Feb. 7. 1852.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



123 



Antiquities of Cornwall, gives a much more learned 

 derivation of the name, lie says : 

 " They call them bowing stones, as it seems to me, from 

 the reverenceshown them ; for the Even Maschith, which 

 the Jews were forbade to worship — (Leviticus xxvi. 1. 

 ' neither shall ye set up any imaye of stone') ■ — signifies 

 really a bowing stone, and was doubtless so called be- 

 cause worshipped by the Canaanites." — Borlase, Anti- 

 quities of Cornwall, book iii, c. 2. 



I fancy the word which Martin rendered a bow- 

 ing stone, is cromlech, or crom liagh. 



As regards the ancient monuments of stone 

 worship in Cornwall, the most learned and the 

 most ample information is contained in Borlase's 

 Antiquities of that county ; but there their worship 

 ceased, though not till several centuries after the 

 introduction of Christianity. Borlase says : 



" After Christianity took place, many continued to 

 worship these stones ; coming thither with lighted 

 torches, and praying for safety and success : and this 

 custom we can trace through the fifth and sixth 

 centuries ; and even into the seventh, as will appear from 

 the prohibitions of several Councils." — Borlase, Aniiq. 

 Corn., b. iii. c. ii. p. 162. 



In all parts of Ireland these stone pillars are to 

 be found in comparative frequency. Accounts of 

 them will be found in The Ancient and Present 

 State of the County Down, a.d. 1744; in Wake- 

 man's Handbook of Irish Antiquities, and in various 

 similar authorities. A writer in the Archceologia 

 for A.D. 1800 says that many of the stone crosses 

 which form so interesting and beautiful a feature 

 in Irish antiquities were originally pagan pillar- 

 stones, on which the cross was sculptured subse- 

 quent to the introduction of Christianity, in order 

 that — 



" The common people, who were not easily to be 

 diverted from their superstitious reverence for these 

 stones, might pay a kind of justifiable adoration to 

 them when thus appropriated to the use of Christian 

 memorials by the sign of the cross." — Archeeol. vol, xiii. 

 p. 20S. 



The tenacity of the Irish people to this ancient 

 superstition is established by the fact of its con- 

 tinuance to the present day In the sequestered 

 island of Inniskea. And It seems to me that it 

 would be an object of curious Inquiry, if your cor- 

 respondents could ascertain whether this be the 

 last remnant of pillar worship now remaining in 

 Europe ; and especially whether any further trace 

 of It Is to be found in any other portion of the 

 British dominions. J. Emerson Tbnnent. 



London. 



THE INVASION OF BRITAIN. 



(^Not by Julius Caesar.') 



A great many correspondents of the daily press 

 are directing the attention, I suppose, of the Go- 



vernment to what they call the " defenceless state 

 of Great Britain." Will you allow me, on account, 

 as I think, of Its rarity, to submit to you the fol- 

 lowing extract from the Macaronea, par Octave 

 Delepierre (Gancia, Brighton, 1852), attributed to 

 Porson. The lines were composed on occasion of 

 the projected French Invasion under Napoleon. 



" Lingo drawn for the Militia. 

 " Ego nunquam audivi such terrible news. 

 At this present tempus my sensus confuse ; 

 I'm drawn for a miles, — I must go cum marte. 

 And, concinus ense, — engage Bonaparte. 



" Such tempora nunquam videbant majores, 

 For then tlieir opponents had different mores ; 

 But we will soon prove to the Corsican vaunter. 

 Though Times may be changed, — Britons never 

 mutantur. 



" Mehercle ! this Consul nan potest be quiet, 

 His word must be lex, and where he says Fiat, 

 Quasi Deus, he thinks we must run at his nod, 

 But Britons were ne'er good at running, by — — ! 



•' Per mare, I rather am led to opine. 

 To meet British naves he would not incline ; * 

 Lest he should in mare profundum be drown'd, |; 

 Et cum alga, nan laurd, his caput be crown'd. ' 



" But allow that this boaster in Britain could land, ' 

 Multis cum aliis at his command : 

 Here are lads who will meet, aye, and properly 



work 'em. 

 And speedily send 'em, nifallor, in orcum, 



" Nunc, let us, amici, join corda et manus, 

 And use well the vires Di Boni afford us ; 

 Then let nations combine, Britain never can fall, 

 She's, multum in parvo, a match for them all." 



These verses are quoted by M. Delepierre, from 

 Stephen Collet's Relics of Literature, 8vo. 1823. 



S.H. 



HERMITS, ORNAMENTAI, AND EXPERIMENTAL. 



Keeping a poet is a luxury enjoyed by many, 

 from the Queen down to Messrs. Moses, Hyam 

 and Co. ; but the refinement of keeping an hermit 

 would appear to be a more recherche and less or- 

 dinary appendage of wealth and taste. 



I send you an advertisement /or, and two actual 

 instances of going a hermiting, from my scrap- 

 book : 



" A young man, who wishes to retire from the world 

 and live as an hermit in some convenient spot in 

 England, is willing to engage with any nobleman or 

 gentleman who may be desirous of having one. Any 

 letter directed to S. Lawrence (post paid) to be left at 

 Mr. Otton's, No. 6. Colman's Lane, Plymouth, men- 

 tioning what gratuity will be given, and all other par- 

 ticulars, will be duly attended to." — Courier, Jan. 11th, 

 1810. 



Can any one tell me whether this retiring young 



