the engraver, from 1735 to 1741; and during this time, among other occupations, was successful in engraving anatomical plates. At the memorable conflict at Culloden, he served the Pretender as one of his Life-guards, and after the fight was pursued, but contrived to escape to Paris, where he became the assistant of Le Bas, the engraver. He continued abroad unattainted.

In October, 1750, he returned to London, and in 1751, commenced business as an engraver. In June, 1752, Dr. William Hunter, then living in the Little Piazza, Covent Garden, between King Street and James Street; announced his Proposals for printing by Subscription, the Anatomy of the Pregnant Uterus, etc. illustrated by ten copper-plates, represented as large as life. The plates were to be engraved by Mr. Strange; the first was already finished, and was to be seen at the engraver's, at his lodgings, at Mr. Tisoe's, pewterer, Parliament Street, Westminster." In these lodgings he appears to have resided from October, 1750, till March, 1754, when, according to the parochial rate-books, he commenced the occupation of the house, now no. 26, in Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. Here, in the general absence of numbers to the houses, he appears to have adopted the sign of "the Golden Head;" Hogarth had set up the same distinction over the door of his house in Leicester Square; now the northern half of the Sabloniere Hotel.

The house in Henrietta Street, for which he was rated at forty pounds annual rent, was then, in all probability, a private house, and not as now a shop. His family were resident there at Christmas, 1762, and probably till March, 1763, when the celebrated demirep Nancy Dawson, would seem by the rate-books, to have commenced the occupancy. Her name appears in the ratebooks, in June, in that year. Strange's next residence was in Castle Street, Leicester Square; after the numbering of the houses in 1764, it was number 14, but has been rebuilt, the site being that of the well-known Ham and Beef-house, the corner of St. Martin's Court; and hence, in the Gazetteer, May 18, 1765, was announced the following notice. Mr. Strange, being to set out for Paris, in order to procure the necessary assistance towards executing the inferior part of his works, takes this opportunity to acquaint the public, that the exhibition of his drawings will end on the 25th instant, when the subscription for his late Proposals will likewise be closed. His works will be sold, as usual, at his house, in Castle-street, Leicester-fields; where, towards the beginning of winter, will be published two prints; one, a sleeping Cupid, of late in the Aldrovandi Palace at Bologna, and now in the collection of Sir Lawrence Dundas, Bart.; the other, a Madonna with the Child, in the collection of Mr. Strange: both from the paintings of Guido.

From 1775 to 1780, Strange resided in Paris; in the latter year, he and his family tenanted the house, no. 52, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. It was then doubtless, a private house, but is now a furnituredealer or broker's shop. On January 5, 1787, in compliment for having, in the previous year, engraved West's picture of the Apotheosis of the King's children, to the

great satisfaction of the Royal Family, he received the honour of knighthood. Sir Robert Strange died in Great Queen Street, at one o'clock, p.m. on Thursday, July 5, 1792, within a few days of the seventy-first year of his age.

How dearly his memory was cherished by his widow, as "the best of husbands, fathers, and men," appears by her letters; that, describing his death, is singularly natural and affectionate-"Two days after he was put in a lead coffin: but I would not let it be closed for eight days. Often, often did I visit his dear cold face, kiss'd it, and knelt by him." Dennistoun, in his Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 250, states—“On the testimony of his daughter, I am enabled to say that Sir Robert was buried in a family-tomb, at the cemetery of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, with a simple Tablet bearing his name; but I find no trace of this fact, either in the grave-yard, or the parish-register."

