Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/76

 60 NOTES AND QUERIES. [i2s.vm.-jA*.i5,i92i. "East to collect Oriental MSS, for the King's library at Fontainebleau. He wrote on geo- gra.r>hy, on theology and on history as well as on philology ; but through his work and his un- doubted learning there ran a morbid strain of fanaticism, which, through many years increased, brought him into collision with authority, led him into strange extravagances, and well-nigh ruined him altogether. In the end, so great a disturber of the r>eace had he become, striving to set the world's wrongs right, that he was compelled, as a sort of voluntary prisoner, to take up his abode in the monastery of St. Martin. There, it is consoling to reflect (for it is impossible not to feel some attraction towards Fostel) his brain cleared : the visions which had pursued him vanished and he spent the end of his life in peace, not to be tempted forth from his refuge "bv any promises of princely favour. Postel owes his place in this book to his theory that God must fulfil himself in a manifestation of divine unity on earth to be brought about by the operation of a great world power which should keep th world's peace. This power Postel declared to b the people of France : a conclusion from many points of view of curious interest. The two following essays deal with the " grand design " of Sully and with that of Emerich Cruce, Of Sully 's " design " most historica students have heard something though, it seems clear that it must be considered as little more than an exercise of academic quality which amused some leisure hours or served to straighten out the thoughts of the great minister. Cruc (1590-1648) is little more than a name to us and his book, which has escaped oblivion only bv three copies, has been recently re-discovered In its own day it created a stir. Virtually he proposes a kind of League of Nations in a city "where all sovereigns should have perpetually tteir ambassadors, in order that the differences that might arise should be settled by the judg- ment of the whole assembly." The theory of ' Le Nouveau Cynee ' in which the proposal is worked out grapples with the very problems which the League of Nations itself envisages embracing all the nations, bending itself not only to settle disputes but also to meet the animosities and the other causes which engender them. The ambassadors assembled in the chosen city " will be trustees and hostages of public peace .... would maintain the ones and the others in good understanding ; would meet discontents half- way." Sir Geoffrey well compares with utter- ances such as these sentences from General Smuts's pamphlet and it might be well, not merely from historical curiosity, but also in search of suggestions and confirmation to draw the attention of students to Grace's work. As our author quotes " II est bon de s'apercevoir qu'on a des aieux " ; and, besides that, a system or body of ideas when seen from a distance of time is apt to show truths which do not so easily appear in a contemporary presentation. The Antiquaries Journal, vol. i. No. 1. (Oxford University Press, 5s.). '" THIS volume represents " we quote from the Foreword of Sir Hercules Bead, President of the Society " a new departure in the history of the Society of Antiquaries." It represents, indeed, an expansion, a renewal of energy, a^d a spirit of youthful enterprise in that beloved a^d venerable Society which we are sure everv reader of ' N. & Q.,' whether or not privi- leged to belong to it, will hail with pleasure and with great hopes of advantage to all students of the past. It is intended, in addition to the work published in the old Proceedings, to give a record of archaeological discovery, to note the activities of the chief kindred Continental societies and set up more intimate ^relations with them, and to supply such reviews of archaeological literature as shall keep readers au conrant as to the character and utility for any special purpose of any works published. The first instalment of the plan proposed is excellent. We have first the deeply interesting paper of Mr. A. W. Clapham on the Latin Monastic Buildings of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. This breaks new ground, the diffi- culties of exploration under the Moslems having hitherto proved virtually hopeless obstruction. Lieut.-Col. Hawley and Mr. C. B. Peers supply an interim Beport on the Excavations at Stone - henge which needs no recommendation to our readers' attention. The silver discovered at Traprain Law (Mr. A. O. Curie) ; an imperfect Irish Shrine (Mr. E. C. B. Armstrong) ; and a Coffin Chalice from Westminster Abbey (the Bev. H. F. Westlake) each supplied with adequate illustration deal with metal-work of different ages. Mr. Johnson contributes a most interesting 'document a grant of forty marks a year by Henry VI. for the " Children of the Chapel Boyal " whose history for the fifteenth century is still in obscurity. M. Aime Butot deals with the discoveries at Spiennes. There are four or five weighty reviews of books, notices of periodical literature, editorial notes and a bibliography. tn EDITORIAL communications should be addressed to " The Editor of ' Notes and Queries ' "Adver- tisements and Business Letters to "The Pub- lishers" at the Office, Printing House Square, London, E.C 4. ; corrected proofs to the Athenaeum Press, 11 and 13 Bream's Buildings, E.C.4. FOR the convenience of the printers, correspon- dents are requested to write only on one side ot sheet of paper. CORRIGENDA. (General Index to Eleventh Series, and Index to Vol. VI. of the present Series). We regret to find that the name of so well- jnown and -greatly valued a correspondent as PRO- CESSOR BENSLY has been misspelt in both these Indexes. Will those of our readers, who have not already done so, correct Bensley to Bensly. NOLA (12 S. vii. 502 ; viii. 37). In my reply at the last reference for " blank knoll," read klank knoll. J. T. F. BEPRESENTATIVE COUNTY LIBRARIES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE (12 S. viii. 8, 34). The name of the antiquary who garnered Yorkshire records was Hailstone not " Bailstone " as printed three times, p. 34. I am sorry my writing was less legible than I meant it to "be. ST. S WITHIN.