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IVORY DIPTYCHS AND TRIPTYCHS.

There is a general idea that these were portable altars, because we find many pictures as Altar-pieces divided into two or three portions. Small tablets were thus put together by hinges forming Diptychs, Triptychs, or Polyptychs, of which numerous specimens were lately exhibited in the Collection of Ivories, at Manchester. Among those in the Mayer Collection were two, one of the Consul Clementinus, A D. 513; and another, the most remarkable, representing Esculapius and Hygeia as the God and Goddess of health. It is well known the consular Diptychs were tables presented to them by their friends, often upon their acceptance of office or initiation. It seems also that anciently in the early church, the names of Saints to be commemorated were read out of these Tablets or Diptychs on certain festivals: from these circumstances I gather, that the idea commonly entertained that such wing-diptychs were portable altars is a misconception. In most cases they must have been ridiculously small for such a purpose; but probably, they were used for devotional purposes, containing as they did, figures of saints, or scriptural subjects, and held in the hands of the devotee when reciting his prayers, the ave-maria, and the paternoster for instance.

Any information, however, which might be communicated in illustration of this subject, hitherto very imperfectly discussed, would be very acceptable to me. Particularly, if it would have reference to the more ancient diptychs, such as those referred to at the beginning of this article, their origin, uses, etc., in connection with later ones; and if an engraving could be obtained of these, it would, I am sure be a great gratification to many of the readers of Current Notes. I should wish also to ask if any of those Ivories of Consular date are in the British Museum? Those already referred to were recently in the Fejerväry Collection.

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the French army in 1812 to Moscow, published at Dresden Colonel Michaud who accompanied the central staff of a narrative of the Campaign, from the time of the advance from Gumbiggen to the return to Konigsberg. The French and their allies, Austria, Saxony, Wirtemberg and Bavaria, began the campaign with 270,000 men, and those who returned were scarcely 170,000; 30,000 of these being incapacitated for service. In every conflict with the Russians the French and their allies were victorious, but owing to Swartzenberg and Regnier directing their operations to the southward, the Grand Army was compelled to take the field, in order to maintain its communications, with Reaumur at 20° below the freezing point. The consequence was that its force of 85,000 men, was in twenty-five days reduced to less than 50,000. He calculated from the official returns, that in the various battles down to Nov. 15, the French and their allies lost, 20,000 killed, 20,000 wounded, and 10,000 taken prisoners. In the retreat from Smolensko they lost 5000 in killed and wounded, and from the severity of the weather nearly 30,000. The Russians are calculated to have lost in the several battles in killed, wounded and prisoners, not less than 162,000, and the pecuniary losses, one-fifth of the entire property of the empire. The loss of horses on both sides in November and December were estimated as exceeding 60,000.

FABLE OF THE FLOWERS.

Through the medium of your pages, I wish to ask who is the author of the lines beginning All hail, ye gentle courtesies of life;

Or,

Ye gentle courtesies of life, all hail! Also, whether the idea embodied in the following quotation from The Statue Shrine,' a lately published poem, is new? and if not, where I shall find it?

I know a fable of the flowers!

The first young maid who loved and lost
Her lover on the faithless wave,

In dying, all her sweetness gave

To ev'ry bud that spring can boast;

And since that time, from flow'rs and groves,
All fragrance seaward ever roves,

And leaves the marge of ev'ry shore
To seek its love the ocean o'er.

Rochester, Oct. 17.

H. G. A.

IL

No. LXXXIII.]

"Takes note of what is done

By note, to give and to receive."-SHAKESPEARE.

[NOVEMBER, 1857.

TO FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE.

Amissos queritur fœtus Philomela sub umbrâ, Ipsa magis musicis commemorata modis ; LUSCINIA ast nobis FLORENTIA gratius olim Carmen, et auspicium, spe meliore, dedit; Lætitiæ voces, blandi medicamina vultûs,

Indefessa manus, Religionis amorItæ tibi erant artes O spectatissima Virgo ! Freta quibus, magnum mens tua gessit opus: Nobilis ante alias vives, Lux splendida sæc❜li, Nec fama evadet, nec morietur honos; Anglica te tellus-Pia te Regina beabit, Te servata cohors-te sacer Ipse Deus! Newport, Essex, Nov. 2. WILLIAM HILDYARD.