From the assertion here made, it is evident the writer was very deficient in his mode of enquiry; as the burial register unequivocally records his interment

July 12, 1792, Sir Robert Strange, from St. Giles' in the Fields,supplying the additional interesting fact, that Lady Strange did not allow the coffin to close upon her honoured lord," till the morning of the burial: the 12th would be the last of the "eight days" alluded to in her letters. Dennistoun found no memorial in the grave-yard Did he look for it? Long known to the parishioners, was the inscribed ledger-stone to Sir Robert Strange's memory, in the watch-house plat, laid immediately in front of the parlour-window, at the back of the house, No. 35, in Henrietta Street. It is true, the weather, since 1792, had rendered it almost illegible, and on the recent arrangement of the grave-stones, it was found broken in several pieces, but enough remained to identify it; the fragments of the stone are now in the vault below the church; and the immediate spot is now covered by the head-stone of a family named Jones, recording their interments there, or near by, in 1837 and 1838.

During the last month, December, 1855, there has been placed a tablet of stone, about two feet, six inches, by two feet, four inches; inscribed—

HERE LIES

SIR ROBERT STRANGE, THE EMINENT ENGRAVER. BORN JULY 14TH, 1721.

DIED JULY 5TH, 1792.

This, however, has been placed at the foot, and not over the grave of the most eminent engraver that has existed; at the private cost of Mr. Henry Graves, printseller, in Pall Mall. It is, however, so greatly inferior to the transcendant merits of the deceased, that the same party, has, we are assured, concerted some measures for the raising by subscription among the venerators of the art by which he lived, a more fitting Testimonial, one that shall proffer a more lasting and more honourable memento over the ashes of the dead. The family of Sir Robert Strange is extinct.

BERNARDO TASSO'S L'AMADIGI.

After perusing the interesting bibliographical article concerning the early editions of Amadis de Gaula, in your last Current Notes, pp. 95-96, it would possibly be of some interest to notice that so soon as the said Spanish romance was published, the Noveno Libro cluded, Bernardo Tasso, father of Torquato Tasso, the author of La Jerusalemme Liberata, took it into his hands, and wrote an Italian poem in ottava rima, entitled, L'Amadigi. Tiraboschi,* in reference to the work, says

L'Amadigi è tratto da un Romanzo Spagnuolo, e il Tasso s' accinse a scriverlo circa l'anno 1545, mentre vivea tranquillamente in Sorrento. Egli il condusse a fine verso l'anno 1559; e l'Accademia Veneziana gliel chiese, per darlo alla luce, pensando a ragione, che grande onore ne dovesse ad essa venire. Ma il Tasso volle farne l'edizione a

sue spese, ed ella uscì alla luce nel 1560.

The edition in my possession is that printed in Vinegia (Venice) by Giolito de Ferrari, 1560; a small quarto volume in fine italic character, with the portrait of the poet, and a small vignette at the beginning and end of each canto, which are in number one hundred. Bristol, Jan. 7.

F. S. DONATO.

INEDITED LETTER OF SIR WALTER SCOTT.

The following letter, by "the author of Waverley," was addressed, in 1818, to James Ellis, Esq., Otterburn, near Newcastle upon Tyne; and like most which emanated from that celebrated writer, will be found to be replete with anecdotal and historical interest.

Scott's early association with James Allan, the Northumbrian piper, is humourously depicted, but the fate of this "desperate reprobate," has yet to be told-in 1803, he was capitally convicted at the Durham assizes for horse-stealing; he, however, appears to have ended the motley tenor of his days within the walls of Durham gaol: he died there, Nov. 13, 1810, in his seventy-seventh year.

My dear Sir, I am greatly interested in your index for Froissart, which must be very valuable to all antiquaries. If you will trust me with it about the 12th of May, enclosed under cover to William Kerr, Esq., Post Office, Edinburgh, I will receive it safe and void of expense, and cause print a few copies of it, which I can get done for a trifle, or rather for nothing, excepting having a very few for sale, and get you as many as you wish to make presents of. There is a separate index of this kind to Warton's History of Poetry, without which that

confused mass of curious matter could scarce be turned useful, since one might as well look for a needle in a bottle of hay, as for any particular passage. I mention the 12th of May, because I return then to the Court.

