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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9- s. v. JAN. 13, woo.

adopt the system approved of by the International Oriental Congress of 1894, and now in general use ? He betrays a serious misconception of the nature of English metre when, in seeking to show that the initial sound of vowels has quantity as well as quality, he quotes

Unhousel'd, dis-appointed, un-aneled ;

of which (he adds) the fourth and eighth syllables must, under any other supposition, be short. Does Mr. Ward really think that Shakespeare scanned by shorts and longs, like Virgil and Sa'dl? "Deo placitis," in the dedication, is meant, we suppose, lor a translation of marhum, but is not Latin for anything.

The Unpublished Legends of Virgil. Collected

by Charles Godfrey Leland. (Stock.) FEW subjects are more interesting to the antiquary than the manner in which Virgil nas come to rank, since mediaeval times, as a necromancer as well as a poet. In the course of using up the materials he has collected from the oral recitation of the Italian peasantry, Mr. Leland has assigned a separate position to those the hero of which is Virgil. A collection of these folk-stories he now publishes as a companion volume to the studies in Florentine folk-speech and other works concerning witchcraft and magic which he has given to the world. Not very much that is new to the student of folk-lore is there in the volume, which has, however, abundant interest, and may be read with unending enjoyment. Very curious is it to trace the manner in which Roman history or myth is reshapen in these popular narratives in prose or verse. See 'The Story of Romolo and Remolo,' 'Virgil, the Emperor, and the Truffles,' ' Nero and Seneca,' and many other legends. Prose and verse are spiritedly translated, and the task of reading these curious imaginings is altogether a delight. All Mr. Leland's works on folk-stories deserve to be read. We have but one protest to make. He talks of the "Monte Sybilla, near Rome, to which we can only say, "There 's no such place." Philological and geo- graphical accuracy are not to be ignored even by a folk-lorist.

Racing. By W. A. C. Blew. (Everett & Co.) NOT very much can be said about this brief and sketchy performance, except that it is decidedly inaccurate in the names of men and horses, which abound, and bears somewhat obvious traces of being compounded of occasional matter which may have served its turn before. Otherwise it is not easy to see how the well-known Matthew Daw son, who has been dead some time, is credited with now wearing a moustache. The cult of the " trainer" of horses is absurdly written up nowadays. We agree with Mr. Robert (not William) Black that he is little more than a glorified groom, however much money and parade of that money (see p. 88) he makes.

IN Scribner's Magazine, which reached us too late for inclusion in our monthly summary, two contributions of exceptional interest begin. One is a new novel by Mr. J. M. Barrie, the nature of which most will guess from its title 'Tommy and Grizel.' The second, which is by Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, is entitled ' Oliver Cronwell : the Times and the Man.' As we find in the opening sentence Cromwell spoken of as " the greatest Englishman of the seventeenth century," the point of view of

the author may be judged. The life is illustrated with many fine portraits, including one by Robert Walker, from Hinchinbrooke, which shows the future Protector a good-looking man. Other illus- trations include the assassination of Buckingham, Prynne in the pillory (having his ears shorn), scene at Newburn fight, portraits of Strafford, Sir John Eliot, &c. ' The Walk Up-town in New York ' has innumerable illustrations, and gives us who have not seen it the best idea of that great capital we have yet acquired. ' The Coming of the Snow ' and 'The Poetic Cabarets of Paris^ are both worth attention. The English Illustrated, which also reaches us later than its wont, has an admirable picture of Miss Ellaline Terriss, a good account of Stonehenge, a well-illustrated article, by Mr. Frewen Lord, on ' English and Dutch as Allies and Enemies,' and a second on ' The Circumvention of the Gunboat.'

WE hear with regret of the death of Mr. John Daniel Leader, which took place on the 30th ult., at his residence, Moor End, Sheffield, at the age of sixty-four. Mr. Leader was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a member of other learned societies, and his chief recreation from business was found in the study of the subjects with which such associations concern themselves. In all things relating to the history and antiquities of Sheffield and a wide area around the city he was an enthu- siast. His chief literary and historic work was on the subject of the captivity of Mary, Queen of Scots. After many years spent in journalism, Mr. Leader undertook the publication of ' The Records of the Sheffield Burgery,' or that part of the records which relates to the town trustees.

We must call special attention to the following notices :

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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."

ANXIOUS ("Fruit-growing in California"). You should apply to one of the numerous Emigration Boards for information.

QUERIST ("A Classical Confession "). " Video meliora proboque, Deteriora sequor," is the passage you seek. You will find it in Ovid, ' Met.,' vii. 20.

ERRATUM. P. 10, 'Apology for Cathedral Service,' for " Peach " read Peace.

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