Chapter C: Mathews

"_Theatre Royal,
English Opera House,
August 21st, 1827._"

I was so much pleased with this impromptu by Mathews, that I asked Mr. Smith's permission to copy it, and I have no hesitation in sending you my transcript to make what use of it you like.

A. B. C.

CAMPANALOGIA.

SIR,--I thank you for amending the errors and omissions about the _Bawdrick_, though at the cost of publishing to all the world that "my writing is indistinct."

I also thank your Strood Correspondent for his extract from an old Churchwarden's book, bearing on the item _Baldrick_.

I would request the favour of any of your readers who have access to old parish accounts, to publish, through the medium of your "Current Notes," (pace tuâ) any entry relating to that _item_, or to the "_Wheles of ye Belles_."

It is a desideratum in Campanalogical history, _when_ and by _whom_ the ingenious and beautiful Bell-wheel now in use was first introduced. In some retired villages, and indeed very generally in Dorsetshire, the _half wheel_ may still be found. Bells so hung and rung, are said to be with a "_Dead Rope_." The Bell can only be "_set_" one way, and changes could not be rung on the system now practised, viz. changing the position of each bell at every half pull.

The mention of this original sort of wheel may induce some of your readers to wend their way into the Bell-chambers in their neighbourhood, and, regardless of the filthy state in which most will be found when they get there, they will, perhaps, crawl under the bells (minding their heads), and hunt out and report if they meet with any clappers hung with Bawdricks and Busk Boards, obliging many others besides your scribbler.

H. T. E.

Feb. 26, 1852.

THE UNION JACK.

SIR,--I have met in some collection of National papers with an account of the formation of our British Union Jack; but the book has altogether escaped my memory. Can you or your readers kindly name it, to yours, &c.

H. M.

London, Feb. 17, 1852.

PILLAR PRINT OF OLIVER CROMWELL.

SIR,--All I can tell your correspondent, "A Young Print and Portrait Collector," in reply to his inquiry, p. 7, in your "Current Notes" for January, is, that I hope I may congratulate him on the possession of a very valuable and historically interesting engraving.

Horace Walpole mentions it as in "Dugdale's Origines Juridiciales," and describes it as "a large emblematic sheet print of Oliver Cromwell, whole-length, in armour, with variety of devices and mottoes."--_Proof._

Granger describes it thus: "Oliver Cromwell standing with a book in his hand betwixt two pillars; various emblems. Faithorne, sc. sh." And Granger adds: "I do not remember to have seen more than two proofs of this fine print. Mr. Walpole had one, and Mr. Gulston another. Mr. Bull has the original drawing. The face was altered to that of King William."

A manuscript note upon my interleaved copy of Granger, which you may remember I purchased of you, states that, "_Caulfield had not less than ten or twelve of this print, but in consequence of the size they were mostly damaged: Coram had a tolerable good one which he sold to Mr. Townley for thirty guineas._" Caulfield, who was a well known print dealer, says in his "Calcographiana," (1814), "The late Mr. Bull shewed me Faithorne's original drawing, from which he engraved the print, and a most brilliant proof impression; from him I also learnt the face was afterwards altered to that of William III., in which state, however, I never saw it." He describes the print as "Oliver Cromwell standing between two pillars, inscribed the 'EMBLEM OF ENGLAND'S DISTRACTIONS AS ALSO HER ATTAINED AND FURTHER HAPPINESS:' _large sheet_;" and values the print at no less a sum than £36. This was all very well for a dealer's valuation; however, if your correspondent will refer to the records of the Strawberry Hill Sale, he will find in the Sixth Day's Sale of the Prints, (18th June, 1842), that mentioned by Granger, Lot. "761. Oliver Cromwell, whole-length, in armour, standing between two columns, and otherwise surrounded by a variety of allegories and emblematic devices, entitled, THE EMBLEME OF ENGLAND'S DISTRACTIONS, AS ALSO OF HER ATTAINED AND FURTHER EXPECTED FREEDOME AND HAPPINESS: sheet, _extra rare_;" which Mr. Evans, (a dealer also), then secured for £7 15_s._ The discrepancies between the two Inscriptions appear to me to be worthy of remark, and if both have been correctly copied, with what has been stated respecting the appropriation of the head to William III., would shew that the plate had been altered more than once. The original plate is supposed to have been engraved by Faithorne, while a prisoner in London for his adherence to the cause of Charles I., and to have been so favourably received by the Parliamentary party, as to have occasioned his liberation; and the alteration of the head is attributed to his son, William Faithorne, who was an engraver also.

A COLLECTOR.

Mr. Willis.

ROMAN REMAINS AT ASHTEAD, SURREY.

A Subscriber writes--"I am not aware that this locality has received from Mr. Roach Smith, the eminent Antiquary--in fact our best authority upon Roman remains--that attention which I am convinced it deserves. The arch of a small window on the North side of Ashtead Church is turned with Roman tiles, and a variety of interesting fragments have been found in the vicinity--particularly portions of a Hypocaust, of one of which you have a representation half the size of the original--the subject is evidently a wolf attacking a stag."

F. K.

THE DEVONSHIRE COLLECTION.

---- Castle,
16th January, 1852.

SIR,--I rather think the Devonshire Collection is either at the Duke's residence at Chiswick or Chatsworth. But your correspondent, (who signs himself "A Young Numismatist," p. 95, of your "Current Notes" for December), would be best answered if inquiry were made at the fountain-head; for a more amiable or kinder-hearted nobleman does not exist, than his Grace the Duke of Devonshire. Is your correspondent quite sure, however, that the Collection _is_ Numismatic? I know the Duke of Devonshire has an invaluable Collection of Antique Gems, both Cameo and Intaglio.

