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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. x. OCT. 25, 1902.

would be simply intolerable ; in the latter case, " If I were wrong " would mark reluct- ance to admit the fact, preferring to treat the matter hypothetically. See the ' H E.D.' under 'If,' sections 1 and 2, where the dis- tinction between these two uses of the con- junction is clearly explained and illustrated. C. LAWRENCE FORD, B.A.

"THE" AS PART OP TITLE (9 th S. ix. 428. x. 13). Every careful reader of daily ana weekly journals must at times be struck by the seemingly arbitrary use of the definite article in the appellation of diurnal and periodical publications. In some instances the article is given the same distinction as the name of the journal ; for example, The Times or "The Times"; and it is generally the custom for a newspaper to print its own designation in a similar way when occasion arises. The title of the great daily alluded to seems incomplete unless printed as above ; while the Daily Mail or Morning Post, with- out the article indicated as 'part of the title, does not convey that impression. There are, of course, some journals that, by reason of their titles, can be referred to without making use of the article ; but to mention others, as in the following case, without the article is unusual, and, to say the least, something like discourteous. In a rather bald notice, in The Sphere of 4 October, of the death of John Latey, late editor of Tke Sketch, the eight lines close with the statement that in 1899 "he added to his duties the editing of Sketch" Why is the definite article in any form wanting here? It is not accidentally absent; for the words "of Sketch" appear twice in the short paragraph. No one would refer to or write of Mr. Shorter as editor of Sphere. JOHN GRIGOR.

ST. PANCRAS : ARMS OF THE BOROUGH (9 th S. x. 287). The question of the adoption of a coat of arms for the Borough of St. Pancras was discussed at a meeting of the Borough Council which was held on 5 Feb- ruary. The Mayor admitted that the approval of the Heralds' College had not been given, and one of the councillors stated that the coat of arms had been drawn up by as good an expert as could be got unless they paid a very large fee, and added that the motto was as good a one as any of them could produce. Another councillor was of opinion that the coat was a libel on history, and enough to make any Earl Marshal of England turn in his grave. Notwithstanding this difference of opinion, the report of the committee which recommended the design was adopted.

The motto is certainly a little hard to con- strue, nor is it easy to see why justice should only be administered in moderation, though it may be right to temper it with mercy. Evidently the councillors of St. Pancras, among whom a distinguished reformer and dramatist holds a prominent position, do not care to have too much of a good thing. But matters of opinion are the councillors' own affair, and it is only when questions of fact are involved that the outside public has any right to intervene. I would therefore ask on what grounds the councillors allege that Lewes was the first town in England to con- secrate a church to the memory of St. Pancras. I have always understood that the ancient structure which lies just outside the eastern wall of the city of Canterbury enjoys the best claim to the distinction of being the earliest English church which was dedicated to that saint. Tradition says that it was consecrated by St. Augustine in 597, and it is undoubtedly of very early Saxon origin. After having passed through many vicissitudes, the few remains which time has spared are being carefully protected and pre- served from further decay in great measure by the enlightened efforts of the officials of the adjoining St. Augustine's College.

W. F. PRIDEAUX.

DELAVAL-CAREY (9 th S. x. 228). For par- ticulars of the distinguished family of Delaval of Seaton Delaval, see 1 st S. viii. ; 2 nd S. viii. : 3 rd S. viii. ; 6 th S. vi. ; 7 th S. vii.

EVERARD HOME GOLEM AN.

71, Brecknock Road.

NOTES ON BOOKS, &o.

A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles. Edited by Dr. James A. H. Murray. Q (Begin- ning of Vol. VIII.). By W. A. Craigie, M.A. (Oxford, Clarendon Press.)

YET another assistant editor now joins in the labours of Dr. Murray and his eminent staff. The influence of the new-comer is immediately sensible, and an entire letter is brought in the latest quar- terly part within reach of the student. It is true that the letter thus gained to philology is not one of the utmost importance as regards the number of words it contains. Out of the eighty pages of which the section before us consists only sixteen are occu- pied with the treatment of native words, even when several of doubtful etymology which appear in Middle English are included as such. On the other hand, words of Latin origin which reach us director through the French are numerous, covering more than fifty pages. It will be seen from the figures advanced that the size of the section is larger than usual ; sixteen pages have, indeed, been added for the purpose of including the whole of