"Will. Wakelin at the Crown in Uttoxeter," a zealous royalist, the exuberance of whose loyalty breaks forth in the following execrable doggrel : "Vive le Roi In Uttexetor." If "brevity" be "the soul of wit," Master Wakelin may be said to have achieved it, for he has actually transposed the letters of Uttoxeter in order to produce this ludicrous rhyme. In Mr. Frudenthal's extensive series of tokens, I find two of this Rhyming class, one of which, in allusion to its metal, runs thus, 66 Althoug but bras Yet let me pass." 66 only highly amusing, but occasionally afford glimpses DANIEL O'ROURKE. July 1, 1852. SIR.-Your Correspondent A. in your March Notes, says that in T. C. Croker's "Fairy Legends," he states that he knew Daniel O'Rourke well, and that he was an old man when he told him the story of his flight to the moon on the 25th June, 1813, observing that "all this seems very circumstantial." Now Prince Puckler Muscaw is no less circumstantial, when in his Irish The other, issued by " P. J. of Charde," bears a crowned Tour, Vol. I. p. 348-9, he saysrose, with this distich: "Receive the Crown It occurs on a Wexford Token, and is repeated on another of Carrickmacross. Humourous and witty as the Irish of all classes are known to be, I certainly am disappointed in not finding more of their Tokens bearing punning or rhyming mottoes. I have only to add that the list of this class of Tokens might be much enlarged by patient research among the numerous private collections that exist; although it is not all collectors who will permit their stores to be accessible, or subservient to any literary or useful purpose. They present a remarkable episode in the annals of Coinage, and I doubt whether any country beside our own can produce so singular a series. They are not "October 2, 1828.-I am just returned from an excursion of sixteen miles with Colonel W to Hungry Hill, a lofty mountain at the end of Bantry Bay, remarkable for its waterfall and for Thomas O'Rourke's flight to the moon on an eagle's back which began here, and has so often been related in prose and verse. Even in Germany this amusing tale has been repeatedly translated, and has probably fallen into your hands. The hero of the story is a gamekeeper of Lord B-'s who is still alive, and almost introduced always drunk. On our return Colonel W— him to me at the Inn. He is now extremely proud of his celebrity, and seemed to me when I saw him to be projecting another visit to the moon." was that made an addition to Sterne's Sentimental | mined it, and if published by you among your "Current Journey. Notes," might have the effect of setting at rest much misrepresentation upon both sides respecting that lamentable event-which is now matter of history alone. Belfast, July 1, 1852. E. C. NARNE, (By Mr. William P. of Dysert.) PEARLE OF PRAYER, most pretious and powerful, &c. 18mo. Dedicated to Charles I. (dated from Dysart, the 25th May, 1630). And afterward to the Right Virtuous and Worshipfull Patrons of this Famous Citie of Edinburgh, David Aikenhead, most worthie Lord Provest, &c., and to the whole Counsell, &c. of Edinburgh, &c. &c. 456 pp. Concluding with a part of a page of "Faults escaped," on the recto of last leaf. MR. WILLIS,-Any of your American Correspondents who can supply you with a copy of some verses written by the unfortunate Major André under the above title, and published in New York on the very day that he was taken by a party of General Wayne's soldiers (26th September, 1780) would very much oblige your Correspondent. The circumstances of Major André's execution as a spy soon afterwards at Tappan or Orange Town, where General Grey two years before cut up (or rather murdered) Washington's Dragoons, whom he surprised, and all of whom he killed while asleep, may have had some influence upon the fate of Major André, but I am inclined to think that his satirical verses upon General Wayne, entitled "The Cow Chase," may have deter MYSTICAL Meaning of THE HEBREW LETTER TAW. SIR,-By a mistake of your printer, the letter (He) is substituted for (Taw), in Mr. Williams's note of enquiry respecting the mystical meaning of the latter, which appeared among your "Current Notes" for June, (P. 55). Should the Rev. Mr. Brown offer any explaI will respectfully bow to that learned gentleman's nation for your Correspondent's information, as requested, superior erudition. I would merely refer your Correspondent to Claude Paradin's Devises Heroiques, where he will find it stated "La lettre Hebraique, THAU, est un sainct et salutifere signe, et de croix, selon sainct Hierosme sur S. Marc. De tel signe, jadis Ezechiel en esprit prophetique, vid marquer par l'Ange les fideles au front, reconnus tristes en leurs cœurs des abominations commises en Hierusalem, au moyen dequoy furent sauvez, et les obstinez par sentence divine furent soudainement occis. Davantage signifie ceste THAU Consommation et pour autant est finale de l'Alphabet des Hebrieux, clouant et consommant iceluy, come Alef le cōmence. Chose qui n'est jamais ainsi advenuë sans grand mystere, veu que nostre Redempteur, estant mis en Croix, vint à proferer ces