Chapter C: H. Cooper

Cambridge, August 30. 1851.

[We are also indebted to T. LAWRENCE and BARTANUS for replying to
this Query. The latter adds, "The poem is given at length in the
History of the English Language prefixed to the 4to. edition of
Johnson's _Dictionary_."]

_Riddle_ (Vol. iv., p. 153).--The riddle (query _rebus_?) for the solution of which your correspondent A. W. H. inquires, may be found printed in vol. i. pp. 109, 110. of the poems of Dr. Byrom, well known as the author of the "Pastoral," inserted with much commendation by Addison in the 8th volume of the _Spectator_, and the supposed inventor of the universal English short-hand. The author of the rebus seems to have been then unknown (1765), and it is said to have been "commonly ascribed to Lord Chesterfield." Whether this was asserted in jest, does not appear: but Dr. Byrom, to whom application for a solution had been made, in the course of his reply, given in his own peculiar style, has the following passage, which may be a guide to those who may now seek to arrive at the mystery:--

"Made for excuse, you see, upon the whole,
The too great number of words, that poll
For correspondency to ev'ry line;
And make the meant one tedious to divine:
But we suspect that other points ambiguous,
And eke unfair, contribute to fatigue us.

"For first, with due submission to our betters;
What antient city would have eighteen letters?
Or more?--for, in the latter lines, the clue
May have _one_ correspondent word or two:
Clue should have said, if only one occurr'd,
Not correspondent _words_ to each, but _word_.

"From some suspicions of a bite, we guess
The number of the letters to be less;
And, from expression of a certain cast,
Some joke, unequal to the pains at last:
Could you have said that all was right and clever,
We should have try'd more fortunate endeavour.

"_It should contain, should this same_ JEU DE MOTS,
_Clean-pointed turn, short, fair, and_ A PROPOS;
_Wit without straining; neatness without starch;
Hinted, tho' hid; and decent, tho' tis arch;
No vile idea should disgrace a rebus--_
SIC DICUNT MUSÆ, SIC EDICIT PHOEBUS."

T.W. (1)

[We are also indebted to R. P. for a similar Reply.]

_Speculative Difficulties_ (Vol. iii., p. 477.).--As L. M. M. R. is not certain as to the title and author of the book he inquires about, perhaps he may find it under the title of _The Semi-sceptic, or the Common Sense of Religion considered_, by the Rev. J. T. James, M.A.; London, 1825. This is a very unpretending but very beautiful work, of some 400 pages. The author died Bishop of Calcutta.

O. T. DOBBIN.

_St. Paul_ (Vol iii., p. 451.).--In answer to EMUN, allow me to name a _Life of St. Paul_ by the Rev. Dr. Addington, an eminent dissenting minister of the close of the last century; a work on the life and epistles of St. Paul by Mr. Bevan, a member of the Society of Friends; and two books by Fletcher and Hannah More on the character of the same apostle.

O. T. D.

_Commissioners on Officers of Justice in England_ (Vol iv., p. 152.).--I can give no information respecting the commission of July 27, 1733; but on June 2, 8 GEO. II. [1735], a commission issued to Sir William Joliffe, Knt., William Bunbury, Simon Aris, Thomas Brown, Thomas De Veil, Esquires, and others, for inquiring into the officers of the Court of Exchequer, and their fees, "and for the other purposes therein mentioned." I imagine this commission also extended to other courts. The names of the jurors impannelled and sworn as to the Court of Exchequer, July 9, 1735; their oath, presentment, and six schedules of fees, are given in Jones's _Index to the Originalia and Memoranda Records_ (London, fo. 1793), vol, i. Preface, xxxiii.-xliv.