Your obedient Servant,
B.

Mr. Willis.

ROWLAND HILL AND THE PENNY POSTAGE.

Bristol, 5, Lodge Street,
February 26th, 1852.

SIR,--Seeing that the inquiry made by your Correspondent, I. E., and which appeared in your "Current Notes" for January last, p. 6, in a paragraph entitled, "Rowland Hill and the Penny Postage," has not been answered in the "Current Notes," for this month, I will inform you that the traveller mentioned in that paragraph was not _Rowland Hill_, but _Coleridge_. The fact was mentioned by Mr. Commissioner Hill (brother to Rowland Hill), in the last of two lectures, which he gave at the Bristol Philosophical Institution, on the evening of the 29th ultimo, "on Postal Arrangements," which I attended. An extract of the Lecture is to be found in the Bristol newspapers, and especially in the Times and Gazette, from which I copy the portion which has reference to the "Inquiry:"

"Many instances were related of the uselessness of the
Post-office of those days to the poor; and the Lecturer
took occasion to remark how often we were wrong and
selfish in measuring any expense by our shillings and
pence, forgetting that these nothings to us were pounds
to the poor. Amongst other instances he referred to
one mentioned in the Autobiography of Coleridge, who,
whilst travelling, observed the postman offering a
letter to a poor woman, urging upon her the necessity
of taking it in, as it was evidently from her son.
The poor woman refused; she could not afford it; but
Coleridge charitably paid the shilling for her, and the
postman left, when the woman expressed her grateful
thanks, but was sorry he had wasted the shilling, for
it was only a blank sheet addressed by her son, as a
means of informing her he had reached his destination
safely. Hundreds of such expedients were then employed,
nor could it be wondered at."

If this communication can be of any use for your "Current Notes," it will give great pleasure, Sir, to

Your subscriber,
F. S. DONATO.

BISHOP GIBSON.

_London, Feb. 11, 1852._

SIR,--I will be much obliged to any of your correspondents who can inform me to whom Edmund Gibson, the Bishop of London, and a great authority on ecclesiastical laws, was married? and, if possible, the date of such marriage. The biographies of him which have fallen under my notice, have named no domestic circumstances but those of parentage and infancy. I think he died in 1745.

Your obedient servant,
GENEALOGIST.

_G. W.'s Correspondent will find it stated in Faulkner's History of Fulham, that "the Bishop died at Bath, September 6, 1748, aged 79, and was buried at Fulham. He married the sister of the wife of Dr. Bettesworth, Dean of the Arches, who died suddenly in her chair, December 28, 1741, and by whom he had several children."_

JEWISH SUPERSTITIONS.

The superstitious notions and practices of the Jews in the middle ages, concerning the names of God, were singular. Of these they reckoned 72, from which, by different arrangements in sevens, they produced 720. The principal of these was אגלא, _agla_, which they disposed of in two triangles intersecting each other. This they called the "Shield of David," and pretended that it was a security against wounds, and would extinguish fires, and was able to perform other wonders.

* * * * *

A B R A C A D A B R A.
א ר ב א ד א כ א ר ב א
א ר ב א ד א כ א ר ב
א ר ב א ד א כ א ר
א ר ב א ד א כ א
א ר ב א ד א כ
א ר ב א ד א
א ר ב א ד
א ר ב א
א ר ב
א ר
א

This word, thus written, is a charm for fever or ague, still used by some superstitious persons; it was invented by Basilides, of Alexandria, in the beginning of the 2nd century, to signify the 365 divine processions which he invented, (see Moreri); the value of the letters according to the Greek numbers, make 365 thus:

Α Β Ρ Α Ξ Α Σ _Abraxas._
1. 2. 100. 1. 60. 1. 200. 365.

Abraxas was a deity adored by the author, and was the root of his charm, as the more mysterious they were the more serviceable they were considered.

The mode of cure described in these verses, _viz._

Inscribes Chartæ quod dicitur Abracadabra
Sæpius, et subter repetes, sed detrahe Summam,
Et magis atq. magis desint elementa figuris
Singula qua semper capies, et cætera figes
Donec in augustum redigatur Litera Conum.
His lino nexis collum redimere memento.
Talia languentis conducent vincula collo,
Lethalesq. abigent (miranda potentia) morbos.

ARCHÆOLOGY.--Numerous Archæological Societies now exist in different parts of England, of a local character, as in Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, Cheshire; and from the Councils of which some printed volumes of Transactions have issued, as appears by occasional references in the public prints. If any of your correspondents have the means of supplying, through your "Current Notes," a list, or short account of the _titles_ and _number_ of volumes published, it would not only be interesting, but a very useful contribution to the current knowledge of the day, and by the publicity promote their sale, for we folks in the South know but little of what is doing in the North, East, or West.

S. E.

RING OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.

SIR,--Many years ago, when there was a mania for making _Gum_ Seals, originating (with me, at least,) from reading of "Lord Oldborough's" seal in "Patronage," by Miss Edgeworth, I had a wax impression given me of Mary Queen of Scots' diamond ring, and its history, which was shewn with it at a sale in London, I think, in 1817. I send you the account and seal, with the copy I made in gum. If it may tend to elucidate what your Correspondent, R. B. ("Current Notes," for February, p. 16) wishes to know, I shall be glad. If it is useless, you can destroy my letter.