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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. i. APR. 23, 1910.

" GOD SAVE THE PEOPLE! ? ' What was the earliest use of this prayer as a revolu- tionary alternative to " God save the King !' ?

POLITICIAN.

BROAD -BOTTOMED ADMINISTRATION. To what English Ministry was this term specific- ally applied, and by whom ?

POLITICIAN.

[Ihe Ministry tormed by Henry Pelham in November, 1744, and so termed because it re- presented a coalition of parties.]

' RAPE OF PROSERPINE,' BY PAUL VERONESE. Do any of your readers know of a painting by Paul Veronese on this subject ? I have lately acquired a large gallery picture of the above, and though some experts pronounce it a Veronese, I can find no mention of his ever having painted thi subject in any recognized books of reference. S. P. GUERNSEY.

20, Coleman Street, E.G.

" PAGODAS." In an old case of the year 1785 I find a testator leaving the interest on a ' ' sum of * pagodas ? - l to be paid to a beneficiary for her life, the "pagodas" to go, on her death, to testator's residuary legatees. Can any reader explain ?

MISTLETOE.

[The ' N. E.D.' gives the third meaning of ' 'pagoda' as " a gold (less commonly a silver) coin formerly current in Southern India, of the value of about seven shillings." The illustrative quotations for this use range from 1681 to 1862.]

PORTLAND CEMENT : ITS INVENTOR. Who was the inventor of Portland cement ? A recent paragraph in a weekly newspaper claimed the invention for Mr. J. C. Johnson of Gravesend, formerly mayor of that town who celebrated his hundredth birthday on the 28th of January last. This statement is, I think, inaccurate, but I have not the means at hand to correct it.

The employment of Portland cement in building and engineering work is largely due to experiments made by the late Mr. John Grant, assistant engineer to the Metro politan Board of Works, on the tensile strength of cements. JOHN HEBB.

' TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES.' In

Thomas Hardy's 'Tess of the D'Urber villes,* p. 397, the following passage occurs: " And as in the legend it resulted that her Cyprian image had suddenly appeared upon his altar whereby the fire of the priest had been well-nigh extinguished."

To what legend does this refer ?

L. PHILLIPS. Theological College, Lichfield.

WM. SEWELL. Can any of your readers ,ell me whether William Sewell, the author of The Mirror for the Times, 1 was connected with the family of that name in Norfolk ? was keeping a school at Clifton in 1823 or thereabouts, and wrote largely against Thomas Paine. FREDERICK T. HIBGAME.

EIGHT KINGS : NINE LADIES. What is the nature of the card game in which Eight kings threaten to save Nine fair ladies from (or for) one sick knave? THOS. RATCLIFFE.

BEETHOVEN'S " IN DIESES GRABES DUN- KELN." May I ask whether Beethoven's well-known song was originally written for the English words " Good friend, for Jesus* sake forbear," or the German words, "In dieses Grabes Dunkeln, n or the Italian words, " In questa Tomba oscura " ?

Probabilities point, of course, to the Ger- man text; but that an English epitaph should adapt itself so perfectly to a foreign melody is certainly a notable coincidence.

G. Ft C.

Nice.

WOOD STREET COMPTER : SPONGING- HOUSES. Where shall I find a good account of this and other London sponging-houses in the eighteenth century ? I know what is given by Howard, and the account Knight's ' London.* In what novel is 1 life in a sponging-house for debtors de- picted ? K" S - B>

LANESBOROUGH HOUSE, HYDE PARS CORNER. This house was built in 17 u James, second Viscount Lanesborougfl who died s.p. in 1724. I am anxious procure a plan of it, and to ascertain the name of the architect who designed it. L any one enlighten me ? If so, will he b communicate directly with me to save ti GEORGE C. PEACHEY.

St. George's Hospital, S.W.

OSBORN ATTERBURY, son of Francis, Bishop of Rochester, is said to have in 1752. I should be glad to obtain the f dates of his birth, marriage, and dea * n ' B

MARTIN FOLKES, 1690-1754. In the v< Diet. Nat. Biog.,* xix. 361, it is stated 1 " when a boy he went to the University o Saumur. 11 Nichols, in his ' Literary 2 dotes, 1 ii. 578, asserts that this universitywf suppressed in January, 1694-5. Which authority is correct? In A. B. ' Early Diary of Frances Burney