Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/398

 390

NOTES AND QUERIES.

[2nd S. N 20., MAY 17. '56

successor in business, his son -in-law, and a suitable match for his only child. Some curious anecdotes are related (too lengthy for " N. & Q.") of the mode which Nicolas took in his broken English to bring round his intentions. The young man was in all points deserving, and she, comely and virtuous, was equally so. Their affections, as may be expected, soon became mutual, ending in mar- riage, from which sprung a race of worthy de- scendants. The last who bore the name, Robert Hall, of Milholm, died a few years since, aged eighty-two, a gentleman whose qualifications in the Greek language, and in mathematical science, were extensive, and who has left relating to Gre- cian learning some valuable manuscripts. In his fine manly personal form might be traced linea- ments of his Gallic origin, and in good qualities of heart none could excel him.

The mill of Milholm, near the ruined towers of the ancient castle of Cathcart, in the midst of the loveliest scenery, with its busy water-wheel still turns out its supplies of writing paper for the lieges, and no doubt contributed its share in fur- nishing the material that helped on the Revolution of 1688, in those busy days of political correspon- dence in many quarters, so well illustrated by Mr. Macaulay. G. N.

$att&,

Paris Neiospapers in 1856. The daily poli- tical newspapers published in Paris are eleven in number, and are thus classed, according to the numbers printed : La Presse, Le Sidcle, Le Constitutionnel, Le Moniteur universal, Le Pays, La Patrie, Le Journal dcs Debuts, E Univers, L 1 Assembler Nationale, L Union, and La Gazette de France. The number printed of the Presse, the Siecle, and the Constitutionnel, exceeds that of all the other journals together. J. S. HARRY.

Paris.

An English Bull. Theodore Hook, in his ex- cellent novel of Maxwell (vol. iii. ch. xi.), says :

" It is lucky that men and women are not gifted with prescience, unless indeed the gift were universally accom- panied by the power and means of avoiding the conse- quences, which such an instinctive perception would so fearfully exhibit."

Consequences which will be avoided will never occur, and therefore can never be foreseen.

UNEDA. Philadelphia.

Etymology of " Bard." I have seen this word derived from bar, a fury. I shall feel obliged to any of your correspondents who would favour me with its correct etymology. May I be allowed to avail myself of this opportunity of correcting an error of the press which occurs in an article

on " Silly Goose " (2 nd S. i. 246.), in which the Anglicised Latin ansers is corrupted into answers ; a correction of which I should not complain, if it did not involve an implied grievance on the part of the writer, who, so far from wishing to in- sinuate a want of accommodation in the columns of " N. & Q.," has to express his obligations for much editorial indulgence. Later in the same article (in allusion to the " Gaulish " surprise "), for capital should be read capitol. F. PHILLOTT.

Country Bills. Country bills occasionally furnish curious specimens of " the sublime art " by which thought is conveyed. A gentleman in Devonshire received this account from the village carpenter :

5. d.

" A wood barrow

A wooden do - - - 6

A wooden barrow

A wood do - - - -40"

It signified there was a charge of sixpence for a wooden barrow which would not do, and of four shillings for a wooden barrow which would do.

A gentleman staying at Beddgelert in Wales received this account :

" 1855. Gents.

s.

Bettadoes - - - - 2

Abls - - - 1

Begn - ... l

Fluar - ... 1

4 Loofs ot gees - - -

Egs - ... l

The articles were potatoes, apples, bacon, flour, loaves or oat cakes, eggs. Gents was the compli- mentary title by which the stranger and his family were addressed.

A washerwoman in the village of Offwell, in Devonshire, prefers the hieroglyphic to the phonetic method. She writes her bill in this way :

OOom

This bill, sent in to a clergyman lately staying in the village, indicated she had a claim on him to the amount of two shillings and ninepence.

ANON.

Port Wine. I have made the following cutting from the papers, which may be worth recording in " N. & Q. : "

" Extraordinary Price for Port Wines. A wine mer- chant of this city informs us that at a sale the other day at Leicester of some port wine from the cellar of the late Dr. Nedham, of that place, some old port realised from 101s. to 136s. a dozen; and on Friday, at the sale at Lichfield of the property of the banking firm of Palmer and Greene, which lately broke, some port fetched the enormous sum of 14Z. a dozen." Lincolnshire Times.

A few weeks ago, at a sale in Mr. Nesbitt's sale- room, Hanover Street, some port wine fetched one pound a bottle. It was a wine merchant who purchased it for his own trade, and of course ex-