Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/316

 308

NOTES AND QUERIES, [9 th s. i. APRIL 10,

having held an important position in the ship Oxford. He belonged to H.E.I.C. mari- time service. M.A.OxoN.

SoNG WANTED. Can any one give me the words, and, if possible, the melody, of the American war song " We 're coming, Father Abraham"? J. B.

" SHOT " OF LAND. Will any reader kindly state the meaning of the word shot as applied to land ? It occurs frequently in an old map of Hitchin. J. HOLLAND.

24, Gordon Street, W.C.

[Halliwell gives as a meaning an angle of land.]

HYMN-BOOK. Can any reader of 'N. & Q.' say where a copy can be obtained of a hymn- book for use in schools by (I think) a Mr. Duncan Hume, who wrote many of the tunes? One hymn is called ' The Little Pilgrim,' and there is a simple tune to the Rogation hymn "To Thee, our God, we fly." "

G. E. MONEY.

SAYING OF A JESUIT DIVINE. There is a saying often attributed to some Jesuit divine that it he had the teaching of the children up to seven years of age or thereabouts, he cared not who had them afterwards. Who was this, and what were the precise words 1

G. H. J.

SENTENCE IN W ESTCOTT - I snal l b to know in which volume of Westcott's sermons is one on ideals, or in which occurs a sentence like the following : " It is only a high ideal which prevents monotony of work becoming monotony of life." C. F. Y.

GRESHAM'S LAW. Who was that Gresham, described as a Master of the Mint, who for- mulated the maxim known as Gresham's law? What are the dates of birth and death ?

RICHARD H. THORNTON.

Portland, Oregon.

REV. CHARLES BERNARD GIBSON. Can any reader of 'N. & Q.' inform me when and where this clergyman died? He was the author of a * History of the County and City of Cork.' I can only trace him up to 1885, when, according to Crockford, he resided at West Hackney and was chaplain of Shore- ditch Workhouse and Infirmary. He had formerly been a Congregational minister and lecturer of St. John's, Hoxton, but was ordained in 1867 by the Bishop of London. He was an M.R.I.A. His 'History of Cork ' is much esteemed in certain circles, though far from being reliable (what historian is ?) in every detail, as I had occasion to show in Jiovember, 1894, in the Cork Historical q,nd

Archaeological Journal, when treating of the Earldom of Desmond. J. B. S.

HENRY HUNT, M.P. I have a small engrav- ing (steel), 3jin. by 6f in., inscribed 'Recanta- tion of Mr. Hunt in the House of Commons,' It represents Mr. Hunt in closely buttoned coat, with outstretched hand, speaking from the second bench in the old House of Commons. On the bench in front are three figures, all looking towards Mr. Hunt. The nearest looks like Sir R. Peel, the second is a very tall man with arms folded, the third (without hat) is bald, and is holding his chin. In the right- hand corner is a bucolic-looking member whom I judge to be William Cobbett. He is standing on the floor, and raising his hat to a tall, white-haired man dressed in black, who has apparently doffed his hat to Mr. Cobbett. Will any reader kindly tell me to what the picture refers, and if I am correct in naming the figures? Thirteen other faces are in the picture. CLIO.

FRENCH TITLES OF NOBILITY ON SALE. The following advertisement occurs in Le Journal, 19 Mars, 1898, a Parisian paper which has a very large circulation : " Hte. noblesse : vicomte, due, marquis, 26 ans, recher. mariage tres riche, adopterait enfant ou vendrait titres. Pas d'ag. Ecr. A. de V. p. restante, Marseille," which I thus translate: "The higher nobility : a viscount, duke, and mar- quis, aged 26, desires a very wealthy marriage, to adopt a child, or sell his titles. No agencies. Write A. de V.," &c. Can any one tell me if the French laws permit the sale of titles or a reversion for life and under what conditions ? Also, if the purchase by any one not of French nationality would be valid and good under French law ? WALTER CROUCH.

Wanstead.

MELTON CLUB. Can I find any information about this club ?

MR. JOHN CHAPMAN. Can any one tell me how to find out in what year Mr. John Chaj man resigned the post of Marshal of tY Queen's Bench Prison ? It is thought to been between 1815 and 1842.

M. ELLEN POOLE.

Alsager, Cheshire.

ENGLISH GRAMMAR. At some time about the middle of the present century some teachers of English grammar raised the standard of revolt against the definite and indefinite articles, which they reduced to the category of adjectives, and instructed children to parse them as such. I remember reading the complaint of an inspector that some