Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/132

 106 NOTES AND QUERIES. [9th s. vi. AUG. n, 1900. must have read the book about 1855, and have never read anything half so charming since ; but the name of the book, the story, and its author are gone beyond recall. Can any one identify them ? PHILIP NORTH. CUTLERS' POETRY, POSIES, AND MOTTOES.— Early examples of these will greatly oblige, especially those in vogue in Shakespeare's time for the ' Merchant of Venice,' Act V, about middle, has: "A paltry ring, whose poesy was for all the world like cutlers' poetry upon a knife." Direct communication preferred. HENRY JOHN BEARDSHAW. 27, Northumberland Road, Sheffield. REFERENCE TO LINES WANTED.— Delauoey changed Love's bridal wreath For laurels from the hand of Death. I should be obliged if any of your corre- spondents would tell me where the above lines are to be found. Delancey fell at Waterloo. I fancied I knew the quotation in Byron, but cannot find it. ALFRED F. CURWEN. [The lines are found in Scott's ' Field of Water- loo,' xxi. 10-11, ' Poetical Works,' vol. xi. p. 286.] THOMAS HUSSEY OF LONDON, 1715, possibly in H.E.I.C. service. Any reference to his family will oblige. A. C. H. "FREE-BORD."—I should be obliged if you would inform me the meaning and origin of the word "free-bord" in an agricultural sense. All the dictionaries which I have consulted both here and in America fail to give any proper meaning, and are silent as to origin. There is a free-bord round Wind- sor Park. I am not certain as to the width. In the case of Richmond Park the free- bord is 16 ft. 6 in. in width; but how the Crown acquired this right, and whether the park wall is set back a rod from the absolute boundary of the Crown property, no one seems to know. All I have ascertained is that the free-bord is supposed to be a deer's leap. I hoped to find the information in Murray's dictionary, now in course of issue, out was disappointed. JAMES WIGAN. [All that is known seems to be given in the ' H.E.D.' under ' Free-board.'J FIGURES ISSUING FROM SPIRAL SHELLS.— I should be much obliged for some explana- tion of the subject, often appearing on the misericorde of stalls, of a figure issuing from a shell armed or unarmed. Frequently the figure is fighting a dragon. I have before me the photograph of a subject from the stalls of Norwich Cathedral, a demi-figure issuing from a shell of spiral form, wearing a cape and hood. He is turned to the left, and his arms being raised, he grasps a short sword or dagger in his rijjht hand, and a square object (? a book) in his left. THOS. A. MARTIN. IRVING IN MRS. BROWNING.—Can any one give me information as to who the Mr. Irving was (Was his Christian name William ?), named by E. B. Barrett in her poem ' Essay on Mind,' book ii., published in 18261— And while Philosophy in spirit free Reasons, believes, yet cannot plainly see Poetic Rapture, to her dazzled sight Portrays the shadows of the things of light; Delighting o'er the unseen worlds to roam And waft the pictures of perfection home, Thus Reason oft the aid of fancy seeks And strikes Pierian chords when Irving speaks. In a note on this last line she adds :— " There is a pleasure in being benefited by Genius: there is a pride in possessing powers capable of benefiting. The pride Mr. Irving may justly feel, and which of his readers or hearers cannot boast the pleasure? It gratifies me to be enabled to express in this place my admiration of his talents and my respect for their admiration." A. IRVING. Southport. [The reference is no doubt to Edward Irving.] RICHTER'S 'DREAM OF INFINITY.'—I am unable to trace this. Can any of your readers oblige me by a reference ? J. WOOD. SOURCE OF QUOTATION SOUGHT.— I am old and blind, stricken by God's frown. This is ascribed to Milton. By whom is it ? J. WOOD. Barrow-in-Furness. [It is certainly not in Milton's poems.] SOURCE OF QUOTATION SOUGHT.—Can you kindly supply the references for the following quotations, occurring in a work of the twelfth century ?— " Tarda nescit molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia." " Furem pretiosa signata sollicitant." C. JOHNSON. Summerhill, St. Albans. INSCRIPTION ON MEDAL.—I have a curious bronze coin, or rather medal, and have made some, but ineffectual, endeavours to ascer- tain the history of the> circumstance com- memorated by it. On the obverse is an effigy in, I think, naval costume, with peruke, &c. Round the edge is the legend " Tried for High Treason," and underneath " T. Hardy," and below that