Chapter C: W. G

_Turner's Picture of Eltham Palace_ (Vol. vii., p. 90.).--J. H. A. mentions a picture of "King John's Palace at Eltham, by the late Mr. Turner." Could he inform me what has now become of that picture, and also whether it was rated among that celebrated artist's best works or not?

A. W. S.

"_Mémoires d'un Homme d'Etat_" (Vol. vi., pp. 412. 588.).--There seems to be sufficient reason for believing in the disavowal of Prince Hardenberg being the author, made by his friend and agent Privy-Counsellor Schoell, to whom the prince, at his death, had confided his genuine _Mémoires_. M. Schoell thought the best care would be taken of them by placing them under the official safeguard of the Prussian minister; and his decision was, that they were not to be published till after the lapse of fifty years from the prince's death, which took place in 1822. Copies, however, of the original _Mémoires_ had been surreptitiously taken before their seclusion from the public eye; and from these copies, important and extensive extracts are said to have been undoubtedly made, and form part of the printed _Mémoires_. In editing them, several well-known literary men were employed; among whom are enumerated, Alphonse de Beauchamp, A. Schubart, and Count A. F. D'Allonville. A Mons. Montveran (the author, I believe, of a work on English jurisprudence) announced, some years ago, a publication, in which he promised to disclose the original sources of the _Mémoires_ and the compilers' names; but, so far as I can discover, M. Montveran has never redeemed his promise.

J. M.

Oxford.

_Indian Chess Problem_ (Vol. vi., p. 464.).--This most beautiful of chess problems was sent from India, in a letter addressed to the editor of the _Chess Player's Chronicle_, signed "Shagird" (native Indian chess player).

It was published in the _Chronicle_ in 1846, vol. vi. p. 54., _without_ the solution, which is as follows:

WHITE. | BLACK.
|
B. from R. 6th to B. 1st. | Pawn advances.
K. to Kts. 2nd. | Pawn advances.
R. to Qns. 2nd. | K. to B. 4th.
R. to Qns. 4th. _Mate._ |

T. B. O.

"_God tempers the Wind_" (Vol. i., pp. 211. 325.).--MR. GUTCH will find the French proverb "in print" in Ward's _National Proverbs_, p. 38., and assimilated as follows in four European languages:

"A brebis tondue, Dieu mesure le vent." "Dio manda il freddo secondo i panni." "Dios dá la ropa conforme al frio." "Gott giebt die Schultern nach der Bürde."

W. W.

Malta.

_Age of Trees_ (Vol. v., _passim_).--In the _Saturday Magazine_ of Dec. 29, 1832, mention is made {194} of Owen Glendower's Oak, at Shelton, near Shrewsbury,--a tree famed from the tradition attached to it, which states that the celebrated chieftain whose name it bears overlooked, from its branches, the desperate battle which took place between Henry IV. and Sir Henry Percy, on the 20th July, 1403.

"There is no difficulty, in believing," says E. B., "from the present
appearance of the tree, that it is old enough to have been of a
considerable size in the year 1403. Oaks are known to live to a much
greater age than this; and there are documents which prove that the
Shelton Oak was a fine large tree some centuries ago. It is perfectly
alive, and bears some hundreds of acorns every year, though it has
great marks of age, and is so hollow in the inside, that it seems to
stand on little more than a circle of bark. At least six or eight
persons might stand within it.

"The girth at the bottom, close to the ground, is 44 feet 3 inches; at
five feet from the ground, 25 feet 1 inch; at eight feet from the
ground, 27 feet 4 inches. Height of the tree, 41 feet 6 inches."

What is known of this old oak at the present time? If it has passed away, perhaps its memory may claim a place in your columns: if not, will some of your correspondents give me some information respecting it?

W. W.

Malta.

_Mummies in Germany_ (Vol. vi., _passim_).--In a large hall under the Capuchin convent at Florian, and only ten minutes' walk from Valetta, there is a collection of "baked friars," as so termed in common parlance at this island.

