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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. i. MAY 7, 1910.

Gassicourt's suggestion is not given in The Monthly Magazine, but it appears to have been made early in the nineteenth century. He was born in 1769, and became a member of the Paris Bar, but afterwards turned his attention to scientific and social matters, and wrote many books. R. B. P.

MB. J. T. TWEED, THE FATHER OF LINCOLN CORPORATION. Mr. John Thomas Tweed one of England's oldest solicitors on the rolls the " Father of Lincoln Corporation," died at 5, Pottergate, Lincoln, on 12 March, at the age of eighty-six years. He had a brilliant career, and was elected Mayor of Lincoln, 9 Nov., 1853. He was Town Clerk of Lincoln from 10 July, 1855, till his death, nearly fifty-five years after.

J. C. RlNGHAM. City View, Lincoln.

PRESIDENT ADAMS'S X.Y.Z. MISSION. In 1797 President John Adams sent three envoys to France, who were met by demands for money as a prerequisite of peaceful relations ('Ency. Brit.,' 'United States,' 152). It may be worth a note that docu- ments relating to the matter were published in America early in 1798, and speedily reached the hands of M. Talleyrand. Details may be found in Hugh A. Garland's ' Life of John Randolph of Roanoke ' (1851), vol. i. chaps. XJLX. and xxii.

RICHARD H. THORNTON.

36, Upper Bedford Place, W.C.

" GIN " = " GENEVA. "The earliest illus- trative quotation in ' H.E.D.* for " Gin n as a contraction of " Geneva " is dated 1714, as from Mande vine's ' Fable of the Bees,' but is apparently taken from an edition of 1723. Two extracts from London news- papers of 1721, dealing with the same in- cident, but giving these different forms, may, however, make the matter more clear.

In Mist's Weekly Journal of '18 Feb., 1721, it was recorded :

" One Day Last Week a Man drank so much of the Liquor called Gin, at a Publick House in Spittle-Fields, that it sent him into the other World."

But in The London Journal of the same date it was said :

' ' Last Week a Sailor died at a Publick House in Spittle Fields, by excessive Drinking of Geneva ; he came into the House sober, and to all Appear- ance, in good Health, and was dead in Two Hours ; in which time he gulph'd down about Two Quarts of that Liquour."

ALFRED F. ROBBINS.

WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their name's and addresses to their queries, in order that answers may be sent to them direct.

THE LILY-WHITE BOYS : THE TEN O's.

THE words and music of the following old Cotswold folk-song were taken down by Miss Eliza G. Wedgwood, Stanton, near Broadway :

i.

Oh ! I '11 sing you one O.

What is your one O ?

When the one is left alone

It ever more shall be so.

n.

O.

Oh ! I '11 sing you two- What is your two O ? Two, two, the lily-white boys Clothed all in green O. When the one is left alone It ever more shall be so.

in.

Oh ! I '11 sing you three O. What is your three O ? Three, three, the live O. Two, two, the lily-white boys, &c.

Oh ! I '11 sing you four O. What is your four O ? Four of [are ?] the Gospel preachers. Three, three, the live O, &c.

v.

Oh ! I '11 sing you five O. What is your five O ? Five of [are ?] the thimbles in my box. Four of the Gospel preachers, &c.

VI.

Oh ! I '11 sing you six O.. What is your six O ? Six of [are ?] the six Ib. waters (?). Five of the thimbles in my box, &c.

VII.

Oh ! I '11 sing you seven O.

What is your seven O ?

Seven of [are ?] the seven stars in the sky.

Six of the six Ib. waters, &c.

VIII.

Oh 1 I '11 sing you eight O.

What is your eight O ?

Eight of [are ?] the gable strangers.

Seven of the seven stars in the sky, &c.

Oh

IX.

I '11 sing you nine

O.

'7'

[a

Nine of [are ?] the nine bright shiners. Eight of the gable strangers, &c.

Oh ! I '11 sing you ten O.

What is your ten O ?

Ten of [are ?] the ten Commandments.

Nine of the nine bright shiners, &c.