Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 9.djvu/114

88 NOTES AND QUERIES. ms.ix. JULY so, 1921. under Fielding's directions. So excellent an officer was Welch that Fielding wrote to Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, on Dec. 6, 1753, recommending Welch's name for the Commission, but Welch was not actually appointed till April, 1755, when Fielding was dead.

It appears that there is a more specific reason for the confusion to which Mr. Dobson refers, which may be thus stated:—

I. In the 18th century there existed two Bow Streets in close proximity. There was the present Bow Street lying between Covent Garden and Drury Lane, but not then extending into Long Acre. There was also a Bow Street which, as may be readily seen in Rocque's Survey of 1745, was an extension of Drury Lane north of Oxford Street. It is now the southern end of Museum Street.

II. I have shown ('Modern Language Review' for April, 1917, at p. 233) that Henry Fielding's house on the west side of the more famous thoroughfare was two doors north of the still existing Bunch of Grapes publichouse and was rated at £63. By the assistance of Mr. R. Holworthy's Sewer-Rolls I am now able to state that in a 'Presentment for Raising money to pay for Work about Hartshorne Lane Sewer,' 1749, roll 275, Saunders Welch's name appears as a householder in the Bow Street of St. Giles parish (membrane No. 131) assessed at £23, the highest figure in the street. Ergo, Saunders Welch was a Bow Street magistrate, but not of Fielding's Bow Street.

—The subjoined letter was written by Lady Hamilton in a kind, but vain, endeavour to save a man of the name of Joseph Woolman Thompson (who had served as a sailor in the Navy), from sen- tence of death for forgery. After his execution, his widow, who was left with three young children, made an appeal for relief. Amongst the seventeen who subscribed to it are the names of " Miss Horatio [sic] Nelson " and " Lady Hamilton," who each gave a guinea. 150 Bond St., August llth, 1812. Your Lordships known goodness to humanity is so well known that. I will not make an opoligy for writing in haste as it will be the means of saving a Life which has been sadly misrepresented if Thompson can be reprieved till the enclosed Documents can be looked into poor fellow he was a Sailor and you my Dear Lord who loved Nelson and his brave Companions will I am sure do your utmost for poor suffering Thompson and tomorrow allso being the Birth day of our Dear and gracious Prince Beg I Humbly beseech you the life of this persecuted man be saved till you see He is worthy of being saved which I hope you will be convinced he is and your Lordship will have the Blessings of a numerous and respectable family and eternally oblige. Your Lordships ever Gratefull EMMA HAMILTON. [Viscount Sidmouth, &c., &c., &c.] E. H. FAIRBROTHER. CARLYLE AND A BOOKSELLER. The follow- ing is a note from Thomas Carlyle, written in his own hand on a 4to sheet of paper : Mem. For Mr. Menzies, Edin., 2 Copies of Carlyle' s Frederick, to the respective addressed : lo, " Mrs. Austin, The Gill, Cummertrees," &c. And 2^, Mr. Carlyle, Scotsbrig, Ecclefechan " : Be so good as wrap them into one Parcel, addressed " Mr. Carlyle, Scotsbrig, Ecclefechan " (2d of the already given addresses) ; convey said Parcel across to the Caledonian Railway Station, and despatch : it will, once started, get to its place in four hours, after lying about 5 weeks in its present quarters ! T. C. Chelsea, 1 Nov., 1858. N.B. If No. 2 is gone (whh I doubt), despatch No. 1, with its own address, from same place ; and buy a Bradshaic or Murray for future use ! The Mr. Menzies mentioned was John Menzies, founder of the firm of John Menzies and Co., Ltd., wholesale booksellers, Edin- burgh. Mr. Menzies did no retail trade, and Carlyle got consequently little attention from his staff. " Murray " refers to a railway time-table published by a Glasgow firm of that name. Tok Q T. RUDDIMAN JOHNSTON. PETRONIUS AND A MODERN ADVERTISE- MENT. In the tube I observe an advertise- ment of a new brand of rum. It pictures two workmen, both blown about by the wind and shivering in overcoats. A sailor, with no such protection, has one hand on a gigan- tic bottle of the rum and the other extended in an oratorical position. The legend be- neath runs : WORKMAN : G-^od morning, Jack, lost your overcoat ? OCEAN WAVE : No, THIS has been the overcoat of the Navy for centuries. The rabble of Rome in the days of Xero was capable of a similar sentiment. In the ' Cena Trimalchionis ' of Petronius, 41,