PORCELAIN COLLECTIONS.

Collectors of China-ware or porcelain, a century and a half since were a prescribed class of individuals, there were but few shop-keepers, and the taste of Collectors was but ill defined. Specimens then as now, passed from one collection to another in a cracked or broken condition, and many are yet extant in old mansions regarded as household lares and looked on with a longcherished religious veneration, notwithstanding their deficiencies in soundness.

Among those who seem to have had a passion for collecting, was Sir John Newton, Bart., of Barr's Court, Gloucestershire, and the following china-dealer's bill addressed to him, will doubtless interest many readers of Current Notes.

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On the east side of Mark, or as formerly designated Mart Lane, Fenchurch Street, on the premises No. 12, remained some ten or fifteen years since, sculptured on stone, the merchant's mark which indicated the house in 1564, when possibly it was erected, as the residence of Thomas Watts, of Buntingford, in the county of Herts, Citizen and Clothworker of London. These premises adjoined the back of Clothworkers' Hall. John Watts the son and successor of this Thomas Watts, was also a Citizen and Clothworker. married Margaret, the daughter of Sir James Hawes, Knight, Citizen and Clothworker, who served Sheriff in 1565-6, and was Lord Mayor in 1574-5. By his wife Margaret, John Watts had issue four sons and four daughters.

He

He was Warden of the Company of Clothworkers, in 1587; Master in 1594; and in the same year was elected Alderman of Aldersgate Ward. In 1596-7, he served the office of Sheriff, and on July 2, 1597, had granted to him under the hand and seal of Richard Lee Clarencieux, the arms- Argent, two bars Azure, in chief three pellets. Crest-A Sea-hound's head, couped proper. His autograph is thus given,†

9 John Tutte

James the First and his Queen Anne of Denmark, were crowned July 15, 1603, and the 26th of the same month, John Watts with eighteen other Aldermen of London received the honour of Knighthood. Sir John Watts served the office of Lord Mayor in 1606-7, and during his mayoralty the King condescended to visit him at the Mayor's house in Mark Lane. The particulars of this event are embodied in a memorial in the possession of the Clothworkers Company, placed below an engraved portrait of the monarch, by Robert White, 30 from a painting by Cornelius Janssen.

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MEMORANDUM:

FLETA. The derivation in Current Notes is ingenious but it contains its own refutation in supposing the double for ff of the law-books to be a substitution by the copyists for the D of the German text or of the Court hand. Neither the German nor Court hand D has the slightest resemblance to the double F; the f of the Civil-law books is in truth a substitution for the Greek II, the initial of Pandecta; and one conversant with the literature of Roman law must as frequently have met II as with ff to indicate the Pandect or Digest. Edinburgh, Oct. 27.

CRUX GRAMMATICORUM.

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J. M.

The epitaph on the Rev. John Dickes, in Current Notes, p. 79, is a wretched attempt at Correlative Verses. It is neither Latin nor Greek- Hic fulgur, hæc fama, hoc decus,' etc. There is no such thing as an Article in the Latin language, although we are told by Lily in King Edward the Sixth's Latin Grammar, edit. Oxford,

That on the 12th day of June, Anno Dni 1607, the high and mighty Prince JAMES, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc., Attended on by the Duke of Lenox and divers other Earls, Barons, Knights and Gentlemen, repaired unto his City of London, to the house of Sir JOHN WATTS, Lord Mayor of the said City, where his Highness and all his attendants were joyfully received and royally feasted; at which time the said Lord Mayor being free of the Company of Clothworkers', and Sir William Stone, Knt., Master of the said Company, and the Wardens and divers of the assistants of the said Company being there present, became humble suitors to his Majesty that he would be pleased to honour the said Company of Clothworkers by vouchsafing to be free thereof; to the which, his Highness being informed that some of his predecessors, Kings of England, had heretofore vouchsafed to be free of some other of the Companies of the said City; graciously condescended, and thereupon his Highness at the humble motion of the said Lord Mayor and Sir William Stone, Knt., was pleased to repair unto the Common Hall of the said Company of Cloth-1673, that Articles are borrowed of the Pronoun. workers, adjoining unto the House of the said Lord Mayor, and then and there being seated in a chair of green velvet, in the presence of the said Duke of Lenox, and the Earls, Barons, Knights and Gentlemen attending on him, and of the said Lord Mayor; Sir William Stone, the Wardens and others of the said Company, kneeling before him, and of divers others, his Highness was pleased openly to publish, that he would from thenceforth be a free brother of the said Company of Clothworkers, and his Majesty was then also pleased to drink to the said Lord Mayor; Sir William Stone, and the rest of the said Company, by the name of his good Brethren the Clothworkers, praying to God to bless all good Cloth workers, and all good Cloth

