476 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 133. 



in conversation wltli him, about two years ago, 

 relative to the habits of the nightingale, he men- 

 tioned this peculiarity, adding that he carried a 

 nest home with a thorn an inch long built strongly 

 through the middle of it. I recollected at the 

 time the subject had been treated by some of our 

 poets, but was not aware that it had any practical 

 applicability. 



In Berkshire they say of the nightingale's plain- 

 tive ditty : 



" I've a thorn in my breast. 

 And can get no rest." 



Maetbone. 



Groom of the Stole (Vol. v., p. 347.). — Your 

 correspondent J. R. (Cork) is in error when he 

 asserts that the above-named office does not belong 

 to female majesty. 



Among the collection of pictures at Montreal, 

 in Kent, is a portrait which was purchased at the 

 sale at Strawberry Hill, in 1842, on the back of 

 •which is the following inscription in the hand- 

 writing of Horace Walpole : 



" Lady Elizabeth Percy, only daughter and heiress 

 of Josceline, last Earl of Northumberland. She was 

 first married to Henry Holies Cavendish, Lord Ogle, 

 only son of Henry Duke of Newcastle. 2ndly, To 

 Thomas Tliynne, Esquire, who was murdered by 

 Count Konismark. And, lastly, to Charles Seymour 

 Duke of Somerset. To Queen Anne she was groom 

 of the stole, and had great influence." — Vide Swift's 

 Journal. 



By Beatson's Political Index it appears that her 

 predecessor in this office was Sarah, Duchess of 

 Marlborough. E. H. Y. 



The De Clares (Vol. v., p. 261.). — I am sorry 

 that I am unable to give your correspondents, 

 Mr. Graves of Kilkenny, and E. H. Y., any in- 

 formation on the subject of the De Clares. The 

 pedigree from which I quoted is not one of that 

 family, but merely contains some few of them ; 

 introduced, as I said before, among the " prascla- 

 rissimae affinitates." The arms of Strongbow, Earl 

 of Pembroke, are brought into the shield of quar- 

 terings through the well-known line of Marshall, 

 De Braose, Cantelupe, La Zouche, and thence 

 through Burdet and Ashbye ; nor, with the ex- 

 ceptions of the last three, is there much mention 

 of each family, but merely what is necessary to 

 show their descent. H. C. K. 



Rectory, Hereford. 



Book of Jasher (Vol. \., p. 415.). — You might 

 have added to your list of editions of this work, 

 one printed at New York in 1840, a number of 

 copies of which have been recently sent to this 

 country. The title is The Book of Jasher, refer- 

 red to in Joshua and Second Samuel^ faithfully 

 translated from the Original Hebrew, 8vo. pp. 267. 

 It was published with the recommendations of 

 many learned men in America, one of which by 



Prof. Noah, who appears to be the translator, I 

 think worth extracting as giving some idea of the 

 character of the book : — \ 



" Without giving it to the world as a work of divine 

 inspiration, or assuming the responsibility to say that 

 it is not an inspired book, I have no hesitation in pro- 

 nouncing it a work of great antiquity and interest, and 

 a work that is entitled, even regarding it as a literary 

 curiosity, to a great circulation among those who take 

 pleasure in studying the Scriptures." 



Wm. Brown, Jun., Bibliop. 

 Old Street. 



I have read this book formerly. It is the jeu 

 d'esprit of an unbeliever. The drift of it is, to 

 present a cotemporary naturalist account of the 

 Mosaic and Josuetic histories, in opposition to the 

 supernatural histories in the Bible. But I re- 

 member seeing announced among the intended 

 publications of the Oriental Translation Fund, the 

 " Book of Jasher." That proves a work, so enti- 

 tled, to exist in some oriental language. What 

 has become of that manuscript ; and why was the 

 translation of it never printed, as promised ? I 

 have long wished to learn. A. N. 



. Chantrerfs Sleeping Children (Vol. v., p. 428.). — 

 In a highly interesting and pathetic volume of 

 elegiac poetry, written by Sir Brooke Boothby 

 (and published in London by Cadell and Davies, 

 1796), entitled Sorrows Sacred to the Memory of 

 Penelope, is contained a fine engraving of the ex- 

 quisite recumbent figure by Banks in Ashbourne 

 Church, referred to by your correspondent. Per- 

 haps you will aiford room for the quotation of the 

 following sonnet (Sorrows, p. 18.), which may 

 interest readers unacquainted with the volume : ^ 



SONNET XII. 



« Well has thy classick chisel, Banks, express'd 

 The graceful lineaments of that fine form, 

 Which late with conscious, living beauty warm, 

 Now here beneath does in dread silence rest. 

 And, oh, while life shall agitate my breast. 

 Recorded there exists her every charm. 

 In vivid colours, safe from change or harm. 

 Till my last sigh unalter'd love attest. 



That form, as fair as ever fancy drew. 

 The marble cold, inanimate, retains ; 

 But of the radiant smile, that round her threw 

 Joys, that beguiled my soul of mortal pains, 

 And each divine expression's varying hue, 

 A little senseless dust alone remains." 



H. G. T. 



Weston super Mare. 



Daniel De Foe (Vol. v., p. 392.). — Your cor- 

 respondent, on referring to Wilson's Life of De 

 Foe (vol. iii. p. 648.), will find some mention of 

 John Joseph De Foe, his unfortunate great-grand- 

 son (not grandson), who was executed at Tyburn, 

 January 2, 1771. In the Sessions Papers for 

 1770-1 (p. 25.), he will also find the trial of John 



