560 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 137. 



Mormonism and Spalding's Romance. — The ex- 

 traordinary spread of Mormonism seems to stamp 

 it as likely to prove a kind of second Mahometanism 

 in the world's history. Under these circumstances 

 the origin of the Book of Mormon is of course a 

 literary curiosity. In a clever pamphlet entitled 

 Mormonism Exposed, by John Bowes (E. Ward, 

 54. Paternoster Row, London), at pp. 30, 31. an 

 account of the history of the book of Mormon is 

 given. Mr. Bowes quotes from Mormonism Un- 

 veiled, by E. D. Hoare, to the effect that a Mr. 

 " John Spalding" affirms that his (now deceased) 

 brother " Solomon Spalding" had written " an 

 historical romance of the first settlers in America, 

 endeavouring to show that the American Indians 

 are the descendants of Jews, or the lost tribes. 

 It gave a detailed account of their journey, from 

 Jerusalem, by land and sea, till they arrived in 

 America, under the coumiand of Nephi and 

 Lehi ; he also mentions the Lamanites." Mr. 

 J. Spalding, it is said, on reading the Booh of 

 Mormon, " to his great surprise," found " nearly 

 the same historical matter, names, &c., as they 

 were in his brother's writings ;" and further says, 

 " accord ing to the best of my recollection and 

 beUef, it is the same as my brother Solomon 

 wrote, with the exception of the religious matter." 

 The latter is obviously taken from the Bible, with 

 alterations and additions ad libitum. 



Can any of your readers tell whether this ro- 

 mance of Solomon Spalding's was ever published ; 

 or whether it is still in existence, and accessible 

 or reference. &c. ? C. H. D. 



Carrs or Calves, — In 1 Esdras v. 55. there 

 occurs the word carrs. This is found in all copies 

 of the Bible to which I have access, except one 

 edited in the last century by a Mr. Butley, of 

 Ch. Ch. Oxon, where calves is read, and a note 

 given from Josephus apparently in support of it. 

 I should be glad to know whether there is any 

 authority in the original for this alteration. 



Eetx. 



Stoup. — There is a holy-water stoup, in good 

 preservation, on the exterior of the north wall (by 

 the nave door) of the church of Houghton-le- 

 Spring, Durham. What other examples are there 

 of exterior stoups ? Their usual situation was 

 within either the porch or the church. 



CUTHBEET BeDE. 



Casper Ziegler and the Diaconate, — There is a 

 book in Latin with the following title: — Casparis 

 Ziegleri de Diaconis et Diaconissis Veteris JEcclesice 

 Liber Commentarius, Wittebergas : Sumptibus 

 Hasredum Jobi Wilhelmi Fingelii. Anno 1678. 



What copies of this book are known to be ex- 

 tant ? Would a translation of the whole, or se- 

 1 ected parts, be useful at the present time, when 

 attention is being called to the subject? 



What particulars are known about the life, 

 religion, &c. of the author ? At the foot of the 

 frontispiece are the following lines : — 

 " Omnis in hoc vultu vasti compendia juris, 

 Caesarii, sacri, Saxonicique vides. 

 Non Div£e unius tarn multum crede laborem, 

 Cujus vix umbram pingere possit homo." 

 Can any one give me the meaning of the last 

 two lines ? or information as to what other authors 

 have treated on the subject of the Diaconate ? 



W. H. 



Inscription at Persepolis. — The following curious 

 inscription I some years ago made a note of by 

 copying it, but neglected to mark whence I ob- 

 tained it. My extract stands thus — 

 Arabic Inscription, 



It is said this was found by Captain Barth, en- 

 graven on marble, among the ruins of Persepolis, 

 and by him translated from the Arabic into Latin 

 and English. 



Query, What does it all mean ? 



Thomas Lawrence. 



Ashby-de-la- Zouch. 



" / do not know what the truth may he." — Will 

 some one tell me whence the lines — 



" I do not know how the truth may be ; 

 I tell the tale as told to me " ? 



W. T. m. 



Hong Kong. 



Twittens. — Are not the narrow passages ia 

 Brighton so called? and what is the meaning? A. C. 



Clapper Gate. — Steps, with agate above, into 

 Bushy Park are so called ; what is the meaning ? 



A. C. 



Jemmy. — When and why was sheep's head 

 baptized with the name "Jemmy?" Does it 

 apply to the entire sheep, or to the head only ? I 

 have heard of a " James's head " as a refinement 

 of " Jemmy's head," which would make it seem as 

 though the sheep was the " Jemmy." 



Shirley Hibberd. 



Muffs worn by Gentlemen. — Whilst looking 

 over Hogarth's works, I observed in two plates a 