wearers.

Whereupon the said Lord Mayor, Sir William Stone, and the rest of the Company in token of their great joy and thankfulness, kissed his Majesty's royal hands, and the said Sir William Stone, and the Wardens of the said Company with all humility and reverence then and there admitted his Majesty into the Brotherhood of the said Company, and also caused his Highness' name to be registered in their book as a free brother of the said Company, with the which his Highness was very well pleased, and of his princely bounty then and there gave unto the said Company, Two braces of Bucks yearly for ever.

For the perpetual Memory of which Honour vouchsafed unto the said Company by his Highness, it was enacted and decreed by the Master, Wardens and Assistants of the said Company, that the same should be recorded and registered in a fair Table to remain in the Common Hall of the said Company for ever.

Sir John Watts died in September 1616, and was buried on the 7th at Ware, Hertfordshire. His will obtained probate in the same month. Lee Road, Blackheath.

CONSOLATION.

For most mishaps beneath the sun,
A remedy there is, or none —

If aught there be, seek to find it;

Where none is, then-never mind it!

J. J. H.

toέKETOC is not Greek, and no where else to be found. I suppose the author of the epitaph intended by this monstrous compound to express the words of St. Luke, ch. xxiii. v. 35, тoù OɛOV EKλEKTOC, chosen of God. Compare Mark, ch. xiii. v. 27. Romans, ch. viii. v. 33. Coloss. ch. iii. v. 12. Titus, ch. i. v. i. etc.; but words compounded with Ato refer not to the Living God,' but to Jupiter, or some other heathenish deity. the two following Distichs. The most ancient Correlative Verses, are, I believe,

VIRGILIUS loquitur.

Pastor, arator, eques, pavi, colui, superavi,
Capras, rus, hostes, fronde, ligone, manu.
CICERO loquitur.

Defendo, tutor, servo, a face, cæde, cruore,

Civis, dux, consul, tecta, patres, Latium. absurdity of that composition. These if compared with the epitaph, will show the

We find also the following on

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NAPOLEON'S CHAIR AT ST. HELENA. Not infrequently the most curious and valued reliques of distinguished and great men are met with in places where they are to be least expected, nor would any one have supposed that in the manse of the old parish of Crail, in the east of Fifeshire, Scotland, was deposited the chair commonly used by the Emperor Napoleon during his exile in St. Helena, but such is nevertheless true. The chair, now in the possession of the Rev. Merson, the hospitableparishminister of Crail, is made of a very indifferent piece of mahogany; the stuffed seat and cushion at the back being covered with chintz. The accompanying sketch taken by me from the chair, will afford a tolerable idea of its appearance and form.

The Rev. Merson has favoured me with the following particulars of its transit to Scotland. Capt. Barclay, of the ship Sophia, being at St. Helena, when the effects of Napoleon Buonaparte were sold, purchased this chair at a large price from Mr. Saul Solomon, the Jew merchant, who bought most of what had belonged to the late Emperor. Capt. Barclay took it to Calcutta, and there presented it to his friend, Mr. Cudbert Thornhill Glass, E.I.C.C.S., who sent it to his father, the late Colonel Glass, of Abby Park, St. Andrews, under the care of Major Burns, son of the poet Robert Burns. The Major stated, the chair caused a great sensation on its homeward passage, and among other incidents, mentioned the fact that a Frenchman on board, fell down before it and kissed it.

When Colonel Glass's furniture was sold in 1851, the chair was brought to the manse of Crail. Mr. Merson being the Colonel's son-in-law.

