Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 8.djvu/81

 11 8. VII. JAN. 25, 1913] NOTES AND

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Plate IX., Nos. 9-12. To one who knows only the modern cultivated varieties of the two plants the leaf stamped as an emblem on the coins of Selinus conveys more sugges- tion of celery than of parsley.

Etymologically, " celery " and the second syllable of "parsley"' go back to creAti/ov; the second syllable of " smallage " goes back to apium. German also has a deri- vative from apium in the word " Eppich," which means " celery." The native English name for wild celery was march (O.E. merce), and parsley was called in O.E. stdnmerce. L. B. M. STRACHAN,

Heidelberg.

NAPOLEON'S IMPERIAL GUARD (11 S. iv. 289, 350; v. 93). Looking through old numbers of ' X. & Q.,' I find I overlooked what MR. ROBERT PIERPOINT says about " L'Histoire de 1'empereur Napoleon, par P. M. Laurent de 1'Ardeche, illustree par Horace Vernet. Paris, 1840." I have this book in my possession. MR. PIERPOINT is right in supposing the coloured pictures are not by Horace Vernet. They are all signed "H te Bellange," a celebrated painter and draughtsman contemporary of Charlet and Raffet. Like MR. PIERPOINT, I have a few differences between the " table des types colories " and the plates in the book. The first and second plates ought to be " In- fanterie de ligne " and " General republicain et son guide," whereas they represent " Bonaparte, general en chef de 1'armee d'ltalie," and " Le prince Joseph Ponia- towski." I have also " Le prince Eugene de Beauharnais " and " Capitaine de Vais- seau," instead of " Grosse cavalerie, 1795," and " Officier de chasseurs a cheval de la garde."

MR. PIERPOINT is wrong in supposing the plate " Marins de la Garde " represents a marine. The corps, notwithstanding their strange uniform, a cross between the in- fantry and the hussars, consisted of sailors under the command of naval officers. It was created in 1803 in order to man part of the boats assembled at Boulogne for the troops designed to land in England. The principal campaigns of the corps were the following : Austria 1805, where they manned a flotilla on the Danube ; Prussia 1806. where they constructed a pontoon bridge on the Narew ; Poland 1807, where they cruised on the Frische Haft ; Spain 1808, where under Naval Capt. Baste they formed part of General Dupont's corps who surrendered at Baylen (they were meant to form part of tlie crew of two

Spanish vessels stationed at Cadiz with the French fleet). The corps were re-established in 1809 at Boulogne, where they numbered 1,200 men. They served on the Danube in May, 1809, helped in the construction of the bridges, and manned armed boats at the time of the battle of Ess] ing. In 1810 and 1811 they were at the siege of Cadiz with armed boats. In June, 1812, they were on the Niemen, the Frische Haff, the Kurische Haff, with gun - boats, to help the passing of the " Grande Armee " invading Russia. In July, 1812, they were employed to man convoys on the river Wilia, The corps, being probably greatly diminished, does not seem to have played a prominent part in 1813 and 1814. It was disbanded at the fall of the Empire. Thirty-two of the men accompanied the Emperor to Elba (see Thiers, ' Histoire du Consulat et de 1'Empire,' Paulin ed., 1847, vols. vi. to xiv. passim; L. Fallou, 'La Garde Imperiale,' 1901, pp. 313-15).

The "Gardes d'honneur" were four cavalry regiments equipped in the hussar style, composed of young men of good standing and fortune, many of them being members of the old nobility, more or less voluntarily enlisted, who furnished their horse and part of their equipment. They were created on 3 April, 1813. On 29 July the Emperor decided they should be attached to the cavalry regiments of the Imperial Guard. The first regiment was brigaded M'ith the " Chasseurs a Cheval," the second with the dragoons, the third with the " Grenadiers a Cheval," the fourth with the lancers. At ths end of the year they ceased to make part of the Imperial Guard, and formed a division consisting of two brigades under General Defrance. At that time the four regiments consisted of 172 officers and 4,014 men. They were disbanded in June, 1814. Notwithstanding their origin, they did very good and active service during their two years' existence. In 1814 many enlisted in the King's "Maison du Roi." Others became lieutenants in the army (see L. Fallou, ' La Garde Imperiale,' pp. 281-93). CHARLES NOUGUIER.

SIR JOHN GREVILEE OF BINTON, 1480 (US. vii. 8, 54). Might not the last three words of the petition on the scroll over Johanna Greville, " intercede pro me Johannes Xpn earn," signify " John, dear to Christ," or " John, beloved of Christ " ?

The olcl etching of Sir John Greville and his wife Johanna (me. Williamscote), re- ferred to by W. G. D. F., as they appeared