derniers mots, avant la mort, CoNSUMMATUM EST, manifestant par iceux, la consommation de toutes propheties et écritures, estre a venue à celle heure qu'il estoit eslevé sus le signe de ceste lettre. Laquelle quant à sa forme, estant peinte enlettre versale, represente mieux signe de Croix qu'autrement, et la peignent tant les Grecs, que les Latins, en propre forme de Croix, jusques aujourd'huy, T. Telle est doncques la vraye enseigne, ou estendart, des militans en l'Eglise Chrestienne." Paradin's little book is one of such extreme rarity, that I have made this quotation from it for Mr. Williams. I never saw a copy of it perfect, and you may remember that the one I purchased from you wanted the title-page. It is not noticed by Watt in his valuable 66 Bibliotheca Britannica;" but was, I believe, published in 1610. LITERARY ENQUIRY ANSWERED. British Museum, July, 1852. AMERICAN IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.-The New York Herald of 16th June, contains the following "Go-a-head" advertisement :"LITERARY-WANTED-A GENTLEMAN FULLY competent to transform a small English pamphlet, so as to be fit for publication in America. Address, box 109, Broad ANTIQUE GEMS. 66 SIR,-In a very learned and instructive paper, by Mr. Thomas Wright, upon Antiquarian Excavations and Researches in the Middle Ages," printed in the XXXth volume of the Archæologia, that gentleman appears to me to have overlooked an important illustration of his subject, in a seal which is attached to a Charter dated the 17th of Edward I., preserved in the British Museum. The centre is evidently the impression from a head of fine Roman workmanship, while the medieval letters around it decide that the age of its setting must be about the period of the document to which it is affixed. SIR,-I beg to inform your Correspondent D. B. H. The work passed through several editions. The latest A BOOKWORM. 66 I read what remains of the inscription CREDITE: SIG: EI: SIMO Mr. Willis. S SPEI. Your obedient servant, J. R. DR. CALEB THRELKELD'S HORTUS SICCUS. June 18, 1852. SIR, I will feel obliged if any of your Correspondents can inform me what became of Dr. Threlkeld's Hortus Siccus;" also, whether any of his Correspondence has been published; as well as any other particulars relative to this individual, not given by Dr. Pultney in his "Biographical Sketches." Dr. Threlkeld resided in Dublin from 1713 to 1728, published his "Synopsis Stirpium Hibernicarum" in 1727, and died the following year. Mr. Willis. RICHARDSON'S WORKS. H. C. SIR,-Your "Unknown Correspondent," at least the writer who signs himself so in the June number of your "Current Notes," p. 49, asserts that the works of Richardson "are now almost waste paper upon a bookseller's shelf." Permit us against this observation to rection of Mr. Maelzel. Your namesake, the present Professor Willis of Cambridge, published a small work on the subject in 1821, which satisfactorily established that it was not the result of mechanism, but was wholly controlled by a concealed human agent; and a copy of the Professor's volume, which was an anonymous one, has lately come into my possession, with the following manuscript note : "At the time when this Analysis was made, Mr. Willis and his sister were my pupils; I am therefore well informed respecting his proceeding. He visited the Automaton many times for the purpose of estimating the dimensions of the compartments within the chest behind which the figure was placed. He then caused to be made a similar chest, and copied the parts of the interior. His sister, who was full grown, entered the chest, and moved through the different compartments. In the prints Mr. W. has given the different positions of the figure by dotted outlines, and has proved the changes to be very easily made, and the spaces quite sufficient to contain any middle-sized person." Mr. Willis. ALCHEMISTS. PHILIDOR, JUN. Lincoln's Inn, July 5th. SIR,-Can any of your Correspondents inform me where I can find a complete list of works on Alchemy. I have a strange fondness for those old Alchemists and Rosicrucians and hunters after the philosopher's stone, | with their crucibles, and retorts, metals, loadstones, and potent influences-strange retired beings who shut themselves up from the world to learn those arts by which they fondly hoped to wield its destiny, who became poor in solving the problem how to obtain unbounded wealth; who in dark rooms and subterranean vaults studied to read the Arcana of Nature's hidden Book; who in the midst of their follies and delusions, straining after impossibilities, are still entitled to our reverence for that application to speculative science which in happier times has formed a Davy or a Newton for the professed discoveries and real inventions which their misdirected studies served occasionally to unfold. Mr. Willis. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, TO CORRESPONDENTS. MR. Foss, Surgeon, &c. Stockton-upon-Tees, June 30. G. W. has had the pleasure to forward to him the communications received from his American Correspondents respecting the Aztec City and Children, which he hopes may prove acceptable. "THE PARADISE OF COQUETTES."