Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 7.djvu/604

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NOTES AND QUERIES, no s. vn. JUNE 22, 1907.

various learned publications. Sometimes it uses the words " proof," " prove," where they are hardly justified by the summary of argument put before us. It may, indeed, suggest likelihood, which is the best word for the scientific observer. Apart from this occasionally excessive confidence, and awkward phrases here and there (a " law " is said to be " persecuted," and grammar is certainly put aside once or twice), we can recommend this volume as a fascinating summary of what is virtu- ally a new and important literature. It would be interesting to have from the learned author and translator a long book on a subject which he is evidently well qualified to explain. Meanwhile we congratulate him and the Society which publishes his present essay on bringing before the general public some of the results of scholarship concerning the Bible. To ignore such results is idle in these days ; and merely to abuse scholars of proved capacity and undeniable honesty is worse than idle, being a confession of weakness.

WE are much pleased with Our Homeland Churches and How to Study Them, by Mr. Sidney- Heath, illustrated by the author and Miss Ethel M. Heath (Homeland Association). It is a light and small volume, well suited for the pocket. The text is, moreover, excellent, showing a greater knowledge of a difficult subject than we find in many books of much higher pretension. The engravings, of which there are many, far surpass those which are but too common in guide-books.

Two classifications of English ecclesiastical archi- tecture are given : first we have the author's own, and beneath it that formulated many years since by the late Edmund Sharpe. Both will be found useful by the immature inquirer, but we are glad to find a caution attached bidding the student to bear in mind that dated lists of this kind are only approxi- mate, "as each style merged by slow degrees into the next." Thus it seems evident that the Early English, or, as some prefer to call it, the first Pointed, made its appearance later in the North than it did in the Midlands and the South. This conclusion, which may be easily accounted for, is too often disregarded by those who ought to know better.

We are glad to find that Mr. Heath draws atten- tion to the obvious fact obvious, that is, to any working antiquary who lives in a rural district that many of our churchyards are far older than the churches themselves. There can be 110 doubt whatever that some of them were sacred spots while our Saxon forefathers buried their dead there when they were still heathen. The -writer knows of five such churchyards, not far removed from each other : this is proved by the numerous fragments of urns which are constantly found by the sextons when engaged in digging new graves. The author has done a service to history by drawing attention to this subject.

In the notice of the Saxon nave of Greenstead Church, Essex, the author points out that it is constructed of trees split asunder, set upright close to each other, and gives it as his conclusion that they are boles of the sweet chestnut. This has long been a popular opinion, and, as we have never visited the place, we are not in a position to con- trovert it ; but we may remind him that there are experts who regard them as oak.

To many readers the last chapter will be the most serviceable, as it gives simple but precise rules

as to how an old church should be described. Many years ago the Cambridge Camden Society issued a loose sheet on this subject, but much more has become known since then, so that Mr. Heath's instructions are needed.

The plate which faces the title-page shows the foundations of the Romano-British church at Sil- chester which were uncovered a few years ago. When the discovery was made there were some who questioned its being the base of an eccle- siastical building, but further consideration has now, we believe, removed all doubts on the matter.

THE reviewing of novels does not come within the scope of ' N. & Q.,' but we must notice the four books of "Handy Modern Fiction" just published by Messrs. Collins, since they constitute a wonderful achievement in book-production at a cheap price. For sevenpence can now be procured a nicely bound and well-printed book which goes easily into the pocket of the wayfarer, and should provide him with much pleasant entertainment. We have re- read The Golden Butterfly and The Great Refusal in this issue with much satisfaction, and we look forward to reading The Secret Woman and The Brown Eyes of Mary in leisure hours of this summer. Only the confirmed book - reader, perhaps, can realize the full advantages of light weight, solid binding, and handy form, for he can, and does suffer much discomfort from heavy books, paper books easily torn, and shocking type which is enough to ruin any eyes. Both the expert and the general reader will, we are sure, join in making this present series a success, though the outlay involved in producing it must be very considerable.

We must call special attention to the following notices :

To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rules. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the write- and such address as he wishes to appear. When answer- ing queries, or making notes with regard to previous entries in the paper, contributors are requested to put in parentheses, immediately after the exact heading, the series, volume, and page or pages to which they refer. Correspondents who repeat queries are requested to head the second com- munication "Duplicate."

W. E. HARLAND-OXLEY (" Sidesmen's Duties "). Sidesmen are discussed at 7 S. viii. 45, 133 : 8 S vii. 227, 337; 9 S. i.349; ii. 14.

P. D. J. No exact rule can be given. We prefer to use " more often " and " most often."

CORRIGENDA. A nte, p. 456, col. 2, 1. 11 from foot, for "painting" read panting. P. 459, col. 1 1 19 for "Fielder" read Fiedler.

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