I should be glad to have a copy of the Alnwick work upon Allan, whom I have often seen, and heard, particularly at the Kelso races. He was an admirable piper, yet a desperate reprobate. The last time I saw him he was in absolute beggary, and had behaved him

* Storia della Letteratura Italiana, Tomo VII., p. 1188.

I knew something of Allan's grandfather, or, perhaps, great-grandfather. They were Yetholmers and retainers at one time of the Marquises of Lothian. In the reign of Charles the Second, or James the Second, there was living near to Fairnihirst, the castle of the Marquis of Lothian, three miles above Jedburgh, a certain bold yeoman called Ringan Oliver, one of the strongest men in our country. This man was much fields when the corn was growing. And, at length, to irritated by the Marquis, repeatedly hunting over his mark his resentment of the injury, he shot one of the dogs. The Marquis, in revenge, came to his house at Smailcleugh, with a party, and among the rest Allan, all of them boys of the belt, who were to do their laird's bidding, right or wrong. Ringan had secured his doors and windows with withies fastened across them, and fired out on the assailants, while a maidservant, the only other person within the house, loaded his guns, of which he had two or three. He made good his defence, till a shot killed the poor maid, on which Ringan hewed down the withies, and rushed desperately out on his assailants with an axe in one hand, and his broad sword in the other. His foot, however, being entangled in the withies, he stumbled; and ere he could recover himself, Allan the tinker struck him down with a mell or hammer: Ringan was made prisoner, and sent to Edinburgh, where he died. But his son was upside with Allan, to whom he gave a most dreadful beating at the pass above Inchbinny near Jedburgh. I heard these particulars from James Vietch, a very remarkable man, a self-taught philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician, residing at Inchbinny, and certainly one of the most extraordinary persons I ever knew. He is a connection of Ringan Oliver, and is in possession of his sword, a very fine weapon. James Vietch is one of the very best makers of Telescopes, and all optical and philosophical instruments now living, but prefers working at his own business as a ploughwright, excepting at vacant hours. If you cross the borders, you must see him as one of our curiosities, and the quiet simple unpretending manners of a man who has, by dint of private and unaided study made himself intimate with the abstruse sciences of astronomy and mathematics, are as edifying as the observation of his genius is interesting.

carry in memory.

and record in easy verse much that one is willing to The lines on the North Tyne are highly creditable, I hope Mr. Shepherd will continue his lines, and will introduce the other rivers. Drayton's Poly Olbion has always had peculiar charms for me, though many persons tire of it, and, for the same reason

I like your Reedwater minstrel. Necessarily prevented from being prolix by the extent of his subject, a poet labouring on such a theme often throws out little brief sketches of landscape painting which, perhaps, like many other sketches, would have been spoiled by finishing. As for Golden Thomas, of whom Mr. Hedley tells some admirable stories, we will let that fly stick to the wall, and not disturb the eyes of the living by raking up the ashes of the dead: but after all, if "neat conveyance" were an unallowable crime, I know few border families, but what have blots on their 'scutcheons. I understand Golden Thomas's estate went to collaterals. I have not printed the appendix yet, but certainly shall do so, for private dispersion only.

Mrs. Scott joins me in kind remembrances to Mrs. Ellis, and I am always very much your obliged humble servant,

Abbotsford, 25 April.

WALTER SCOTT.

I go to Edinburgh on the 12th of May.

