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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. vn. APRIL 13, 1901.

Readers of Stevenson's letters will remember that this was the view which that, dis- tinguished writer took of his own patronymic. At first sight Stevenson would appear to mean merely the son of Stephen, but the researches of 11. L. S. brought to light the fact that there were three places called Stevenson one in Cunningham, another in Peebles, and a third in Haddington and that one of the earliest forms of the name was Stemntoune ('Letters,' new ed., ii. 359, 362). Notwithstanding the more obvious etymology, it is therefore possible that in some cases Stevenson may have been planed down from the less euphonious Stevenston, and similarly Johnson from Johnston. I do not, however, think that the great lexico- grapher ever adopted the latter form.

W. F. PEIDEAUX.

Where shall I find the original text of a spurious epitaph commencing

Reader, have a care ;

Tread lightly lest you rouse a slumbering bear?

It reads like an unauthorized addition to Goldsmith's poem ' Retaliation.' And why is it omitted from the life given in the 'D.N.B.'? A. H.

A MUSSULMAN LEGEND OF JOB (9 th S. vii. 63, 190). My best thanks are due to MR. MICHAEL FERRAR, whose better acquaintance with Oriental subjects has enabled him to remedy imperfections in my article. The rods of Moses and Aaron were temporarily transformed into serpents, a feat which, to a certain extent, was rivalled by the Egyptian sorcerers, though the latter, I understand, made use of real snakes skilfully manipulated. The use of Khasret was literal translation arid transliteration from the Russian original. FRANCIS P. MARCHANT.

Brixton Hill.

MALT AND HOP SUBSTITUTES (9 th S. vii. 150, 215). The existence of hop substitutes is proved by the plant-names "alehoof," "ale- cost," " gill-ale," in Halliwell. The ' H.E.D.,' s.v. * Alehoof,' has an interesting notice, showing that the earlier hei-houe(in Halliwell "heihow," i.e., hedge-hove) was supplanted by the word in question. Chambers's * Book of Days ' (ii. 399) says that the brewing hop was imported from the Low Countries and used for brewing as early as 1428.

H. P. L.

WILLIAM MORRIS AS A MAN OF BUSINESS (9 th S. vi. 406, 495 ; vii. 54, 118, 172). Perhaps I did not miss the point so entirely in W. C. B.'s note, for the impression it gave me was that he purposely treated the great dean unfairly

by sandwiching him between Dr. Liddon's slighting remark about the man with the small mind and the "foolish man." This impression is confirmed now by his further- observation " that the dean's regard for his dinner made him anxious to believe that God did not regard it."

Now as to the dean's question, it is a question, not an absolute statement, and, I think, intended to express scorn for shams. St. Paul, in a similar spirit, asks, "Doth God take care for oxen ?" when pushing his argument as to the proper pay- ment of the clergy. As well say he was anxious not to believe in St. Matthew x. 29, 30, which W. C. B. quotes. The dean had a very honest regard for his dinner ; yet he managed to do without it on fast days till seven, instead of two, not eating anything from breakfast till that hour (see Letter Ixxxii., 18 February, 1710; also 'Journal to Stella,' 30 March, 1710). If he had had any- thing " in between " we should certainly have heard of it. He says (Letter lix., 5 March, 1711) he hated Lent, "different diets," and "herb porridge"; but the chief reason, appa- rently, was because people "only put on religion for seven weeks." Besides, people do not trouble to hate diets of which they do riot partake. He ate the " raw carps " (Ash Wednesday, 18 February, 1712), though, no doubt, he might have had turkey, like his host. Dr. Swift surely deserves better things than a sneer from a Church of England man.

IBAGUE.

CHISEL MARKS (9 th S. vii. 149, 233). I can remember my old friend the Rev. John Wood- ham Dunn, a good antiquary, who was vicar of Warkworth, in Northumberland, showing me these masons' marks at Warkworth Castle, and telling me that similar ones were to be seen at Alnwick and Dunstanborough castles, a little further north. He inferred from this that they must have been built by the same craft. He was a noted Freemason.

JOHN PICKFORD, M.A.

Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge.

VANISHING LONDON : CHRIST'S HOSPITAL (9 th S. vii. 205). I do not understand the moans that are given out at the disappear- ance of this modern churchwarden Gothic building. According to ' The Pictorial Hand- book of London,' Bohn, 1854, p. 717, it is all bad, and the hall which is seen from the street was built in 1825. RALPH THOMAS.

SHIPS OF WAR ON LAND (9 th S. vii. 147, 235). In 907 Oleg, Lord of Kiev, descended the Dnieper with a flotilla of two thousand