Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 3.djvu/331

 =

s. in. APRIL 29,

NOTES AND QUERIES.

325

..ysays that the former name is not very cor- i ;ct, as the swallow rarely builds in chimneys."

That swallows seldom or never build in c limneys of modern construction is certain, at 1> ast I do not remember having ever observed a a instance of it : but in the old-fashioned

pen chimneys, which are very wide for their \ holelength except at the top, they frequently

make their nests. These structures make aimirable breeding-places for them, as the s des are sheltered from rain and strong draughts. I have seen swallows building in a chimney of this kind (now pulled down) in a a old hall near here, and at several places in the north of England. The'H.E.D.' contains an example of the word of the year 1775. I have an impression that I have met with it at an earlier date. EDWARD PEACOCK.

Dunstan House, Kirton-in-Lindsey.

"ENCYCLOPEDIA." I should like to draw attention to the spelling of this word with an e instead of a diphthong. I think it looks preferable to the popular form of spelling. It appears that it is the proper way, and that " encyclopaedia " is the Latin form. I was pleased to find that Mr. Henry Bradley approves of " encyclopedia," though I regret to see that he does not use it in his preface dated October, 1897, nor under ' Dictionary.'

1 think we should do our best to simplify all these ugly foreign words we are compelled to import into our language.

RALPH THOMAS.

THACKERAY'S HOUSE, YOUNG STREET, KEN- SINGTON. No. 16, Young Street, Kensington, Thackeray's residence before he removed to his new house Palace Green, and where he wrote ' Vanity Fair ' a freehold house on the west side of the street, with bow windows, land now almost the last old house retaining its original appearance let on lease for twenty-one years at 120. a year, was sold by auction on 21 March by Messrs. Deben- ham, Tewson & Co., and realized 3,250^., or twenty-five and a half years' purchase, the rate of interest on the purchase-money being 3| per cent, nearly. JOHN HEBB.

2, Canonbury Mansions, N.

THE FIRST SILK HAT IN LONDON. The following note, from a recent number of the Hatters' Gazette, may be thought worth preserving :

"January 15, 1797, was the date fixed by Mr. Hetherington for his first appearance in public with the new hat. He believed that in the natural course of events he would create a sensation, but ie was not prepared for the commotion which fol- owed. It was with no little trepidation that about

even o'clock in the forenoon Mr. Hetherington

emerged from his shop in the Strand. His family advised against it, but he was determined, and forth he sallied. The Strand, as now, was one of the busy streets of London, and Mr. Hetherington had not walked ten feet before merchants and others, attracted by the unusual sight, stopped and gazed in wonder. Mr. Hetherington, however, moved on, but men who had only stopped to look now followed after him, and in less time than it takes to tell it the street was crowded with a howling mob. Those on the outskirts of the crowd did not know the nature of the trouble, if there was any, but they helped to swell the din. How Mr. Hetherington fared, however, is best told by the journals of that date. One gazette gave this account of the remarkable event : ' John Hethering- ton, haberdasher, of the Strand, was arraigned before the Lord Mayor yesterday on a charge of breach of the peace and inciting to riot, and was required to give bonds in the sum of 500^. It was in evidence that Mr. Hetherington, who is well connected, appeared upon the public highway wear- ing upon his head what he called a silk hat (which was offered in evidence), a tall structure, having a shiny lustre, and calculated to frighten timid people. As a matter of fact, the officers of the Crown stated that several women fainted at the unusual sight, while children screamed, dogs yelped, and a young son of Cordwainer Thomas, wno was returning from a chandler's shop, was thrown down by the crowd which had collected and had his right arm broken. For these reasons the defendant was seized by the guards and taken before the Lord Mayor. In extenuation of his crime the defendant claimed that he had not violated any law of the kingdom, but was merely exercising a right to ap- pear in a headdress of his own design a right not denied to any Englishman.' The Times of the same date (January 16, 1797), in commenting on Mr. Hetherington s appearance, rather inclined to en- courage the innovation, saying, among other things : 'In these days of enlightenment it must be con- sidered an advance in dress reform, and one which is bound, sooner or later, to stamp its character upon the entire community. The new hat is de- stined to work a revolution in headgear, and we think the officers of the Crown erred in placing the defendant under arrest.'"

KICHARD H. THORNTON.

Portland, Oregon.

ASSYRIAN ROWING. I have just come across the following passage in 'Nineveh and its Remains,' by Layard, 1849 :

"The oars were long, and the blade projected at an angle with the handle. They were probably used like paddles, which they resemble, indeed, in form." Vol. ii. p. 382.

I presume that Sir Henry Layard attached bhe usual meaning to paddling, but it seems bo me clear from the illustration that he gives jhat the men are rowing, and not using their oars, which are far too big for paddles (?), as
 * hey would in paddling. It is true that the

sculptor has not represented any rowlock or sin such as we see, for example, in a gondola. The men are standing up rowing, facing the 3row, and pushing as we do in backwards