematical reader. There are, however, few persons nowadays who observe the Horatian rule of keeping a work in hand nine years before publication. Tailors and cats are somewhat belittling associations, but the ninth wave, which has received recent con- sideration in our columns, somewhat redeems the balance of dignity.

These few remarks are, oddly enough, due to the seventh of nine brothers ; but the writer fears that no special powers have been received by him in virtue of his natal position.

THE birthplace of Jean Bart, the distinguished seaman, has become a subject for discussion in L' Inter mediaire. Dunkirk with good right claims the honour of calling him her son. It appears, however, that though his baptismal certificate and epitaph both show him to have been born there in 1650, a certain Jean Bart of Corban, near Moutier in the Bernese Jura, is regarded by local tradition as the brilliant privateer who became "chef d'escadre des arme'es navales du roy." In reality Jean Bart's father came from Dieppe to Dunkirk, and his family had long been given to seafaring. Students of intellectual heredity may find it in- teresting to learn that an uncle of the celebrated sailor went into Germany and became Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, while Jean's own brother Pieter Bart, though a needy, drunken fisherman, who swallowed gin as if it were water, was nevertheless a pilot of great ability, and had fine powers of observation when dangerous coasts and foul weather were concerned.

Other communications relate to "aviation" at the end of the eighteenth century, and to the slender lantern-towers known as "lanterns of the dead." A list of the swords celebrated in tradition and romance is begun ; and St. Barbara, viewed as the patron of artillerymen, receives attention. " Who ournt the library of Alexandria ? " is also discussed ; and almost every number includes valuable literary and genealogical notes.

BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES. NOVEMBER.

MR. L. C. BRAUN'S Catalogue 61 contains fine-art and illustrated books, works on topo- graphy and natural history, travels, &c. In the general portion we find the first edition of Jesse's ' Court of England,' 4 vols., Bentley, 1840, 11. 5s. *, a fine copy of Johnson and Steevens's edition of Shakespeare, 15 vols., full contemporary calf y 1793, 21. 5s. ; Purcell's ' Life of Manning,' 2 vols., 10s. Qd. ; Rabelais, translated by W. F. Smith (one of 750 copies for subscribers only), 2 vols., 1893, II. 5s. ; Doyle's ' Official Baronage,' showing j the succession of every peer from 1066 to 1885, j 3 vols., 4to, half-morocco, 1886, 11. 10s. ; Scott I and Davey's ' Guide to the Collector of Historical Documents,' 12s. Qd. ; and Masson's edition of Milton, 3 vols., half-morocco, 1874, 21. Golf- lovers will find a bargain, a beautiful work from the press of Messrs. R. & R. Clark, ' Golf : a Royal and Ancient Game,' profusely illustrated, small 4to, half -calf, 1875 (published at 51. 5s.), 17s. Qd. Under Rural England is Seguin's ' Letterings,' 300 woodcuts on India paper, Edition de Luxe (limited to 600 copies), folio, vellum, 11. 5s. A copy of Angus's ' Seats of the Nobility and Gentry,' 63 fine views, full red morocco, 1787, is to be had for a guinea. There is an interesting collection of old newspapers r 1762-1803, bound in 18 vols., half -calf, 21. 10s.

Messrs. James Fawn & Son send from Bristol their Catalogue 41, containing a fine set of Coleridge, 18 vols., half-morocco, Pickering, 1839-50, 11. 15s. ; Ellacombe's ' Bells of the Church,' 1872, 4to, 18.9. ; Laun's translation of Moliere, 6 vols., 4/. 10*'. ; The Library Edition of Ruskin, 38 vols., buckram, new, 1903-9, 381. ; Gary's ' Dante,' illustrated by Dore, 11. 10*. ; Lewes' s ' History of Philosophy,' 2 vols , 18s., and 'Picturesque Europe,' 5 vols., half-mo- rocco, 3/. 3.?. Under Theology are ' The Speaker's Commentary,' 10 vols., calf, 3J. 10*. ; ' Biblia Poly- glotta,' 6 vols., royal 4to, 1874, 21. 2s.; and works by Ellicott and Dean Stanley. Under George Eliot are first editions of ' Daniel Deronda,' ' Felix Holt,' and ' The Impressions of Theophrastus Such.'

Messrs. William George's Sons of Bristol send their Catalogue 316, containing the ' Remi- niscences ' of Henry Angelo, with introduction by Lord Howard de Walden, 3 vols., new, 21. 15s. ; a nice set of Granger's ' Biographical History,' 6 vols., 1824, 31. 7s. Qd. ; Motley's ' United Netherlands,' 4 vols., 8vo, 21. 10s. ; and Romney's- ' Life,' by Hayley, 4to, half-calf, 1809, 51. Under Shakespeare is the Oxford reproduction of the First Folio, 1902, 51. 12s. Qd. There is a nice set in scarlet cloth of Strickland's ' Queens of Scotland,' 1852-9, 4Z. 4s. Under Ceramics is Solon's ' Ancient Art Stoneware of the Low Countries and Germany,' 2 vols. in 1, Chiswick. Press, 1892, 21. 12s. Qd.

Messrs. Lupton Brothers of Burnley have in? their Catalogue 103 Cockayn's ' The Obstinate Lady,' first edition, 1657, very scarce, Ql. 6s. Under Dickens is the first edition of ' Grimaldi,' 2 vols., 1838, 21. 15s. There are works under America, Bibliography, Norway and Sweden, Numismatics, and Occultism, Apparitions, and Witchcraft.

Mr. W. M. -Murphy's Liverpool! Catalogue 149

opens with a complete set of the Proceedings of the

I Institution of Civil Engineers, 1842-1904, 25L