The niches in the walls are all filled, and when one of the order now dies, that mummy which has been the longest exposed, or most decayed, is removed to make way for the remains of him who is lately deceased.

What with the appearance of these mummies, and the smell which comes from them, one visit will satisfy the most curious in such matters.

Your correspondent CHEVERELLS will find a well-written description, in Willis's _Pencillings by the Way_, of a visit which he made to the Capuchin convent near Palermo.

W. W.

Malta.

* * * * *

Miscellaneous.

BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES

WANTED TO PURCHASE.

BEDELL'S IRISH OLD TESTAMENT, Irish type, 4to., 1685. [A copy of O'Domhnuill's "Irish _New_ Testament," Irish type, 4to., 1st edition, 1602 (_being rare_), is offered in exchange.]

PERCY SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS. Nos. XCIII. and XCIV.

SOUTHEY'S WORKS. Vol. X. Longmans. 1838.

SCOTT'S CONTINUATION OF MILNER'S CHURCH HISTORY. Vols. II. and III., or II. only.

CHRONON-HO-TON-THOLOGOS, by H. CAREY.

THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY, by H. CAREY.

GAMMER GURTON'S STORY BOOKS, edited by AMBROSE MERTON. 13 Parts (Original Edition).

HAYWARD'S BRITISH MUSEUM. 3 Vols. 12mo. 1738.

THEOBALD'S SHAKSPEARE RESTORED. 4to. 1726.

ILLUSTRATED COMMENTARY ON THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. Vol. I. 1840. Knight.

MENAGERIES--QUADRUPEDS: "Library of Entertaining Knowledge," Vol. II.

PETER SIMPLE. Illustrated Edition. Saunders and Otley. Vols. II. and III.

HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF QUEENS OF ENGLAND, by HANNAH LAWRANCE. Vol. II.

INGRAM'S SAXON CHRONICLE. 4to. London, 1823.

NEWMAN'S FERNS. Large Edition.

ENIGMATICAL ENTERTAINER. Nos. I. and II. 1827 and 1828. Sherwood & Co.

NORTHUMBRIAN MIRROR. New Series. 1841, &c.

BRITISH DIARY FOR 1794, by COTES and HALL.

REUBEN BURROW'S DIARIE, 1782-1788.

MARRAT'S SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL. New York.

MATHEMATICAL CORRESPONDENT (American).

LEEDS CORRESPONDENT. Vol. V., Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

MATHEMATICAL MISCELLANY. 1735.

WHITING'S SELECT EXERCISES, with KEY.

WALTON AND COTTON'S ANGLER, by HAWKINS. Part II. 1784.

DE LA CROIX'S CONNUBIA FLORUM. Bathoniæ, 1791. 8vo.

ANTHOLOGIA BOREALIS ET AUSTRALIS.

FLORILEGIUM SANCTARUM ASPIRATIONUM.

LADERCHII ANNALES ECCLESIASTICI, 3 tom. fol. Romæ, 1728-1737.

*** _Correspondents sending Lists of Books Wanted are requested to send their names._

*** Letters, stating particulars and lowest price, _carriage free_, to be sent to MR. BELL, Publisher of "NOTES AND QUERIES," 186. Fleet Street.

* * * * *

Notices to Correspondents.

_The number of_ REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES _waiting for insertion, compels us to omit our usual_ NOTES ON BOOKS, _and a number of very interesting communications_.

SCH. T. C. D., _who has pointed out a curious error in Disraeli's_ Curiosities of Literature, _has been anticipated by_ MR. BOLTON CORNEY _in his_ Curiosities of Literature Illustrated, p. 144. _et seq._

A. B. R. _Yes, as at present advised._

S. W. L. _is assured that the communications to which he refers interest as large and intelligent a class of readers, as will feel an interest in the communication which he proposes to forward, and which we shall gladly receive_.