Chapter M: C. S

Feb. 28th, 1852.

"1817, June. The original diamond ring of Mary Queen
of Scots, upon which are engraved the arms of England,
Scotland, and Ireland, quartered, and which was
produced in evidence at the trial of the unfortunate
Mary, as a proof of her pretensions to the Crown of
England, was in possession of the late Mr. Blachford,
a Lord of the Admiralty, at the time of his death.[A]
The history of this fatal ring is curious: it descended
from Mary to her grandson, Charles the First, who gave
it, on the scaffold, to Archbishop Juxon, for his son,
Charles the Second, who, in his troubles, pawned it
in Holland for £300, when it was bought by Governor
Yale, and sold at his sale for £320, supposed to the
Pretender. Afterwards it came into possession of the
Earl of Ilay, Duke of Argyll, and probably from him
to the family of Mr. Blachford, at the sale of whose
effects it was said to have been purchased for the
Prince Regent."

J. W. B. (F. S. A.) writes--"In answer to your correspondent R. B. ("Current Notes," February) I beg to remind him, that the attendants who shew Holyrood Palace offer for sale to the visitors a _Tassie facsimile_ impression seal of "Queen Mary's Signet ring." I myself purchased one last summer, and on looking to the box in which it is enclosed, I find it is stated to be copied from that "in the collection of the late Earl of Buchan." I know not whether the collection alluded to has been dispersed or not. However, if this fact be not already familiar to R. B. it may afford him some clue in his enquiry. I add an impression from the Seal, which exactly tallies with the one engraved in 'Current Notes.'"

RING OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.

SIR,--Having noticed your correspondent R. B.'s communication respecting the above curious relic, I beg to state that I also possess a facsimile of the same engraved upon crystal, an impression of which I enclose for your inspection. I believe the original is in Her Majesty's collection at Windsor Castle.

I am, Sir, respectfully yours,
J. G. P.

15, Park Road, Stockwell.

LITHOGRAPHY.--Your Correspondent, Mr. Cole, is very much mistaken ("Current Notes," for February, p. 12) in supposing that he possesses the very _first_ impression in Lithography in England, although it may be from Ackerman's press, and is certainly a curiosity. If Mr. Cole will turn to the second article in the "Foreign Review," No. VII. p. 47, he may find that Lithography was practised in England so early as 1802, and was introduced into France about 1807.

AN ARTIST.

MR. MEADLEY.

March 4, 1852.

SIR,--Can you tell me anything respecting a G. W. Meadley of Bishop Wearmouth, Sunderland? I believe he was author of some two or three works published by Baldwin and Cradock many years since.

Yours truly,
H. K.

SHOVEL BOARD.

New York,
14th January, 1852.

SIR,--It may possibly be amusing to some of your antiquarian friends to know that we have a game in use here, which I never saw or heard of in England, except in Shakspere's "Merry Wives of Windsor." I allude to Shovel-board, and I can assure you a capital game it is, requiring an eye as quick, and a hand and arm as steady, and much stronger, than billiards, which it somewhat resembles. If you wish it described with the rules of the game, say the word and I'm your man.

SS. R.

Mr. Willis.

_G. W. will be glad to receive the information so kindly offered by his Correspondent._

LATIN AND ITALIAN INSCRIPTION.--At Savona, on the Church of the Virgin Mary, occurs the following inscription:--

IN MARE IRATO, IN TORBIDA PROCELLA,
INVOCO TE, NOSTRA BENIGNA STELLA.

Each of the words are both Latin and Italian.

A. A.

MONOGRAM.--The allusion made by your Correspondent C., in your "Current Notes" for February last, p. 11, to my relative Lord Glenelg's signature, reminds me that the letters of the following singular lines, if read backwards, will be found the same as if read in the usual manner.

_Signa te, signa, temere me tangis et angis
Româ tibi subito motibus ibit amor._

A. A.

Bombay, July 16th, 1851.

MRS. CRABB.

Mr. Butterworth (7, Fleet Street) requests the attention of the readers of G. W.'s "Current Notes" to the distressing case of the Widow of the late Rev. George Crabb, whose death was recorded in the Literary and Scientific Obituary of last month (p. 16).

This highly respectable lady was, at the age of 80, left perfectly destitute, had it not been for the sum of £60 immediately forwarded for her relief by the Royal Literary Fund. Some friends have since subscribed about the same amount, and Mr. Butterworth's benevolent object is to raise a sum sufficient to purchase an annuity of £50 per annum for Mrs. Crabb--as the "relict of one who has laboured for nearly half a century in the preparation of works of standard usefulness."

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

G. W. fears that he has been taken for a conjuror, and that a serious conspiracy has been organised against him by his esteemed Correspondents (to whose commands he is always happy to respond) and the Post Office. But how is he to get on? He can only in the way of business gratefully acknowledge the favours conferred on him--execute orders--and do his best to reply in the smallest type and space in his power--one column; and with four woodcuts, which would more than occupy it without the illustrative letter-press, being before his eyes.

