Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/75

 2 nd S. N4., JAN. 26. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

rights where buildings are contiguous, or have outlets on the property of the other ; and those determining the rights of soil in the several ways and passages.

In fact, it is evident, that, if the lawyers of the two Inns, in the reign of George II., had not felt a little perplexity with respect to the patent which their predecessors had somewhat improvidently obtained^from James I., granting the two Temples to the benchers of both, not separately but jointly, the deed of 1732 would, in all probability, never have been executed.

Notwithstanding, therefore, this authorised pub- lication of the Report and Evidence, I fear that the solution of the vexatce quastiones, whether the lawyers were originally established in the Temple in one or in two Societies, and, if in one, at what period the division took place, remains as doubtful as before. Let us hope, however, that some of the present able investigators of our records may in their researches discover some clue to guide us to the truth. EDWARD Foss.

NAHUM TATE.

Having lately chanced to meet with the fol- lowing spirited verses by Mr. Tate, prefixed to Ovington's Voyage to Surat, printed in 1696, I thought they deserved to be rescued from, the oblivion which has in all probability overtaken them, and would agreeably surprise many of the readers of " N. & Q.," whose opinion of Tate, from his share in the version of the Psalms, must be far from flattering. The original orthography is pre- served. J. M.

" To Mr. J. Ooington, on his Voyage to Suratt. " Hard is our Task to Eead with fruitless Pain, The Dreams of ev'ry Cloyster'd Writer's Brain : Who yet presume that Truth's firm Paths they tread,") When all the while through wild Utopias led, >

With Faiery-Feasts, instead of Science fed. J

As dreaming Wizzards Midnight Journeys take, And weary with imagin'd Labour wake, So vain is Speculation's fancy'd Flight : But search of Nature gives Sincere Delight. Through her vast Book, the World, a Curious Eye May Wonders in Each pregnant Page descry, Make new Remarks, which Reason may reduce To Humane Benefit, and Publick Use. Then Happy they who quit their private Home, And gen'rously through Foreign Climates roam; Who, like Ulysses, can despise the Toil And make each Land they meet their Native Soil. See Men and Manners scarce by Rumour known, Visit all Countreys to improve their own. But ah ! how few, my Friend, with your Design, On such Discov'ries bound, have cross'd the Line ! For sordid Gain, new Worlds they will descry, Seize Nature's Wealth, but pass her Wonders by. Their Fleet returns opprest with Traffick's Weight, But Knowledge makes no part of all the Freight. Yet this, of Old, was Jason's Noble Prize ; 'Twas this that plac'd his Argo in the Skies :

Experience was the far-fetcht Golden Fleece, The Prize so much admir'd by Ancient Greece, From whence may be inferr'd what Thanks are due From Britain's Sons, Industrious Friend, to you. Fame shall in State your useful Book Install In Sodley's Pile, the Muses' Capitol. You have so lively your Discoveries Writ, We Read and Voyage with you as we sit ; With you hoise Sail and reach the Indian shore ; ' The real Scene cou'd scarce delight us more. As when some Prophet from a Trance awakes, And to attentive Crowds Description makes Of Wonders, which he did in Rapture view, The Listners think they see the Vision too. Thus, Entertain'd with Nature and with Art, We hear your Travels told, and well-pleas'd Guests depart. N. TATE."

A CAUTION TO ANTIQUARIES.

" On the summit of Tory Hill, called in Irish Sleibth Grian, or the Hill of the Sun, is a circular space covered with stones; the larger ones have been taken out and rolled down the hill for the use of the country people ; there is still one large one near the centre, and there is an appearance of smaller ones having stood in a circle at a little distance from the heap, which is above sixty- five yards in circumference : within which, on the east side, is a stone raised on two or three unequal ones, with this inscription, facing the west and centre of the heap :

IELI CIUO3 3

The letters are deeply and well cut, on a hard block of silicious breccia. They are two inches high. Between each is a space of about one inch, and a distance between the words of three inches. In Roman letters they would be,

BELI DIUOSE.

The first letter is one of the most simple forms of the Pelasgic B*, which was also written ft, and in cutting upon a hard stone the fine strokes may have been omit- ted : the others are well known.

"That the Divinity was worshipped in this country under the name of BEL needs no proof. That the Di- vinity was worshipped in the British Isles under the name of DIONUSOS is also recorded. That worship is beautifully described by Dionysius, the geographer (v. 570.), who says, that in the Western Isles the wives of the illustrious Ammonians (or Amnitse) celebrated the worship of DIONUSOS with as great fervour as the Thra- cians.

"The stone on which this inscription is cut is five feet one inch long ; at the back six feet five inches ; it is five feet broad, and one foot four inches thick. In front appears to have been a sunk place, flagged, but it is im- perfect. The common people pay some respect to this relic."

The foregoing remarks are taken from A Survey of the County Kilkenny, published in 1800, and written by W. Tighe, Esq., of Woodstock, near Inistioge, in the said county.

The hill alluded to is about five miles N.W. of the city of Waterford. For many years sub- sequent to the above date, no suspicion was entertained but that the inscription in question was other than what perhaps the industrious exa-


 * See alphabet ill Remains of Japhet.