Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 3.djvu/336

 330

NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. in. APRIL 29, m

Lincoln. It contains " The Songs, Airs anc Dances in the Jubilee and Pageant as per- form'd at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, for the Guittar," also " Lionel and Clarissa

adapted for the German Flute, Violin,

Hautboy and Guittar" (both published by John Johnston). In the ' Jubilee ' cues and performers' initials are noted in MS. One of the two owners evidently had a considerable library of music, for the book is marked "No. 104."

Perhaps the most generally interesting point is that the detailed description of the Pageant differs materially from that given in the 'Universal Museum.' The list is too long to quote in full. Roughly stated, the order is as follows : Roman characters, Old English characters, fanciful characters (from 'The Tempest,' 'Macbeth,' 'Midsummer Night's Dream '), the Tragic Muse, tragic characters, the Comic Muse, comic characters, characters from 'Winter's Tale' and 'Merchant of Venice,' Fancy (with a song), dramatic trophies, Pegasus, Apollo, and, finally, " the car (drawn by the Muses) containing the Bust of Shakespeare crowned by Time and Fame, and attended by the three Graces, also by Cupids, Satyrs, &c."

E. RlMBAULT DlBDIN. Orme's View, Liscard, Cheshire.

EARTHQUAKE IN 1750 (9 th S. iii. 225). On a fly-leaf of Register No. 7 in Woolwich Parish Church there is the following MS. note re- garding an earthquake ; it is additionally interesting in that it parenthetically refers to another which happened a month pre- viously :

" Memorandum. On March the 8 th, 1749/50, at half an hour after 5 in the Morning, was felt throughout the City of London and neighbouring Villages a very violent shock of an Earth-quake (much more so than that which happened on the 8 th of February then last past), attended with a most rattling noise, which wakened most people, in fear that part of their houses had fallen in. The top of one of the piers on the North side of West- minster Abbey fell down, with the Iron and lead that fastened it ; part of an House in Old-street fell in, and a woman that lay in the garret was very much hurt ; two Houses in Whitechapel, unin- habited, likewise fell by the said shock; chimnies were thrown down in diverse Places, and other damages done to y e houses. The shock was so great in some parts, that the people ran from their houses and beds almost naked, being in great consternation at this unusual Visitation. In the high grounds, by Grosvenor-square, &c., it was said to be felt more than in other parts, the brasses and pewters of several Kitchens being thrown down, and at some distance from the shelves. In S' James's Park and in all the open places the ground moved very per- ceptibly and the noise seemed to break three times. It was observed about 5 of the clock, and there was

a continual though confused lightning till within a minute or two of the shock being felt, which darted very low, and the flashes very great and strong. N.B. What was very remarkable on this occasion, the dogs were sensible of y e shock and some of them were heard to howl in an uncommon manner. It was also felt at Linton in Cambridgeshire, and at Northampton there was also another shock, but less violent, aoout a quarter past two o'clock the same morning."

WM. NORMAN.

The year 1750 may be called the year of earthquakes. They began at London on 8 February, and appeared in many parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. That of 30 September was one of the most extensive shocks felt in this country for many years. An account of the effects of the earthquake on that date at Newtown, Suffolk, Leicester, Northampton (two reports from J. Nixon and Dr. Doddridge), Weston, Warwick, Stamford, Peterborough, and Tooting will be found in vol. xlvi. pp. 701-27 of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

It is remarkable that so extensive a phe- nomenon has escaped the notice of the editor of ' Haydn's Dictionary of Dates.'

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

MR. PAGE'S note has reminded me of some- thing, the memory of which it may be well to preserve in ' N. & Q.'

When my father was a young man (he was born 15 December, 1793) he had on one occasion some business which required his presence at Althorpe, in the Isle of Axholme, where there are two land-drains which com- municate with the river Trent. As they are very near together, they go by the name of the Double Rivers. The person who had the are of the heads or outfall sluices of these drains was at that time named Egar ; he was a descendant of one of the Dutchmen or Flemings who came over in the seventeenth entury for the purpose of draining the level of Hatfield Chace. My father described him to me as a very intelligent and trustworthy old man, and one who had accumulated a arge stock of knowledge relating to the tides,
 * he weather, and other natural phenomena.

During a chat with him on this occasion Egar asked if anything had appeared in the news- papers concerning a recent earthquake. My lather said he had not heard of anything of the kind. " Well," replied Egar, " I wish you would inquire about it. I am sure there has Deen one somewhere, for a piece back three ides came up the Trent on one day, not two, as there should have been. The extra tide was only a little one, but it was very clear to tell. VEany other folks here saw it as well as me."