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EDUCATION. Those who are entertained and educated at the public expence, the public have a fair right to their disposition; and it is certainly for the public good, that they are appointed to such employments as are most in want of labourers.

The children of very poor or dishonest people, should be adopted by the public in time, if it can be done without violence to the natural right of the parent, lest instead of serving, they come to injure the public, either through poverty or bad education; as it is better to make men good, than to hang those which are bad.

Magens.

JOHNSONIAN RELIQUES.

his becoming Johnson of that ilk; after his moval from Inner Temple Lane, to Johnson's Court in Fleet Street, at midsummer 1765, and was then busied in the production of his Shakespeare, printed in that year. Thrale was then possessed of a house, in West Street, Brighton, built for him, and which remains in the same state as when inhabited by his family. Miss Burney, subsequently Madame D'Arblay, speaks of it as one of the most considerable houses in the town, and that it was exactly opposite the King's Head, where Charles the Second lay hid waiting the opportunity to leave England -'I fail not, she adds, to look at it with loyal satisfaction, and his black-wigged Majesty has from the time of the Restoration been its sign.' • His black-wigged Majesty' has however long since disappeared.

Dr. Johnson's introduction to the Thrales, was after

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Mrs. Mostyn, the last survivor of Thrale's daughters, long resident at Sillwood Lodge, Brighton, died there recently, and her effects were sold on the premises from October 15th to the 23rd. The library consisted of 2700 volumes, and the decorative property was such as may readily be supposed would be treasured by a lady, who looked on such matters as they appeared to the eye, that is, as to their prettiness, not their utility in illustration of times long since gone by-the modern works, copies of old illuminations, seem to have been the main object of her pursuit. Still several articles referred to the period when the great Lexicographer in his connexion with the Thrales, not only derived much personal gratification, but he also conferred considerable celebrity on a family that had no particular prominency to render them distinguished, either in intellect or position. Johnson observed an obsequious course of conduct towards his 'Mistress;' and 'Master' was unquestionably most happy to secure Johnson's visits to his Table; his associates were with himself ever welcome; and though the Doctor was frequently bearish in his remarks, they were pardonably passed over as the ebullitions of a mind ill at ease, and at times pressed on by

infirmities.

Among the books, lot 206, was an odd folio volume of Saurin's Commentary on the Bible, purchased at a book sale in 1766, by Dr. Johnson for Streatham Park library for 2s 9d; but having some manu cript notes on the margins by Mrs. Thrale, subsequently Piozzi, was bought in by the family, for forty guineas-against the bidding of a London bookseller of forty pounds.

In 1774, some property in Wales belonging to Mrs. Thrale's family devolved by bequest to her, and Johnson accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Thrale thither to take possession. The Doctor's Diary during that Journey, remained in manuscript till 1816, when Duppa admirably placed it before the public. Mrs. Mostyn at considerable expense had a copy inlaid in large folio, and had commenced illustrating this work with drawings and prints of places noticed throughout; with some portraits

of Mrs. Piozzi, and other persons of the Cotton and Mostyn families. Messrs. Nattali and Bond purchased

this collection.

·

Lot 445, were two volumes of prints and other collections relating to Brighton, purchased by Mr. T. Attree of the Queen's Park, for 157. 10s. Among these papers were three letters; one from Thrale to his wife, undated as regards the year; one from Dr. Johnson to Mrs. Thrale, dated Ashbourne, Nov. 4, 1772; and a third, from Mrs. Thrale to Dr. Johnson, 1777. These letters are here published seriatim. The superscription on the first is Mrs. Thrale, Streatham, Surrey.' Brighton, Friday Morning, 5th March. This letter should have been sent by the post last night; but behold, there was no post out, and therefore it will come by the Dili John. Your verses have been much admired, and particularly by Mrs. Trevor, who I take to be the best judge of ye language: she has taken a copy of them. I make no doubt of seeing some great strokes struck by the time I get home, which will certainly be on Monday to dinner, though, upon second thoughts, you had better not wait after five o'clock, as Major and Mrs. Holroyd have insisted upon my going the Chailey Road and breakfasting with them at Sheffield, which is a longer and heavier road than ours; but as they go, I think, on Saturday in a great measure to show me their place on Monday, I could not decently avoid it. I shall do it upon a promise they have made of calling at Streatham, the first time they come to town. Lady Poole is very happy at the very honourable mention you make of her, and the Augecock wonders what you think he must be made of to forget all your civilities. He reminds me much of Musgrave, so quick for applause. Puss admires herself much in the glass, and we have breakfasted and dined together every day this week very comfortably. Good night—its past one o'clock, and I am to be on horseback at nine in the morning.

