Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/255

 12 S. III. MARCH 31. 1917.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

249

\\K 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.

A POETICAL ENIGMA. I should be glad to know what the solution is of the accom- panying enigma, which was given to me by a friend some thirty years ago or more, and which I was unable to solve, nor have I ever heard its solution, for my friend (now deceased) was himself ignorant of it.

I have recently come across it in a desk of old papers.

We rule the world, we letters 5, And thus we sing and thus we strive.

The crowned king and belted knight, The churl of low degree, The priest, the statesman, and the squire, Are ruled by letters 3.

The Chartist league, the Premier grave, And devils black and blue, And little beaux and grave debates Are checked by letters 2.

Where lightly flies the gondola Over the moonlit sea, There master-spirits of the earth Are ruled by letters 3.

They whirl about, they turn about, And vex the world they do, The letters 3, and most they love To vex the letters 2.

Ha, ha ! the 2 they ponder deep, Plus therefore Q.E.D., They class themselves and dance about With us, the letters 3.

From Heaven's blue vault we letters 3 On showers of roses came, And caught upon our downward flight The colours of the same.

Olympian Jove in high divan He split his skull half through, And the bright Goddess sprang to light Who loves the letters 2.

Now fair befall the letters 5,

The letters 3 and 2 ;

Forsooth it were a happy world

If ye had each your due !

Fill high the bowl ! ye letters 5,

Your Albion drinks to you :

Long may her daughters own the 3,

Her braver sons the 2 !

CtTBIOUS.

' THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED THE GREAT.' Early in the fifties of last century a committee was appointed to superintend the issue of " The whole Works of King Alfred the Great." A book with such a title was published in 1852, containing

preliminary essays illustrative of theHistory, Arts, and Pleasures of the ninth century. It was called a Jubilee Edition, and was published in divisions, of which at least three appeared from the house of J. F. Smith & Co., Oxford and Cambridge, during the years 1852-3. Each volume breaks off in the middle of a sentence, and the pagination runs on from volume to volume. In sale catalogues I find the book de- scribed as in two volumes, but I have seen three, and the last abruptly concludes at p. 360 (?), I believe. I should be glad to know if the publication was abandoned then, or if a fourth and further division actually appeared, and who wrote the material for them. There are some coloured and other illustrations, and the format of the book is good. ARCHIBALD SPARKE.

DE EWELL FAMILY. Ewell Hall, in the parish of Kelveden, Essex, was, according to Morant's history of the county, soon after the Conquest in the possession of a family surnamed De Ewell it is supposed from a place called Ewell in Surrey. The house is about half a mile from the. church. I should be glad to know if it still exists, and if there are any memorials in the county to the family, which is believed to be ex- tinct in the male line. Any information will be gratefully received.

LEONARD C. PRICE.

Essex Lodge, Ewell.

ORPIMENT. This is a natural compound of arsenic and sulphur. It is said that the artificial compound was one of the in- gredients of the " king's yellow," now superseded by the harmless chrome-yellow. I should be grateful for any notes relating to its use in former times, especially in ancient burials. What is the meaning of the word " orpiment " ? W. H.

LE PETIT FLEURY, COMEDIEN. In the reports of the policier Marais for the year 1759 mention is more than once made of the extravagance of " le petit Fleury, comedien de la troupe de Montansier." Fleury was much patronized by the Venetian am- bassador of that time. Could any reader tell me where some account of this actor or other references may be found ?

It might save confusion to mention that the celebrated Fleury, Abraham-Joseph Benard (1751-1822), made his first appear- ance at the Theatre Frangais in 1774, and is, of course, quite a different person.

MONTAGUE SUMMERS, F.R.S.L.