April 17. 1852.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



377 



the fable, every donkey (I mean no disrespect to 

 Mr. Dickens) must liave its fling. 



If any correspondent really feels an interest in 

 this little creature's history, I can undertake, Avith 

 very little trouble, to supply the fullest particulars. 



B. i:^. c. 



Oxford. 



Although I have for many years ceased to be 

 an inhabitant of the metropolis, I am much gra- 

 tified at tlie suggested record of these worthies, 

 and think it would be a most interesting book, 

 were truthful particulars got together concerning 

 them, with good portraits — I nVean striking like- 

 nesses — of these beings, who, as Ai.fked Gattt 

 observes, "come like shadows, so depart." I 

 will inform him something about the " half- 

 giant," of whom Charles Lamb says, that he 

 " was brought low during the riots of London." 

 1 almost doubt this, for just about then he lived 

 in the parish of St. Mary-le-Strand ; indeed, 

 before then, my grandfather was there overseer, 

 or otherwise a parochial authority, and he had 

 him apprehended and imprisoned as a rogue 

 and a vagabond. I have often heard my father 

 talk about him ; indeed he knew this man well, 

 and I regret that I have forgotten his name. He 

 always spoke of him as having been a sailor, and 

 that he had his legs carried away by a cannon-ball. 

 This burly beggar had two daughters, to each of 

 whom he is said to have given 500^. on her wed- 

 ding ; and it was also said he left a handsome sum 

 of money at his death. But, doubtless, some 

 curious correspondent will be able to forward the 

 desideratum with farther information. I only tell 

 the little I know. 



The old porter, John, at the King's printing- 

 office, whom I remember as quite a charactei-, 

 '' N. & Q." have peculiar facilities to immortalise. 

 VVe sexagenarians all remember the blackee at 

 the crossnig by Waithman's in Bridge Street. He 

 \vas said to have died very rich, and reported to 

 have sold his " walk," when he retired from busi- 

 ness, for loco/. 



But other "characters" might amusingly be in- 

 troduced, such as those two or three last" roses in 

 summer who continue to wear pig-tails or panta- 

 loons. I would even not omit Baron Maseres. and 

 such peculiarities — the German with his Bible and 

 beard, without a hat— ei Jioc genus omne. There 

 IS a large work of the kind, exhibiting portraits 

 and biographies of these illustrious personages in 

 ±.dinburgh ; it is now scarce and valuable. "l re- 

 member spending a most interesting evening over 

 It with a Scotchman, who knew and described 

 many of the characters developed. B. B. 



Pepibroke. 



STONE PILLAR WORSHIP, 



(Vol. v., p. 121.) 

 Sir J.Emerson Tennent has accumulated many 

 interesting particulars, but by no means exhausted 

 the subject. O'Brien, in his Essay on the Round 

 Towers, advocates the opinion of their being idola- 

 trous objects — remnants of Buddhism. The Lia 

 fail is celebrated in Irish history. The episcopal 

 city of Elphin has its name from a celebrated 

 pillar stone, which remained erect until Charles II.'s 

 time, when it fell in accordance with an ancient 

 prophecy. This is attested by the cotemporary 

 evidence of O'Flaherty. Clogher has its name 

 from another celebrated stone, designated " The 

 Golden Stone," which I believe was oracular. 

 There was in the city of Dublin, until recently, 

 a curious remnant of this veneration for stones, 

 and in which we could pl-obably trace the trans- 

 ition from the Pagan to the Christian usage. At' 

 the base of the tower of St. Audoen's Church was 

 a rude-looking stone, something like a spud-post, 

 let into the wall, but so as to abut upon the street. 

 On the upper part of this stone Avas carved a cross 

 in very low relief The stone was designated 

 " The Lucky Stone," and the lower classes of the 

 people, especially hawkers and itinerant vendors of 

 small wares, believed that their success in business 

 depended on their making a daily visit to this 

 stone, which tliey kissed; and thus a portion of 

 the stone became perfectly smooth and polished. 

 There was a tradition, too, that, whenever the 

 stone was removed. It was miraculously conveyed 

 back to its place. Thus it was said to have been 

 stolen away to Galway, but to have been restored 

 to its original^ site on the following day. However 

 this may be, it remained attached to the church 

 tower until about the year 1828, Avhen some altera- 

 tions being made In the church, It disappeared 

 from its place. The belief was, that one of the 

 churchwardens, a man in trade, had removed the 

 stone into his own place of business, with a view of 

 engrossing all the luck to himself. Whether he 

 succeeded or not, I do not knoAv ; but after an in- 

 terval of twenty years the Identical stone re- 

 appeared in front of a large Eoman Catholic 

 chapel lately erected near St". Audoen's Church. 

 It remained there, a conspicuous and Avell-remem- 

 bered object, near the donation-box, which it per- 

 haps assisted; but about six months ago It again 

 disappeared, having been removed, I know not 

 where. jj,. x. 



ON A passage in HAMLET, ACT I. SC. 4. 



(Vol. v., p. 169.) 

 Theobald long since observed — 

 "^ " I do not remember a passage througliout our poet's 

 works more intricate and depraved in the text, of less 

 meaning to outward appearance, or more likeiy to 

 baffle the attempt of criticism in its aid." 