Yours affectionately,

H. THRALE. P.S. If you were always to write such good letters as your last, I should stay where I am and make you play Lady Cotton.

Dr. Johnson's letter to Mrs. Thrale, was printed by Mrs. Piozzi, in her Letters to and from Dr, Samuel Johnson, 1788, vol. I. p. 62; but the usual inaccuracies which are found in that publication, are here apparent in this transcript from the original.

Ashbourne, Nov. 4, 1772. Dear Madam, We keep writing to each other when by the confession of each there is nothing to be said; but on

my part, I find it very pleasing to write, and what is pleasing is very willingly continued.

I hope your procriptions [prescriptions] have been successful, and Mr. Thrale is well. What pity it is that we cannot do something for the poor lady! Since I came to Ashbourne I have been out of order: I was ill at Lichfield.

You know sickness will drive me to you, and perhaps you very heartily wish me better; but you know likewise that health will not hold me away, and I hope that, sick or well, I am, Madam,

Your most humble servant,
SAM. JOHNSON.

The poor lady' was Mrs. Thrale's mother, Mrs. Salusbury, then in ill health, and daily growing worse. Dr. Johnson in his letter from Ashbourne, Michaelmasday, 1777, to Mrs. Thrale, observes

At Streatham there are dears and dears, who before

this letter reaches them will he at Brighthelmstone. Where ever they be, may they have no uneasiness but for want of me.

Now you are gone, I wonder how long you design to stay; pray let me know when you write to Lichfield, for I have not lost hope of coming to you, yet that purpose may chance to fail; but my comfort is, that you cannot charge me with forgetting you when I am away. You perhaps do not think how eagerly I expect the post.

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Johnson hated Brighton, and though he derived some pleasurable results from bathing in the sea, he considered Thrale's house as situated at the world's end;' the country about it did not please him. He loved the sight of forest trees and detested Brighthelmstone Downs, because, as he said, it was a country so truly desolate, that if one had a mind to hang one's self for desperation at being obliged to live there, it would be difficult to find a tree on which to fasten the rope.'

The letters referring to this period as printed hy Mrs. Piozzi, are wrongly dated; Dr. Burney had evidently gone with the Thrales to Brighton, as shewn by Mrs. Thrale in the third letter here noticed, addressed Dr. Samuel Johnson, Rev. Dr. Taylor's, at Ashbourne, Derby, and franked H. Thrale; it is not published by her among the letters in either of the two volumes. It would seem to be her first letter on their arrival to Johnson.

Brighton, 2nd October, 1777.

Dear Sir, Here we are, not very elegantly accommodated, but wishing sincerely for you to share either our pleasure, or our distresses. 'Tis fine bathing with rough breakers, and my Master longs to see you exhibit your strength in opposing them, and bids me press you to come, for he is tired of living so long without you; and Burney says if you dont come soon, he shall be gone, and he does love you, or But one woman in the water to-day, Una et hæc audax

he is a vile

Was your most faithful and obliged, H. L. THRALE. Johnson was too ill to immediately obey this summons, he however managed later in that month to proceed to Brighton, where he met Beauclerk, and staid three days."

Lot 23, The Johnson Letters as published by Mrs. Piozzi; her Journey through France, and her British Synonymy, in all 6 vols., in yellow morocco, sold for 61. 7s 6d; bought for some one of the family.

In 1605, the Popish plot was discovered. 1689, William, FIFTH OF NOVEMBER! memorable in English annals. Prince of Orange landed at Torbay in Devonshire; and in 1855, at Inkermann, Protestant and Catholic laymen repelled the Muscovite aggression on the liberties of the World.

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