Chapter C: W. G

_Skating Problem_ (Vol. vii., p. 284.).--The Query of your correspondent recalls the one said to have been put by King James to the members of the Royal Society: "How is it," said the British Solomon, "that if two buckets of water be equipoised in a balance, and a couple of live bream be put into one of them, the bucket containing the fish does not overweigh the other?" After some learned reasons had been adduced by certain of the philosophers, one of them said, "Please your Majesty, that bucket would be heavier by the exact weight of the fish." "Thou art right," said the sapient king; "I did not think there had been so much sense among you." Now, although I do not mean to say that A SKATER propounds for elucidation what he knows to be a fallacy, yet I do assert that he is mistaken as to the fact alleged. He recommends any one who is "incredulous" to make the trial--in which case, the experimenter would undoubtedly find himself in the water! I advise an appeal to common sense and philosophy: the former will show that a person in skates is not lighter than another; the latter, that ice will not fracture less readily beneath the weight of an individual raised on a pair of steel edges, than one on a pair of flat soles--_all other circumstances being the same_; the reverse, indeed, would be the fact. The true explanation of the "problem" is to be found in the circumstance, that "a skater," rendered confident by the ease with which he _glides_ over ice on which _he_ could _not stand_, will often also "stand" securely on ice which would break under the restless feet of a person in his shoes only. This has always appeared to be the obvious reason for the apparent anomaly to one who is

NO SKATER.

_Parochial Libraries_ (Vol. vi., p. 432.).--Let me add to the list of parochial libraries that at Wendlebury, Oxon, the gift of Robert Welborn, rector, cir. 1760. It consists of about fifty volumes in folio, chiefly works of the Fathers, and, if I remember rightly, Benedictine editions. It was originally placed in the north transept of the church, but afterwards removed to the rectory. I believe that the books were intended for the use of the rector, but were to be lent to the neighbouring clergy on a bond being given for their restoration. After many years of sad neglect, this library was put into thorough order a few years ago by the liberality of the Rev. Jacob Ley, student of Ch. Ch.

CHEVERELLS.

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MISCELLANEOUS.

NOTES ON BOOKS, ETC.

BOOKS RECEIVED.--_Reynard the Fox, after the German Version of Goethe, with Illustrations, by J. Wolf._ Part IV. carries us on to _The Trial_, which is very ably rendered.--_Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, by various Writers_, edited by W. Smith. This Sixth Part, extending from _Cinabi_ to _Cyrrhestica_, contains {370} numerous interesting articles, such as _Constantinople_, which gives us an outline of Byzantine History, and _Corinth_, _Crete_, _Cyrene, &c._--Mr. Darling's _Cyclopædia Bibliographica_ has now reached its Seventh Part, and which extends from Dr. Abernethy Drummond to Dr. John Fawcett.--_The Journal of Sacred Literature_, No. VII., containing articles on _The Scythian Dominion in Asia_; _Modern Contributions to the Study of Prophecy_; _Heaven, Hell, Hades_; _Nature of Sin and its earliest Development_; _Life and Epistles of St. Paul_; _Slavery and the Old Testament_; _Biblical Criticism_; _Memphitic New Testament_; and its usual variety of Correspondence, Minor Notices, &c.--_Gentleman's Magazine for April_, which commences with an article on Mr. Collier's _Notes and Emendations to the Text of Shakspeare's Plays_.--Mr. Akerman, although the number of subscribers is not sufficient to cover the expenses, continues his _Remains of Pagan Saxondum_. The Fourth Part just issued contains coloured plates, the full size of the respective objects, of a _Fibula from a Cemetery_ at Fairford, Gloucester; and of _Fibulæ, Tweezers, &c._ from Great Driffield, Yorkshire.

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BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES

WANTED TO PURCHASE.

THE TRUTH TELLER. A Periodical.

SARAH COLERIDGE'S PHANTASMION.

J. L. PETIT'S CHURCH ARCHITECTURE. 2 Vols.

R. MANT'S CHURCH ARCHITECTURE CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO THE MIND OF THE CHURCH. 8vo. Belfast, 1840.

CAMBRIDGE CAMDEN SOCIETY'S TRANSACTIONS. Vol. III.--ELLICOTT ON VAULTING.

QUARTERLY REVIEW, 1845.

GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 1838 to 1852, all but Oct. to Dec. 1851.

COLLIER'S FURTHER VINDICATION OF HIS SHORT VIEW OF THE STAGE. 1708.

CONGREVE'S AMENDMENT OF COLLIER'S FALSE AND IMPERFECT CITATIONS. 1698.

FILMER'S DEFENCE OF PLAYS, OR THE STAGE VINDICATED. 1707.

THE STAGE CONDEMNED. 1698.

BEDFORD'S SERIOUS REFLECTIONS ON THE ABUSES OF THE STAGE. 8vo. 1705.

DISSERTATION ON ISAIAH, CHAPTER XVIII., IN A LETTER TO EDWARD KING, &c., BY SAMUEL HORSLEY, Lord Bishop of Rochester. 1799. First Edition, in 4to.

BISHOP FELL'S Edition of CYPRIAN, containing BISHOP PEARSON'S ANNALES CYPRIANIA.

ATHENÆUM JOURNAL, 1847 to 1851 inclusive.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ROYAL GARDENS AT RICHMOND IN SURRY. In a Letter to a Society of Gentlemen. Pp. 32. 8vo. With a Plan and Eight Plates. No date, circa annum 1770?

MEMOIRS OF THE ROSE, by MR. JOHN HOLLAND. 1 Vol. 12mo. London, 1824.

PSYCHE AND OTHER POEMS, by MRS. MARY TIGHE. Portrait. 8vo. 1811.

*** _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.

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NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

W. S. G. _is thanked. We have not inserted the two Folk Lore articles he has sent, inasmuch as they are already recorded in Brand._

W. S. D. _The saying_ "God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," _made so popular by its application to Sterne's "Maria," is from a French proverb_ "A brebis tondue Dieu mesure le vent," _which, in a somewhat older form, is to be found in Gruter's_ Florilegium: _Francfort, 1611_, p. 353., _and in St. Estienne's_ Premices, _published in 1594.--See our_ 1st Vol., pp. 211. 236. 325. 357. 418.

C. M. I. _We propose to insert some articles on Shakspeare in our next or following Number._