Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 4.djvu/83

 12 S. IV. MAKCH, 1918. ! NOTES AND QUERIES.

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NEPTUNE : CROSSING THE LINE. Could any reader of 'N. <fe Q.' refer me to an account of the origin of the practice observed on shipboard when " crossing the Line " ? To judge from a French account of the mock-ritual practised, it was once seriously observed in order to placate the pagan deities, Neptune especially, who had been expelled from Christendom and had taken refuge in the circle beyond the Equator, in which region they continued to exercise jurisdiction. H. A. ROSE.

c/o Grindlay'.s, 54 Parliament Street, S.W.I.

BROTHER JACK ARCHER. I have a water- colour sketch of " Brother Jack Archer, Haymarket Theatre, by J. M. Connell, 14 George's Quay" (where? Cork?). It is dated 1861, marked " Registered copyright," and was framed in Cork. The man wears eight Masonic jewels. The portrait is of a man about 65 years old, rather bald. Can any one telj me where I can get further informa- tion' ? GERARD BLACK.

11 Clare Street, Dublin.

NEW SHAKSPERE SOCIETY'S PUBLICATIONS. Booksellers' collations of this society's publications differ so much that it is wellnigh impossible to tell whether one's set is com- plete or otherwise. Can any of your readers say whether there was a No. XIII. of Series 6 ? ARCHIBALD SPARKI?.

65TH REGIMENT OF FOOT. I am anxious to ascertain the services of the 65th Regiment between 1760 and 1784 if they went abroad, &c. F. H. SUCKLING.

Romsey, Hampshire.

CARCASSONNE. I am anxious to know the title and author of a poem which I heard recited some years ago. It described the am'bition of a French peasant to visit Carcassonne, the city of his dreams.

S. S. BOND.

[By Gustave Nadaud. See the articles at 11 S v. 348, 473 ; vi. 57.]

" RAISING CAIN." What is the origin of the much -quoted expression " raising Cain " ? I should have thought Abel would have been the one to raise. INQUIRER.

GEMS: CASTS BY PASOLETTI. I have a set of "plaster casts of gems " by Pasoletti in 1850. They are in four trays, each gem numbered. Can any reader inform me where a key to the numbers can be seen ? I have tried the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

MABERLY PHILLIPS, F.S.A.

Steyning, Enfield, Middlesex.

CAMELS IN BRITAIN. On p. 47 of " Scottish Kings : a Revised Chronology of

Scottish History, 1005-1625 by Sir

Archibald H. Dunbar " (Edinburgh, 1899), we read as follows : " ' A Camel, which is an animal of wonderful size,' was presented by Eadgar, King of Alban, to Murchertach O'Briain in 1105." Were camels introduced into Britain before that date ?

EDWARD S. DODGSON.

LEE JORTIN FAMILY. Where can I see a copy of " History and Pedigree of the Lee j"ortin Family. 1858. 8vo ' ? I have tried in many places without success. It is riot in the British Museum Library. Probably it was printed for private circula- tion only, and very few copies made. Who printed it ? The family was connected.with North Nibley and London.

J. D. BUCKTON.

North Nibley, Dursley. Glos.

VIRTUE POETICALLY DEFINED : SAMPLER. A sampler worked in 1802 consists of the following wording :

Ann Andrew's

Work aged eleven

Years. A B [A.D.] 1802.

On Virtue

Virtue's the strongest beauty of the Mind The noblest ornament of human kind Virtue's our Safeguard and our guiding Star That sets up reason when our senses err True Sons of Virtue mean repulse distain [sic] And all such acts as would their honour stain Their glorious minds are so securely great They neither swell nor sink at turns of fate Virtue's the Friend of life the Soul of health The poor man's Comfort and the rich man's wealth Virtue has Secret Charms which most men love And those that do not love her yet approve.

I shall be glad to learn who composed this definition of virtue.

THERESA J. PENNY. Holme Rayies, Wokingham.

CHARLTON HOUSE, WANTAGE, BERKS. Can any one tell me when Charlton House, Wantage, was built by its owner, William Price, Esq. ? He died in 1792, aged 70. Any information will be gratefully received. LEONARD C. PRICE.

Essex Lodge, Ewell, Surrey.

BAPTIST MINISTERS : PURDY AND GRANT- HAM. In Carlile's ' Story of the English Baptists,' p. 201, is the following : " Purdy, conscious of the importance of the ministry, magnifies his office." Was Purdy located at Rye, Sussex ?

On p. 148 occurs the following : " One of the ablest of the General Baptist ministers