Chapter C: I. R

_Snail eating_ (Vol. viii., p. 34).--The beautiful specimens of the large white snails were brought from Italy by Single-speech Hamilton, a gentleman of _vertù_ and exquisite taste, and placed in the grounds at Paynes Hill, and some fine statues likewise. On the change of property, the snails were dispersed about the country; and many of them were picked up by my grandfather, who lived at the Grove under Boxhill, near Dorking. They were found in the hedges about West Humble, and in the grounds of the Grove. I had this account from my mother; and had once some of the shells, which I had found when staying in Surrey.

JULIA R. BOCKETT.

Southcote Lodge.

The snails asked after by MR. H. T. RILEY are to be met with near Dorking. When in that neighbourhood one day in May last, I found two in the hedgerow on the London road (west side) between Dorking and Box Hill. They are much larger than the common snail, the shells of a light brown, and the flesh only slightly tinged with green. I identified them by a description and drawing given in an excellent book for children, the _Parent's Cabinet_, which also states that they are to be found about Box Hill.

G. ROGERS LONG.

The large white snail (_Helix pomatia_) is found in abundance about Box Hill in Surrey. It is also plentiful near Stonesfield in Oxfordshire, where have, at different periods, been discovered considerable remains of Roman villas; and it has been suggested that this snail was introduced by the former inhabitants of those villas.

W. C. TREVELYAN.

Wallington.

_Sotades_ (Vol. vii., p. 417.).--Sotades is the supposed inventor of Palindromic verses (see Mr. Sands' _Specimens of Macaronic Poetry_, p. 5., 1831. His enigma on "Madam" was written by Miss Ritson of Lowestoft).

S. Z. Z. S.

_The Letter "h" in "humble"_ (Vol. viii., p. 54).--The question has been raised by one of your correspondents (and I have not observed any reply thereto), as to whether it is a peculiarity of Londoners to pronounce the _h_ in _humble_. If, as a Londoner by birth and residence, I might be allowed to answer the Query, I should say that {230} the _h_ is never heard in _humble_, except when the word is pronounced from the pulpit. I believe it to be one of those, either Oxford or Cambridge, or both, peculiarities, of which no reasonable explanation can be given.

I should be glad to hear whether any satisfactory general rule has been laid down as to when the _h_ should be sounded, and when not. The only rule which occurs to me is to pronounce it in all words coming to us from the Celtic "stock," and to pass it unsounded in those which are of Latin origin. If this rule be admitted, the pronunciation sanctioned by the pulpit and Mr. Dickens is condemned.

BENJAMIN DAWSON.

London.

_Lord North_ (Vol. vii., p. 317. Vol. viii., p. 184.).--Is M. E. of Philadelphia laughing at us, when he refers us to a _woodcut_ in some American pictorial publication on the American Revolution for a true portraiture of the figure and features of King George III.; different, I presume, from that which I gave you. His woodcut, he says, is taken "from an English engraving;" he does not tell us who either painter or engraver was--but no matter. We have hundreds of portraits by the best hands which confirm my description, which moreover was the result of personal observation: for, from the twentieth to the thirtieth years of my life, I had frequent and close opportunities of approaching his Majesty. I cannot but express my surprise that "N. & Q." should have given insertion to anything so absurd--to use the gentlest term--as M. E.'s appeal to his "woodcut."

C.

_Singing Psalms and Politics_ (Vol. viii., p. 56.).--One instance of the misapplication of psalmody must suggest itself at once to the readers of "N. & Q.," I mean the melancholy episode in the history of the Martyr King, thus related by Hume:

"Another preacher, after reproaching him to his face with his
misgovernment, ordered this Psalm to be sung,--

'Why dost thou, tyrant, boast thyself,
Thy wicked deeds to praise?'

The king stood up, and called for that Psalm which begins with these
words,--

'Have mercy, Lord, on me, I pray;
For men would me devour.'

The good-natured audience, in pity to fallen majesty, showed for once
greater deference to the king than to the minister, and sung the psalm
which the former had called for."--_Hume's History of England_, ch. 58.

W. FRASER.

Tor-Mohun.

_Dimidiation by Impalement_ (Vol. vii., p. 630.).--Your correspondent D. P. concludes his notice on this subject by doubting if any instance of "Dimidiation by Impalement" can be found since the time of Henry VIII. If he turn to Anderson's _Diplomata Scotiæ_ (p. 164. and 90.), he will find that Mary Queen of Scots bore the arms of France dimidiated with those of Scotland from A.D. 1560 to December 1565. This coat she bore as Queen Dowager of France, from the death of her first husband, the King of France, until her marriage with Darnley.

T. H. DE H.

"_Inter cuncta micans_," &c. (Vol. vi, p. 413.; Vol. vii., p. 510.).--The following translation is by the Rev. Geo. Greig of Kennington. It preserves the acrostic and mesostic, though not the telestic, form of the original:

"In glory rising see the sun, Illustrious orb of day,
Enlightening heaven's wide expanse, Expel night's gloom away.
So light into the darkest soul, JESUS, Thou dost impart,
Uplifting Thy life-giving smiles Upon the deaden'd heart;
Sun Thou of Righteousness Divine, Sole King of Saints Thou art."

H. T. GRIFFITH.

Hull.

_Marriage Service_ (Vol. viii., p. 150.).--I have seen the Rubric carried out, in this particular, in St. Mary's Church, Kidderminster.

CUTHBERT BEDE, B. A.

_Widowed Wife_ (Vol. viii., p. 56.).--_Eur. Hec._ 612. "Widowed wife and wedded maid," occurs in Vanda's prophecy; Sir W. Scott's _The Betrothed_, ch. xv.

S. Z. Z. S.

_Pure_ (Vol. viii., p. 125.).--The use of the word _pure_ pointed out by OXONIENSIS is nothing new. It is a common provincialism now, and was formerly good English. Here are two examples from Swift (_Letters_, by Hawkesworth, vol. iv. 1768, p.21.):

"Ballygall will be a pure good place for air."

Ibid. p. 29.:

"Have you smoakt the Tattler yet? It is much liked, and I think it a
_pure_ one."