The saying appears to have been a passing phrase of Scott's Rigdumfunnidos, the memorably jocund John Ballantyne; and was current with a certain meaning among those of his confraternity. Lockhart, in his Memoirs of Scott, edit. 1837, vol. iv. p. 170, relates the particulars of his first meeting with Constable, the bookseller, at one of Scott's Trinity dinners, in the summer of 1818. "Being struck with his appearance, I asked Scott who he was? and he told me, expressing some surprise, that any body should have lived a winter or two in Edinburgh, without knowing, by sight, at least, a citizen, whose name was so familiar to the world. I happened to say, that I had not been prepared to find the great bookseller, a man of such gentlemanlike and even distinguished bearing. Scott smiled, and answered-Ay, Constable is indeed a grand looking chield. He puts me in mind of Fielding's apology for Lady Booby: to wit, that Joseph Andrews had an air, which, to those who had not seen many noblemen, would give an idea of nobility.' I had not, in those days, been much initiated in the private jokes of what is called, by way of excellence, the trade, and was puzzled when Scott in the course of the dinner, said to Constable-Will your Czarish Majesty do me the honour to take a glass of Champagne?" I asked the master of the feast for an explanation. 'Oh!' said he, are you so green as not to know that Constable long since dubbed himself the Czar of Muscovy; John Murray, the Emperor of the West; and Longman and his string of partners, the Divan?' And what title,' I asked, has Mr. John Ballantyne himself found in this new almanac imperial? Let that flee stick to the wa',' quoth Johnny; when I set up for a bookseller, the Crafty [Constable's cognomination] christened me the Dey of Alljeersbut he now considers me as next thing to dethroned.' Ile added, His Majesty, the Autocrat, is too fond of these nicknames. One day, a partner of the house of Longman was dining with him in the country, to settle an important piece of business, about which there occurred a good deal of difficulty. The Londoner, by way of a parenthesis, said 'What fine swans you have in your pond there.' 'Swans !' rejoined Constable, they are only geese, man. There are just five of them, if you please to observe, and their names are Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown.' This skit cost The Crafty a good bargain."

Herbert, in his History of the Livery Companies of London, vol. II. p. 533, notices as extant among the City archives, Lib. Fr. 147-Les Ordinaunces des Hatters, temp. Edw. III. ; but these were importations of hats, of which the quality or substance is not defined. Hats made of felt are said to have been first invented by a Swiss, at Paris, in 1404. In England all grades of society wore caps, according to statute; thus, later, Shakespeare makes Buckingham, while relating to Gloster his non-success with the Mayor and Citizens of London, allude to the futile trick for

a vote in his favour

Some fellows of mine own

At lower end o' the hall, hurl'd up their caps.

Richard III., Act iii. sc. 7.

Herbert also refers to Ordinances of the Hatter Merchants, 1487-8, 3 Hen. VII., but these were probably importations by the Merchant Haberdashers, who were as a company first incorporated in 1447. Felt Hats are stated to have been first made in London by Spaniards, in the reign of King Henry the Eighth. The hats worn by the Queen's bouffettiers, or Yeomen of the Guard, first instituted by King Henry VII., though not "moulded on a porringer, a velvet dish," are still covered with velvet, as was the custom in the olden time.

SCEPPE.-Bp. Fleetwood, under the year 1237, referring to the Antiq. Peterborough, p. 304, observes, Here I meet with the word Sceppe, which the glossaries forget, but it signifies a bushel.' Chronicon Preciosum, 1707, 8vo. p. 77. A contemporary manuscript note adds, the word is still used in Norfolk for a basket of wicker, that does, or should contain a bushel. Skep, in the north of England, also signifies a hive for bees.

EARLY MERCHANTS MARKS.

In Current Notes, Dec. 1855, p. 97, are some interesting examples of these curious devices, copied from monumental brasses, and the enclosed rubbing from a brass in the chancel floor of Chacombe Church, in Northamptonshire, presenting the monogram of Michel Fox, taken by me July 19, 1854, may possibly be worth adding to them. The brass has a representation of the Holy Trinity, with-in old English-the following inscription :

In the name of the Lorde I desyer you of yor Charyte [the word pray is omitted] for the Soule of Myghell Fox, Cytyzen and Grocr of London, and Patron of this Churche, and for ye Soules of Mari and Clemens hys wyffes. Rychard Antony and Joha hys Sonnys. Anne Alys Jane and Alys hys Dowghters. wyche Myghell Decessyd the [blank] daye of [blank] in the yere of owre Lorde God a. MCCCCC. [blank].

On whose Sowles and all Crysten soules Jhu haue

mey.