For these obvious reasons

AUSPICE TEUCRO. (_18th March_) _cannot, according to
his request be inserted, as received too late._

S. S. _will find in the Piazza upon enquiry a
communication and facsimile most politely forwarded
by Mr. Cole, in reply to a note headed_ "AUTOGRAPHIC
BIOGRAPHY," _in_ C. N. _for Feb. p. 15._

G. S. B. Gainsborough. _Thanked: his communication will
probably appear next month._

_Newspaper paragraphs of the nature referred to (about
Shakspere) seldom require contradiction; but_ G. W.'s
_correspondent, as he has kindly mentioned the name
of an accomplished Prelate, will perhaps name that of
the stupid Newspaper in which the paragraph originally
appeared, or the more stupid Newspapers into which such
a paragraph could have been copied?_

X.'s _"extraordinary" communication about "a most
extraordinary Story" was duly received. It reminds_
G. W. _of an Old Bailey piece of evidence in the case
of a man who stole--not a joke, but a pair of boots
that were hanging outside of a shop in Holborn; when
followed and apprehended he attempted to excuse himself
by saying he had taken them as a joke. The question
in consequence by the Counsel was, "And pray how far
did he carry the joke?" "About forty yards"--the
reply. Now_ G. W.'s _correspondent admits upon_ X.'s
_statement having currently carried the joke from
Lincoln's Inn Fields to Covent Garden, and he only
wishes that_ X. _would take it back again, without the
interest, with some of Rogers's lost Notes._

Mr. Foss, Surgeon, &c., Stockton-on-Tees, _9th March.
Thanked. In "Current Notes" for last month no such
assertion was made as the discovery of a "City of
Pigmies," although it was stated that two dwarfs had
been brought from Central America, and were exhibiting
in New York. However, for the information of those who
are curious upon this subject, G. W.'s correspondent
C. F. D. has most kindly forwarded_ "MORE ABOUT THOSE
AZTIC BIPEDS," _an extract from the New York Herald,
which will be forwarded in the proper quarter._

_To_ G. W.'s AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS _what can he say?
beyond sincerely acknowledging his gratitude for the
favour of their communications, and at once declaring
his belief in the Great Sea Serpent, so voluminous, so
overwhelming and really so important has been his Catch
from the U. S._

_It would literally occupy the space that he will have
it in his power to devote to Current Monthly Notes for
the current year; and he scarcely knows how to proceed
in the task of American Selection._

G. W. _however cannot deny himself the pleasure of
acknowledging these Catches--respecting Niebuhr and
Daniel Webster--"Lord Mahon_ versus _Franklin" is
important--but must stand over. So must the Sermon
of Dr. Adams of Boston upon the death of Professor
Stuart (see "Current Notes" for Feb. p. 16)--"Dickens'
American Notes," with Laura Bridgman and Longfellow's
Evangeline, appears to be a twaddlish puff. Smarter
American verses than Saxe's tribute to Jenny Lind
Goldschmidt have come into_ G. W.'s _possession. With
Lady Byron's "sayings and doings" at Southampton, on
board the American Frigate_, G. W. _is quite as well
informed as any American Newspaper paragraph writer
from the "Oriental Hotel" there, can be. The Memory of
James Fennimore Cooper is as dear to the Literature of
both countries as that of Thomas Moore must be. But
alas, their names can only be recorded in the "Literary
and Scientific Obituary" of_ G. W.'s _"Current Notes,"
almost, it is sad to think, in juxta position. Morris's
"Yankee Doodle"_ G. W. _must take in hand next month._

ACTA SANCTORUM _received after going to press._

Literary and Scientific Obituary.

BENTLEY, Joseph Clayton. Engraver and Painter. Sydenham.
9th October, 1851. Aged 42.

BLACKWOOD, Robert. Publisher, (Firm of Blackwood and
Sons, Edinburgh). 14th February.

DOANE, A. S. Dr. Health Officer, (Author and Translator
of Medical Works). New York. 27th January.

KEATE, Rev. John, D.D. Many years Head Master of Eton
College. Hartley Westpall, Hants. 5th Feb.

KIRK, Rev. John, D.D. Theology, "The Faith of Catholics,"
&c. Lichfield. 20th December, 1851.

LAROCHE, Benjamin. Translator of Shakspere and Byron.
Paris, (_lately_). Aged 54.

LEES, Rev. Sir Harcourt, Bart. Political Writer.
Blackrock, Dublin. 7th February. Aged 75.

MOORE, Thomas. Poet. Sloperton Cottage, Wiltshire. 25th
February. Aged 72.

NEWELL, Rev. Robert Hasell, (Rector of Little Hormead,
Herts). Author of three Illustrated works, "On the
locality of Goldsmith's Deserted Village," "The
Scenery of Wales," and "The Zoology of the English
Poets." 31st January. Aged 73.

OXBERRY, William H. Actor. Author of Dramatic Chronology
and Dramas. 28th February. Aged 44.

PARANT, S. B. Painter on Porcelain and Ivory. Paris,
(_lately_). Aged 54.

THOMPSON, W. C. Natural History. London. 17th February.
Aged 47.

FOOTNOTE:

[A] _Barrington Pope Blachford, Esq. M.P. was appointed a Lord of the Admiralty on the 23rd August, 1814. He died 14th May, 1816._

G. W.

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Page 22, "ב" changed to "ג" so that אלבא is now אגלא