Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 4.djvu/104

 200 [9th S. IV. Sept. 2,'9B. NOTES AND QUERIES. Revenue of China,' with tables of revenue and expenditure, and Mr. R. Caton ' Two Lecturea on the Temples and Ritual of Asklepios at Epidaurus and Athena.' This, which is profusely illustrated with plates, showing the restorations of MM. Def rass and Lechat, and other views from photographs, is of extreme interest and importance. Dr. R. J. Lloyd advocates a reform in the pronunciation of ancient Greek, a proposition which has already met with some opposition. Prof. Kuno Meyer sends ' Stories and Songs from Irish MSS.,' and Dr. V. H. Friedel some interesting ' Etudes Compostellanes.' The contents are varied, and are all of a kind to appeal to scholars. Ortensio Lando. By William E. A. Axon, F.R.S.L. From the Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature Mr. Axon has reprinted nis monograph on Ortensio Lando, whom he styles a humourist of the Renaissance. The tract—undertaken at the suggestion of Chancellor Christie, the best of autho- rities and soundest of advisers on any subject con- nected with the humanists and men generally of the Renaissance—deals with the novels of Lando, which are his best-known works, and with his paradoxes, which are the most characteristic. With the opuscule is issued a translation of Lando's paradox on 'A Frugal Life.' The work will be greeted with delight by students of the Renaissance. So far as we know, no similar account of Lando is in existence, nor does his name appear in bio- graphical dictionaries. A Primer of Historical French Grammar. By Ernest Wcekley, M.A. (Blackie & Son.) Me. Weeklev, who is Professor of French at Uni- versity College, Nottingham, has supplied a short and eminently satisfactory historical French gram- mar, founded on the works of Schwan-Behrens, Darmesteter, Brunot, Bourciez, and other autho- rities, and intended primarily for the use of candi- dates taking French as a subject in the London B.A. examination. It is a thoroughly workman- like production, trustworthy in all respects, resting on a phonological basis, and including in little more than a hundred pages all that is necessary for the advanced student. We commend specially the introduction, illustrating the growth of French from vulgar Latin, and the chapter (the last) on metre. To one with the memory still young and retentive the task of mastering and retaining all its details should be easy, and its accomplishment would furnish the student with a knowledge such as few except skilled linguists can boast. The task of perusal is, moreover, in itself a pleasure. To the dainty little "Chiswick Shakespeare" of Messrs. George Bell & Sons, to which previously we have drawn attention, have been added Othello and Macbeth. The text is, as in former volumes, that of the 'Cambridge Shakespeare,' with the very useful system of numbering the lines. Now, as heretofore, the chief attraction consists in the exquisite get-up of the volumes, each of which is a gem, and In Mr. Shaw's quaint and powerful illus- trations. This edition deserves a wide popularity. Mr. E. E. Thiselton has printed (Palmer) some textual notes on 'Antony and Cleopatra,' with a few other memoranda. With the character of Mr. Thiselton's corrections, frequently consisting in a punctuation more intelligent than is ordinarily observed, our readers are familiar. His brochure- it is no more — appeals very strongly to Shake- spearean scholars. A fourth edition, revised, has been issued of Mr. W. T. Lynn's excellent treatise on Remark- able Eclipses. The publisher is Mr. Edward Stan- ford. Messrs. Longman have issued in a pretty minia- ture edition the Poems of Love and Home and the Elijah the Prophet, and other Poems, of Mr. George Washington Moon. In addition to Mr. Gomme's criticism of Mr. Nutt's presidential address, Folk-Lore contains two articles of note by Mr. W. H. D. Rouse, the first of which relates to the popular beliefs of the Southern Sporades, and the second to Christmas mummers at Rugby. Another paper of interest deals with an Indian legend from British Columbia. Melusine continues to preserve its high standard as a repository of superstitions, ancient and modern ; and the Intermidiaire is, as usual, a storehouse of information for the student of by-past days. Among the various subjects treated of in the later numbers is the custom of hanging stuffed crocodiles in churches. Announcements of death printed on the backs of playing-cards are also noticed, while ancient pilgrimages and popular remedies receive attention, and the representation of Joan of Arc in ceramic art is discussed. 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." J. J. G. Graham ("Mrs. Catherine Macaulay, 1731-1791 "J.—All that is known concerning her is found in ' Diet. Nat. Biog.' Many portraits of her and a statue by Bacon are, as you will see, in exist- ence. Curious (" Bishops'Licences for Prostitution"). —We have no information on this subjeot; but see 1" S. x. 245; 4th S. v. 449. NOTICE. Editorial Communications should be addressed to "The Editor of 'Notes and Queries' "—Advertise- ments and Business Letters to "The Publisher"— at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.C. We beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we do not print; and to this rule we can make no exception. Terms of Subscbiptioh bt Post. For Twelve Months For Six Month! ... 1 0 0 10