Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/256

 248

NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. VIL MARCH 30, 1901.

parish or other local records bearing on. this subject 1 ? Has any one private family records or papers throwing light on our early history, and assisting to identify the original clan or family name 1 JAMES M. BRECKENRIDGE. Twelfth and Spruce Streets, St. Louis, Mo.

GREEN OF WYKEN. A question was asked in '* N. & Q.' a few years ago as to the family of Green of Wyken, near Coventry, but I cannot find the reference. Can the querist or any other reader give me the dates of death of the following, who were appointed trustees of Rugby School in the years given : Henry Green, 1687; Henry Green, 1696; and Henry Green, 1737 ? A. T. MICHELL.

Rugby.

[For Green pedigree consult 8 th S. x. 270, 371, 570, &c.]

'CHILD'S OWN BOOK.' Can any of your readers tell me who originally compiled and who first published 'The Child's Own Book,' which was issued about the middle of the last century ? The only entries in the British Museum Catalogue that I can find here are "The Child's Own Book, illustrated, ninth edition, revised and corrected, with original tales translated from the German London, 1861, "and an entry of the thirteenth edition, edited by William Tegg, 1869, 8vo. The book is an excellent collection of all the old favourite nursery tales. The copy that I have here (the book was reprinted in Boston almost immediately on its first appearance) is a squat, square 8vo volume of about 600 pages. CHAS. WELSH.

110, Boylston Street, Boston, U.S.

DISGUISE OF MAN AS WOMAN. The latest life of the Chevalier D'Eon seems to prove conclusively that he was a man disguised as a woman. Are there any other well-known instances of men who have passed as women, and where is an account of them to be found ? Many cases are known of women dressing as men, but the reverse, as in the case of D'Eon, seems comparatively rare. R. S.

AUTHOR OF QUOTATION WANTED. Who is the author of the following ? I came across it the other day, and have been unable to trace its origin. Whether it is from poem or ballad I cannot say :

When the wine is good and the purse is full To the devil with care and the hangman.

JAMES LANGBOURNE.

CROWNED HEADs.-It is to be hoped that when the head of King Edward VII. appears upon our coins and stamps, the example will be followed which was set at the late Queen's

Jubilee, viz., of representing the sovereign wearing a crown. It is proper in itself, and is capable of adding much dignity and beauty to the design.

When was the crown first omitted from the bulk of our coins, and what was the reason of the omission 1 W. C. B.

COMIC DIALOGUE-SERMON. Some years ago, at Rome, in a church the name of which I cannot now recall, though I rather think it was that of St. Ignatius, I witnessed a function of the following description.

Instead of a pulpit, a sort of temporary platform or stage had been erected in the church, in full view of the congregation. On that platform two men took their station, and seated themselves face to face in comfortable easy-chairs. One of these men was attired as a priest, the other was dressed as a lay- man, but both of them were understood to be really ecclesiastics of the Order of Jesus. The one who personated a layman was made up to represent a dissipated old dog with a jolly red nose and every badge of depravity. He assumed the role of an unbeliever in Chris- tianity, and, addressing himself to the avowed priest, he assailed the leading dogmas of the faith with unflinching audacity and much broad humour ; so much so that his comical though irreverent sallies repeatedly provoked loud laughter on the part of the congregation a hilarity which was not discouraged or repressed. But, as had been prearranged by authority, all his sallies proved futile, and glanced off the intellectual panoply of the priest like water off a duck's back, until eventually his reverence was triumphant all along the line, and the scoffer, throwing up his hands, became a convert to Christianity. It was understood that this merry conceit was one of the methods employed by the astute Church of Rome for the better estab- lishment of the faith and the confusion and conversion of unbelievers.

Can you or any of your readers give me information on this subject, more especially on the following points? Is or was such a function practised in the Church of Rome : and what was or is it called, if it has or had any special name? When and how did it originate ? Was or is it confined to any parti- cular church in Rome and to any particular date ; and, if so, to what church and what date? In a word, any information on the subject will be thankfully received.

PATRICK MAXWELL. Bath.

FIELDING AND BRILLAT-SAVARIN. A curious blunder of Brillat-Savarin in the Thysiologie