2Bd s. No 84., Aug. 8. '57.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



105 



own country, but on the continent also, and in 

 America. From our earliest youth we have been 

 taught to regard these compositions as master- 

 pieces and models of excellence, combining the 

 soundest reasoning with all the cliarras of an ele- 

 gant and graceful style. These treasures, how- 

 ever, it is almost needless to observe are now 

 altogether out of the reach of the ordinary reader. 

 One does occasionally see an extract (as there is 

 one in Dr. Wordsworth's learned and admirable 

 discourse upon the divorce question), which only 

 whets our appetite for a better acquaintance with 

 them. If I might venture to hazard an opinion, 

 I should say that such a volume as I iiave sug- 

 gested would afford useful matter for the students 

 for honours in the new school of Law and Modern 

 History at the University of which, in his lifetime, 

 Lord Stowell was so distinguished an ornament. 



E. H. A. 



The first Paper-mill erected, and first Boohs of 

 Music published in America. — Notices having 

 appeared in " N. & Q.," P* S, ii. 473. 522. ; v. 83. 

 255., of the first paper-mill in England, it may be 

 noted, that the first in America — 



" Was built at Elizabethtown, New Jersey, which Wil- 

 liam Bradstreet, Eoyal Printer of New York, New Jerse}', 

 and Pennsylvania, purchased in 1728. In 1730, the 

 second went into operation at Boston, the legislature of 

 Massachusetts having granted aid for its erection." 



" The first books of music published in America were 

 issued in 1714 and 1721 ; the former by the liev. John 

 Tufts, of Newberry, Massachusetts, and the latter by the 

 Kev. Thomas Walter, of Roxburg, in the same state." 



w. w. 



Malta. 



Irish Dramatic Talent. — Difference of taste 

 makes it difficult, if not impossible, to say which 

 is the best comedy in the English language. 

 Many, however, arc of opinion that there are 

 three which more particularly dispute the palm, 

 namely. She Stoops to Conquer, The School for 

 Scandal, and The Heiress ; and it is remarkable 

 that the authors of these productions were Irish- 

 men, — Goldsmith, Sheridan, and Murphy. 



Abhba. 



The First Proposer of an Atlantic Electric Te- 

 legraph. — The following letter appears in the 

 National Intelligencer of May 15, 1857 : — 



" To the Editors. 

 " Dundee, 12. South Union Street, April 27, 1857. 

 " Gentlemen, — I find j'ou have done me the honour to 

 publish some of my early letters on the Electric Tele- 

 graph, and I beg here to make some explanations. I 

 believe I was the first that proposed communication with 

 . America by means of submerged wires. This was in 

 1845, being twelve years ago. I only mentioned one 

 wire, but my plan required two, both uninsulated. All 

 my previous experiments were by means of two unin- 

 sulated wires. At that time gutta-percha was only 

 beginning to be known : and I do not think I had heard 

 of its being proposed as an insulator. Even yet I am of 



opinion that the simple wires are preferable. The coat- 

 ing might be destroyed by the bite of a fish, or by the 

 abrasion of stones. I would put the wires a mile or two 

 miles apart in order to prevent their coming in contact. 

 From the west point of Ireland to the banks of New- 

 foundland, they would be in deep sea, and perhaps could 

 not be raised if required ; but on these banks they would 

 be accessible for five or six hundred miles. A few years 

 ago, I mads a series of experiments in order to transmit 

 intelligence through water witiiout wires across. This I 

 found practicable by a proper adjustment of the wires on 

 each side : and in this way I succeeded with all the dis- 

 tances tried, the greatest distance being half a mile. 

 " I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, 



" J. B. Lindsay." 



W. W. 



Malta. 



A Dedication, — In a volume of Italian songs 

 (now in the Gresham Library), I met with a set 

 of six songs ; composed for, and sung by Signor 

 Tenducci at various theatres in Italy ; and pub- 

 lished in London, with a dedication (in English, 

 and engraved upon copper), from Tenducci to 

 Queen Marie Antoinette. In case the tragical 

 history of that queen should be thought to give 

 some interest to this little document, I now tran- 

 scribe it : — 



"To 



" Her most excellent and sacred Majesty 



" The Queen of France. 



" May it please your Majesty, 

 " The approbation your Majesty was pleased to bestow 

 on some of the following Songs when I had the honor to 

 sing them at Versailles, has determined me to present 

 them at the celebrated Concert of Messrs. Bach and Abel 

 in London, during the present Season, where I could have 

 little doubt that their intrinsic merit would secure them 

 success from so polite and judicious an Audience; but 

 when it is known they have already received the sanction 

 of your Majesty's judgment, their success is made certain 

 — the refinement of your Majesty's Taste being as well 

 known in this Country' as the superior elegance of your 

 Person and incomparable aflfability of your manners, are 

 to all those that have been permitted to approach you. 



" Deign, therefore, lloyal Madam, to pardon my pre- 

 fixing your sacred Name to so poor an Offering, and per- 

 mit me with the greatest humility to lay the same at 

 your Feet as an humble instance of the gratitude of 

 " Eoyal Madam, 



" Your Majesty's most Obedient, 



" Humble, and most devoted Servant, 

 " G. F. Tenducci." 

 Febr 1, 1778. 



A. ROFFB. 



Epitaph from Geneva. — 



" My sins without number, and great was my pride. 

 As deep as the Ocean, as strong as the Tide, 

 But more strong than the Tide, more deep than the 



Sea, 

 Was the Love of my Saviour, who sorrowed for me." 



Bristoliensis. 



Longevity. — 



" Ex his autem qui tunc cum Sancti Confessoris (Cuth- 

 berti) corpore in hunc locum (Dunhelmum) convenerant, 

 erat quidam vocabulo Riggulfus, qui omnc fempns vita suce 

 cc. et X. annos habuerat, quorum xi. in mouachico habitu 



