Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 3.djvu/46

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. m. JAN. 14, m

system now adopted, of arranging the books under sales, will greatly facilitate matters, and secure, when it is in perfect working order, that the whole shall be up to date. To aid in the task of reference, an alphabetical index is supplied, with cross-references to the numbers in the body of the book. To take an instance. No illustrated work is in much greater demand in France than the edition of the ' Contes of Lafontaine with the rubric Amsterdam, 1762 (Paris, Barbou), known as the edition of the Farmers- General. This appears duly under Lafontaine, with references to various numbers. Turning to the first of these, 3822, in the sale of the Bibliotheque Justin, we finda copy described, in a bindingof Derome, with the price for which it was sold, namely, 1,200 fr., or 48/. Quite simple is the process. The one thing in which we in England go in advance is that we supply also the name of the purchaser. It is easy to fancy that booksellers object to this information being given, as it may with very little trouble reveal to the bookbuyer the extent of profit that is demanded from him. The value of M. Dauze's ' Index ' is recognized in Paris. English purchasers of French books will find it an invaluable guide to have by their side.

King Solomon's Golden Ophir. By Dr. Carl Peters.

(Leadenhall Press.)

THIS work, which is translated from the German of Dr. Carl Peters by Mr. Frank Karuth, is a learned and convincing treatise upon a subject of undying interest. It is a fresh attempt to locate the mines whence Solomon drew the gold for the Temple. It needs more knowledge than we possess to decide as to the value of Dr. Peters's theory, which is to the effect that the part of Africa to which Solomon's gold fleet sailed is to be sought in " the primitive Sabseo-Judean gold country beyond Sofala." Many points, philological and other, are raised. Espe- cially do we commend to the attention of our readers the suggested explanation of Ophir as Africa. Whether the conclusions arrived at, in which the author is to some extent supported by Mauch and the late Theodore Bent, are acceptable, we will leave others to decide. We can, at least, speak of the book as eminently readable and pro- foundly interesting. Among its other claims on attention is the account of the ancient remains still to be traced. As Dr. Peters is on the point of leading an expedition to the spot indicated, it is likely that we shall hear further on the subject.

A Cotswold Village. By J. Arthur Gibbs. (Murray.) MR. GIBBS has been a traveller, and has seen India, South Africa, and we know not how many countries more. His heart is, however, in the sweet valleys along the banks of the Colne which descend from the Cotswold hills. Of these he writes with spirit as well as affection, indulging the reader with bits of folk-lore and speech, describing country pursuits and sports. He is a great admirer, as well he may be, of Madden's 'Diary of Master William Slender,' his delight in which leads him to what seems almost servile imitation. He has, apparently, been an assiduous and miscellaneous reader, and quotes, or misquotes, with unfailing audacity. One s breath is taken away when one finds a portion of a well- known poem of Coleridge appear as

The good knights are dust,

Their helmets [!] rust,

Their souls are with the saints, I trust.

He is guilty also of such a combination as " The I Zingari." His volume is, however, prettily illus- trated, and inspires one with a longing to visit the scenes described. Not very satisfactory are always the pictures of rural life presented. It seems to be hopeless to attempt to protect the scarce birds which every bumpkin who can lay his hand on a gun persists in snooting. Some few political ex- periences are mixed with records of observation and sport. Our author is at his best in dealing with fishing.

WE learn with gratification that Prof. Joseph Wright, M.A., Ph.D., the editor of the 'English Dialect Dictionary,' to which we have frequently drawn attention, has been conceded a pension, which, though inadequate to his services, as such must necessarily be, is at least honourable alike to himself and the granters.

MB. WILLIAM ABBATT'S 'Crisis of the Revolution : being the Story of Arnold and Andre,' will be pro- fusely illustrated from original portraits by Mr. E. S. Bennett, and will be issued "under the auspices of the Empire State Society."

MR. CHARLES WISE, the author of ' Rockingham Castle and the Watsons,' has nearly ready for the press the 'Compotus of Kettering for the Year 1292,' transcribed from a fine roll of the manors belonging to the abbey of Burgh at that date found in the archives of Rockingham Castle. It will be issued with introduction, translation, and notes.

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We must call special attention to the following notices :

ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately^

To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rule. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. Correspond- ents who repeat queries are requested to head the second communication " Duplicate."

B. DE B. ("Commencement of the Twentieth Century "). We are indisposed to open our columns- to the discussion of what experts regard as self- evident.

H. S. (" Very").-A dissyllable.

J. P. McCLELAND (" The Nine of Diamonds "). This has been amply answered. See 'N. Q., ; 4 th S. vi. 194, 289 ; 5 th S. iv. 20, 97, 118 ; 8 th S. iii. 367, 398, 416, 453; iv. 537; v. 11, 113; vi. 185; vii. 274.

CORRIGENDUM. P. 19, col. 1, 1. 14, for " Presi- dent " read Principal.

NOTICE.

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