Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 2.djvu/396

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io* s. n. OCT. 22, im

Moore, 4 Surnames in Man,' 195. North Riding Record Soc., iii. Index. Parker Soc., Index.

Pastor, 'History of the Popes,' English trans., v. 349.

r 103.

Smyth, * Hundred of Berkeley,' 94.' Thiers, ' Traite des Superstitions qui regardent les Sacremens,' i. 238 ; iv. 522.

Walker, ' Sufferings of the Clergy,' 299.

Whitelock, 'Memorials,' Index.


 * York Castle Depositions,' Surtees Soc.

ASTAKTE.

" VALKYRIE " : ITS PRONUNCIATION. The pronunciation of Viking has been discussed in these columns (see ante, p. 125), but I do not remember seeing any question as_ to Valkyrie. The ' Century Dictionary ' gives walky'rie, with penultimate stress. Is this a misprint ? The lines appended in illustration, irom one of the old English 'Alliterative Poems' (ed. Morris), prove both by their rhythm and alliteration that the correct sound is wdlkyrie :

Wychez & walkyries wonnen to that sale. The 'Century' is thus "hoist with its owne petar," or with its own quotation, which is confirmed by the practice of later bards. Southey, in an early effort, called ' The Death of Odin' ('Poems,' by R. Lovell and R. Southey, 1795, p. 106), has vdlkery: No virgin goddess him shall call, To join you in the shield-roof d hall ; No Valkery for him prepare The smiling mead with lovely care.

Modern authors seem to prefer the abbrevia- tion vdlkyr, e.g., William Morris in his ' Story of Sigurd the Volsung.' How did Lord Dun- raven accent the name of his yacht, the Valkyrie, which competed for the America cup? JAS. PLATT, Jun.

TENNYSON'S HOUSE, TWICKENHAM. On looking over the advertisements in the Morning Post of 12 September I came across one with this heading, notifying that the house was to be let. It was described as having been "for many years the residence of the poet, wherein were composed his prin- cipal works." The house in Tennyson's time was known as Chapel House, Montpelier Row, a designation which, according to the Rev. R. S. Cobbett in his ' Memorials of Twickenham ' (p. 376), was subsequently changed to Holyrood House. Tennyson and his wife entered into occupation of this house in January or February, 1851. It is described in the present Lord Tennyson's ' Memoir ' of his father (i. 338) as overlooking the parks of General Peel and the Due d'Aumale. "It

was entered through a square hall, and on the fine old staircase stood the carved figure of a mitred bishop, ' as if to bless the passers by. 3 " The house agents say nothing of this figure, but mention the "magnificent stair- case," and then go on to talk about the " three reception rooms, five bedrooms, bath, and offices," as if it had been merely the house of John Smith or William Jones. But the "long, shady, picturesque gardens" re- call us to the poet, for it was there he spent happy days, reading aloud passages of any book that struck him (' Memoir,' i. 355, 356).

The Tennysons left Twickenham on 24 No- vember, 1853, having occupied Chapel House for less than three years, and on the following day entered into possession of Farringford, near Bonchurch, in the Isle of Wight. No work of importance issued from the press during Tennyson's residence at Twickenham. The only poems published by him during that period were the 'Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington,' some patriotic poems in the Examiner, and the sonnet to Macready. Mr. Cobbett (o.c., p. 55) says that the poet wrote ' In Memoriam ' in the " house nearest Montpelier Chapel on the north side"; but this is a mistake, as ' In Memoriam ' had been printed in May, 1850, several months before Tennyson took up his residence at Chapel House.

On 20 April, 1851, Tennyson's first child was born at Twickenham, but died the day of its birth; and on 11 August, 1852, his son Hallam was born, his baptism taking place at Twickenham Church on 17 October fol- lowing. W. F. PKIDEAUX.

TIMOTHY PONT. In the article on Timothy Pont in the ' Diet, of Nat. Biog.' the follow- ing appears :

" ' Cunninghame Topographised, by Timothy Pont, A.M., 1604-1608 ; with Continuation and Illus- trations by the late John Robie of Cumnock, F.S.A.Seot., edited by his son, John ISkelton Robie,' Glasgow, 1876."

This is given as the title of a book, and it should read thus :

" ' Cuninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont, A.M., 1604-1608, with Continuations and Illustrative Notices by the late James Dobie of Crummock, F.S.A.Seot. Edited by his son John Shedden Dobie,' Glasgow, 1876."

There are here no fewer than eight errors in five lines. G. S.

COLFE'S ALMSHOUSES, LEWISHAM. Colfe's Almshouses, Lewisham, founded and endowed by the Rev. Abraham Colfe, a former vicar of Lewisham (1580-1657), are about to be demolished, the excuse being the insanitary