The monogram is on the lower dexter corner of the slab; and in Hudson's Brasses of Northamptonshire, the brass, with the arms on the other corners, will be found described and engraved.

Deddington.

I enclose a drawing of the mark of the Merchants of the Staple at Calais, which appears in various parts of Hitchin Church, Herts.

The merchants are known to have had a Hall at Hitchin, of which there are still some remains in a house in the town, and probably the church was built, or beautified, by some of them.

January 14.

C. FAULKNER.

C. B. P. Clutterbuck, in his History of Hertfordshire, vol. III., p. 12, states that the Town of Hitchin has been famous in early times for the manufacture of wool, when many merchants of the Staple of Calais resided here, as appears by the inscriptions on several brasses in the church.

Again, at p. 39, he observes, On the roof of the chapel, north of the chancel in Hitchin Church, are carved several of the marks formerly in use by merchants to distinguish their goods from those of other merchants trading to the same place, and it is probable that they may represent some of those borne by merchants of the Staple of Calais, of whom many are buried in this chapel.

Chauncy mentions an inscription in the church in his time-Hic jacent . . quondam Mercatoris Stapule Uille Calisie, qui obiit XIXo die mens' Aprilis ao D'ni MOCCCclijo. Et p' a'i'a Alicie ux. ej. qe obiit. . . die ao D'ni Mocccclxo. Clutterbuck, p. 47, copies this from Chauncy as formerly there, but now gone; yet previously, at p. 38, he describes this brass as being still in the chancel, on the floor; the arms gone, but the inscription remaining, under the effigies of a man and woman, four sons and six daughters.

On the floor of the chapel north of the chancel, Clutterbuck, p. 40, quotes the inscription on a brass

Hic jacet corpora Nicholai Mattok M'catoris Stapule Uille Calesie ac' Civis et Piscenarii Civitat. London. ac bone et laudabilis Generose Elizabeth, uxoris sue qui quidem Nich'us obiit . die mens' ... ao D'ni MOCCCC. . . . Et dicta Elizabeth obiit vicesimo sexto die mensis Septe'bris ao D'ni MCCCCLXXXV.

A descendant of this Nicholas; John Mattocke, of Coventry, Esq., by deed dated July 25, 1639, settled nine acres of land in Hitchin for the "maintenance of an able and learned Scole Master, that therewith, and with other revenues, he may teach and instruct and trayne up the children of the inhabitants of Hitchin, in good litterature and vertuous educacion, for the avoideing of idlenes, the mother

of all vice and wickedness.

The Freeschool, a house at the west end of Tyler's-street, in Hitchin, that had immemorially been used as a schoolhouse, was, in 1640, begun to be rebuilt by voluntary contributions, and in 1678 was enlarged and completed by Ralph Skynner, Gentleman, who died in June, 1697.

This has long been a mooted point; but in "the Life and uncommon Adventures of Capt. Dudley Bradstreet, printed at Dublin, 1755," 8vo., are some particulars which may be deemed conclusive. The writer appears to have been engaged in a variety of adventures and intrigues; he asserts that as a spy for the government, in 1745, he joined as a volunteer the rebel army, and when at Derby, by his counsels induced the leaders to abandon the design of advancing on the metropolis, and return to Scotland. He also, according to his own account, contrived the famous Hoax of the Bottle Conjuror,' and to this volume is appended the play of the Bottle Conjuror, commemorative of that event. The volume, however, is so rare that it has escaped the notice of all the editors of the Biographia Dramatica.

Forming a total of 52,000. The English on that continent being more than twenty to one of the French.

A century has elapsed, and now, thou land whose flag is bedecked by a Constellation of many stars, whose colours display the blue white and red of old England; what is the number of thy people-almost innumerable!

Warren's Ten Thousand a Year has recently been published in the Russian language at St. Petersburg; and is now, with the Diary of a Physician, being translated into the Danish, by Hans Christian Andersen.