-Unable to devote any more space to this subject. T. R. B. thanked. G. W. has not seen the Mona Herald. The promised paper on the Mistletoe, cannot fail to be acceptable to the readers of "Willis's Current Notes." But every line is an object, in having to deal with scores of communications in eight pages. W. H.'s note, stands over for the drawing to be engraved from. (REFORM CLUB).-G. W. cannot answer the question in I. P. S.'s note of 15th June. No space for extracts from the "New Bedford Mercury" (U. S.) of 20th June, or those sent by SAPHENIO. EARL ST. VINCENT'S MOTTO.-Thanked, but must stand over. No. XX.] FOR THE MONTH. "I will make a prief of it in my Note-Book."-SHAKSPERE. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. G. WILLIS gratefully acknowledges the various interesting documents and letters he has received. He is anxious that it should be perfectly understood that he is not the author of any statement, representation, or opinion, that may appear in his "Current Notes," which are merely selections from communications made to him in the course of his business, and which appear to him to merit attention. Every statement therefore is open to correction or discussion, and the writers of the several paragraphs should be considered as alone responsible for their assertions. Although many notes have hitherto appeared anonymously, or with initial letters, yet wherever a serious contradiction is involved, G. Willis trusts that his Correspondents will feel the necessity of allowing him to make use of their names when properly required. ORIGINAL WARRANT FOR THE EXECUTION OF KING CHARLES THE 1ST, ADDRESSED TO COL. FRANCIS HACKER AND OTHERS. Ir is not very generally known that the original Warrant for the High Court appointed to try the King and under which he suffered, exists and is preserved in the House of Lords. As many idle rumours and misstatements upon the subject have been in circulation the following facts, founded upon evidence, may be interesting: On the 21st July, 1660, a message from the House of Commons was delivered in the House of Lords on sending up the Instrument for proclaiming the High Court of Justice for judging the late King's Majesty, wherein it is stated "As concerning the Warrant for the "execution it was sent to Col. Hacker who is now a "prisoner in the Tower." On the same day an order was made that the Warrant "be returned into the House "by nine of the clock next morning by the Lieutenant "of the Tower or his deputy." On the 24th July a Report was made from the Lieutenant of the Tower that he had "examined Col. Hacker, "who confesseth that he hath the Warrant in the order "mentioned, at his house in the country, and believes it 66 agrees with what is printed. His wife and family are "in town, so that he saith without sending his wife "down he knows not how further to give satisfaction." Hereupon it was ordered "that Col. Hacker do send his "wife into the country to fetch the said Warrant, and "that the Gentleman Usher attending this House do "send a man along with her for the purpose." The House was further informed that the Lieutenant of the Tower" said he asked Col. Hacker if he knew "the person that executed His late Majesty, and he VOL. II. 66 [AUGUST, 1852. told him that he had heard it was a Major, but he "does not know his name, but he will endeavour to find "it out." On Tuesday the 31st July the Lords' Journal has the following entry : 66 66 "This day the Lieutenant of the Tower sent in the original Warrant for signing the murder of the late King; which he received from Colonel Hacker. The "House then adjourned into a Committee, during plea'sure, to proceed further in the consideration of the "Bill of Indemnity and Oblivion. This Castle was built by Henry VIIIth, after his return from the Field of the Cloth of Gold; we found it replete with local and historical associations, and ancestral reminiscences of the family of its occupant, Captain Manning, whose loyalty typifies that of the Portlanders from the period of the Great Rebellion and the halcyon days of George III. to the present time. There is a Closet devoted to Her present Majesty, fitted with regal splendour, though the most correct taste is exhibited throughout, quite in keeping with the other decorations and appointments; and it is to be hoped our gracious Sovereign will one day honour it with her presence, that so much good feeling and taste may not be doomed "to waste its sweetness on the desert air,"-though this can hardly be the case since, H. R. H. Prince Albert and the highest functionaries of State have frequently visited and admired this former abode of royalty. Captain Manning entertained us from his large store of historical information and general knowledge, and he mentioned some facts connected with the Geology of Portland Island, which particularly deserved attention. Professor Buckland appears to have been a frequent and welcome visitor, and was first attracted to the Island by the discovery of a fossil Boar's Head, supposed to be of British origin, and now in Captain Manning's possession. I |