Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/320

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. vm. OCT. 12, 1901.

empty 'bus, my boy ; if you do, it will keep

gilling up until all the seats are taken, ence the journey will be prolonged. We will mount the one now starting ; it offers just room for two, and so will do the whole journey without a stop." People, of course, at that time, had but one destination the Exhibition and so did not jump in and out of the vehicle every few hundred yards, as folks often do nowadays. HARRY HEMS. Fair Park, Exeter.

So many readers of ' N. & Q.' appear to be interested in the humble 'bus, that it is not out of place to refer them to a delightful and discursive volume entitled ' De Omnibus Rebus : an Old Man's Discursive Ramblings on the Road of Every day Life,' by the author of 'Flemish Interiors ' (London, Nimino, 1888). It is full of curious omnibus lore.

EDWARD HERON-ALLEN.

ISAAC FAMILY OF KENT (9 th S. viii. 124). Much information can be obtained by con- sulting the references that are recorded in Musgrave's 'Obituary' (Harleian Society's publications, 1900). The 'Dictionary of National Biography,' vol. xxix. p. 60, has, "Samuel Isaac (1815-86), projector of the Mersey Tunnel, was born at Chatham in 1815, died on 22 November, 1886."

H. J. B.

PARISH REGISTERS (9 th S. viii. 244). The 'Index to the Periodicals of 1892,' for which (and its invaluable predecessor and successors) we are indebted to Mr. W. T. Stead, gives " Parish Registers, Curiosities of, M. P. [i. e. Monthly Packet], vol. iii. May, 535."

O. O. H.

The articles in the People's Magazine for which MR. ANDREWS inquires appeared in 1871, in the second half-yearly volume, pp. 219, 282. W. D. MACRAY.

An article signed M. G. Watkins, entitled ' The Romance of Parish Registers,' appeared in the Graphic of 14 October, 1882.

JOHN T. PAGE.

West Haddou, Northamptonshire.

RICHARD WELLSBORN (9 th S. viii. 144). 4 th S. x. 48 says, " He was slain with his eldest son Henry at the battle of Evesham, in the reign of Henry III., 1239" (1 1265). For more particulars of the family see Camden and 'Antiquities of Berkshire,' vol. iii. EVERARD HOME COLEMAN.

71 Brecknock Road.

HORSE-RIBBON DAY (9 th S. viii. 225). Most readers will recall the vivid description of

William's waggon and its team of horses in the opening chapter of Maxwell Gray's power- ful novel ' The Silence of Dean Maitland.' The following short paragraph respecting the horse bells is extracted therefrom :

" But the crowning pride of every horse, and the source of all the music which was then witching the wintry air, was the lofty erection springing on two branching wires from every collar, and towering far above the pricked ears of the proud steeds. These wires bore a long narrow canopy placed at right angles to the horse's length, arid concealing beneath a deep fringe of bright scarlet worsted the little peal of nicely graduated bells. Balls of the same bright worsted studded the roof of the little canopy and finished the gay trappings of the sturdy rustics, who bore these accumulated honours with a sort of meek rapture."

JOHN T. PAGE.

West Haddon, Northamptonshire.

" ALRIGHT "ALL RIGHT (9 th S. viii. 240). With C. C. B., I have remarked with concern how this contraction has crept into very general use of late. Surely its employment is quite unjustifiable. One is disposed to ask what will soon become of our established methods of spelling if persons lay impious hands upon them in this reckless fashion. Such interference is, in this case at any rate, all wrong, say I. And so do others.

CECIL CLARKE.

Authors' Club, S.W.

The use of the single I dates back to the twelfth century. See ' H.E.D.' And cf. albeit, almost, alone, already, although, and possibly others. ARTHUR MAYALL.

MARENGO, NAPOLEON'S HORSE (9 th S. viii. 144, 271). Marengo was a beautiful little Arab, measuring only 14 hands 2 inches. His skeleton is in the Museum of the United Service Institution, complete except one hoof, which was mounted as a snuffbox in silver

filt, and now belongs to the mess of the t. James's Palace guard. During the battle of Waterloo Marengo was wounded in the I near haunch ; Napoleon then mounted his I white Arab mare Marie, and finished the day I on her. HERBERT MAXWELL.

SMOKING A COBBLER (9 th S. vii. 509 ; viii. 148, 1 233). Douglas Jerrold's farce ' The Smoked I Miser' was produced at Sadler's Wells I Theatre on 23 June, 1823. See my complete I list of Douglas Jerrold's dramatic works in I 8 th S. xi. 121. WALTER JERROLD.

Hampton-on-Thames.

MICHAEL BRUCE AND BURNS (9 th S. vii. 466 ; I viii. 70, 148). In reply to MR. BAYNE permit] me to say that other " qualified specialists " besides Dr. McKelvie, Dr. Grosart, and