220 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2'»* S. X. Sept. 15. '60. 



then from its base with the length of such shadow 

 as a radius, trace a circle upon the ground ; as 

 the sun arrives gradually at its greatest altitude, 

 the shadow of the stick will become gradually 

 shorter, and will fall within the circumference of 

 the circle which has been traced. As the sun 

 declines, its shadow lengthens, and at two hours 

 after noon will be the same length as at two hours 

 before noon. The meridian line pointing due 

 north and south is the shortest shadow, or half- 

 way betwixt the ten o'clock and two o'clock sha- 

 dows. The longest and most accurate meridian 

 line in the world is that drawn by Cassini upon 

 the pavement of the church of St. Petronis at 

 Bologna in Italy ; it is 120 feet in length. {Math. 

 Geog. U. K. S. p. 7.) The general, as well as 

 diurnal declination of the needle is determined by 

 a transit instrument, of which a description is 

 given in the renny Cyclopcedia (xxvi. 138.) ; the 

 culmination of a circumpolar star, the angular 

 distance of which is known, giving the true north, 

 as the fixed point from which the declination of 

 the needle, as it varies, is computed. The Pyra- 

 mids of Egypt are made to face the four car- 

 dinal points. M. Noet found the north face of 

 the great Pyramid to deviate only 19' 5H" from 

 the true line east and west. (^Egypt. Ant., L.E.K. 

 ii. 304.) T. J. BucKTON. 



Lichfield. 



Political Poem bv Canning (2°^ S. x. 69.) — 

 I was shown the other day a copy of a political 

 poem, called The New Games at St. Stephen's 

 Chapel, by Sayers of Yarmouth, of which the 

 subject so exactly corresponds with that described 

 by O. P., that I cannot but think it the one sought, 

 though he has assigned it to the wrong author. 

 It was transcribed by a lady, still living, with 

 whose family Mr. Canning was on terms of in- 

 timacy, and who would know enough of his writ- 

 ings not to attribute this to Mr. James Sayers, if 

 Mr. Canning had composed it. This is not the 

 only poem written by Sayers which has been mis- 

 taken for one of Mr. Canning's, as we learn from 

 Mr. Dawson Turner's Sepulchral Reminiscences 

 of a Market Town, p. 72. note (a), where Mr. 

 Sayers' caricatures are mentioned with the highest 

 praise, especially his Carlo Khan's Triumphant 

 Entry into Leadenhall Street; and it is said 

 that — 



" As a political song-writer, Mr. Saj'ers was likewise 

 excellent ; indeed, as far a.s I have known, unrivalled . . . 

 His talents were unusually great. ... A stronger proof of 

 the estimation in which these talents were held could 

 scarcely be given, than that his Elijah's Mantle, the 

 most important of his poems, has not unfrequently been 

 ascribed to Mr. Canning." 



I shall have much pleasure In forwarding a 

 copy of the "New Games" to O. P. through the 

 " N. & Q." Office, as it is too long for insertion in 

 the paper. H. F. 



Hereditary Alias (2"^ S. ix. 344.) — I send 

 you a curious instance from the co. of Midlotliian. 

 " January 15th, 1723. 



" Good men of Inquest, I George Edgier, alias Ainslie, 

 grandchild to the deceast George Edgier, alias Ainslie, 

 portioner of Newbotle, say unto your Wisdoines, that 

 the .said deceast George Podgier, alias Ainslie, my grand- 

 father, dyed at the faith and peace of Our Soveraigne 

 Lord the King's Majestic, and that I am nearest and law- 

 ful heir to the said deceast George Edgier, alias Ainslie, 

 my Grandfather, and that I am of lawful age, and this 

 I desire to be retoured to Our Soveraigne Lords Chan- 

 celler3% under the most painit of your Wisdomes sealls, and 

 your Wisdomes answer." 



William Galloway. 



Baronetage of James I. etc. (2"'^ S. x. 86.) 

 — If Spalatro will refer to The Baronetage for 

 1844 by Sir Richard Brown, published by Cun- 

 ningham & Mortimer, Adelaide Street, West 

 Strand, he will find the question of the true rank 

 of a baronet, and the propriety of their assuming 

 a coronet with four pearls, discussed at great 

 length. John Tuckett. 



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