Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/35

 ii s. xii. JULY io, 1915.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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that this means to gather (ramasser) a sail in the middle of the yard under which it is reefed.
 * ' serrer une voile en chapeau," and explains

I conclude that somebody saw a resem- blance to a cocked hat, and made a phrase of it. If this is so, it may be that " to squeeze a sail into a hat " became a common ex- pression for making a mess of things, and was the origin of the phrase " knocked into a cocked hat." J. J. FREEMAN.

VALENTINE GREEN, MEZZOTINT ENGRAVER. The marriage, by licence, of Valentine Green with Mary Wadham, of St. Martin's- in-the-Fields, was solemnized at the parish church of Heston, Middlesex, 7 Sept., 1771 (Par. Reg.). DANIEL HIPWELL.

THE STATUES OF LONDON. In the lists of statues of London which were compiled by MR. PAGE, MR. HARLAND-OXLEY, and others, and appeared in vols. ix. and x. of the Tenth Series of ' N. & Q.,' I see no mention of the statue of William Huskisson, who was killed by the Rocket engine on the occasion of the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830. Haydn's ' Dictionary of Dates ' also makes no mention of this statue, which for long stood in Lloyd's Rooms at the Royal Exchange, and is one of the threo of Huskisson executed by Gibson. It has recently been presented by Lloyd's to the London County Council on the condition that a site could be found for it, and it was moved to the Pimlico Gardens on the Em- bankment, at the end of St. George's Square, on Saturday. 5 June.

I think this circumstance may with ad- vantage be placed on record in ' N. & Q.' WlLLOUGHBY MAYCOCK.

THE OLD COBURGH GARDENS, DUBLIN. A piece of ground on the south side of St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, belonging to Lord Clonmell, was opened as the Coburgh Gardens early in the nineteenth century. After a period of prosperity it became unused and neglected until 1865, when the great Industrial Exhibition was held there. Afterwards the gardens became the property of Lord Iveagh, and were the scene of flower-shows and open-air theatricals. The Royal University of Ireland (incorporated 1880, dissolved by royal charter 1909) occupied part of the site. The stones of the clock-tower have been utilized in the building of a large chimney erected behind the Engineering School of the new Royal College of Science (formerly housed at 51, St. Stephen's Green, East). J. ARDAGH.

Cgwras.

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

' THE VIRTUOSI, OR ST. LUKE'S CLUB.' In your first volume (1 S. i. 487) a question is asked about a manuscript sold in the Strawberry Hill sale (sixth day, lot 120), being an account of ' The Virtuosi, or St. Luke's Club.' Its location was desired, and I renew the question. A copy of the Sale Catalogue of the Strawberry Hill Collec- tion may supply some clue.

In the article on John Smibert in the ' D.N.D.' mention is made of an unfinished picture by that artist of the Virtuosi of London. Is the location of that painting known ? WORTHINGTON C. FORD.

Boston, Mass.

[See 10 S. vii., xii.]

ST. SAVIOUR'S, SOUTHWARK. The fol- lowing cutting, dated 1786, is in an old scrapbook belonging to the Birmingham Library (Margaret Street). Can any of your readers give me any further informa- tion on the subject ?

"On Saturday last, as Messrs. Wilcox & Co. of St. Saviour's, Southwark, were digging for the foundation of several new houses to be built in that parish, the workmen discovered a large marble slab, which measured seven feet by five and a half. The foreman, being present, caused the slab to be carefully taken up, which covered the entrance into a subterraneous passage hewn out of the solid rock. By the aid of lamps Mr. Wilcox, and several gentlemen who accompanied him, proceeded 196 yards, through uch passage, which terminated in a circular compartment, 25 yards and a half in diameter, and 12 feet perpendicular, supported by nine pillars of veined marble, of the Tuscan order. Along the passage on both sides, at the distance of six feet, are niches

in which are the figures of Popish saints and in

the circular compartment are six niches, which

are filled with saints and other pious relics of the Papal Church. Several pieces of gold and silver

coin of Julius Caesar's were found The learned

are divided as to the original use of this subter- raneous temple, and its antiquity, which appears to be very great."

A. STANTON WHITFIELD.

' THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING ' AND ' THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN.' Lowndes gives various suggestions as to authorship of the latter. Has it been authoritatively settled who wrote it ? The query is double- barrelled, as the title-page of ' The Gentle- man's Calling ' says " by the Author of * The Whole Duty of Man.' ' XYLOGRAPHER.