Aug. 7. 1852.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



129 



Mutability of the Substance of the Human Body. 

 — In Cowley's Poems are the following ingenious 

 lines, part of a short piece entitled "Inconstancy : " 



" Five years ago (sajs Story) I lov'd you, 

 For which you call me most Inconstant now ; 

 Pardon me, Madam ! you mistake the man, 

 For I am not the same that I was then ; 

 No flesh is now the same 'twas then in me," &c. 



Vol. ii. p. 14. edit. 3voIs. 12mo. London, 1806. 



On turning to a little volume entitled Electrical- 

 Psychology, by Dr. Darling, the electro-biological 

 lecturer, I find the following statements : 



" Our bodies are continually wasting away, and by 

 food and drink are continually repaired. We lose the 

 fleshly particles of our bodies about once a year, and 

 the bones in about seven years. Hence, in seven years 

 we have possessed seven bodies of flesh and blood, and 

 one frame of bones. We have not now, in all proba- 

 bility, a particle of flesh and bones we had seven years 

 ago."— P. 60. edit. 1851. 



Where is this interesting question best discussed : 

 and what term of years is most generally believed 

 to be the period in which a total change of bodily 

 substance takes place? Any information upon this 

 subject will be very acceptable. 



W. Spakkow Si.mpson, B.A. 



Beech Tree never struck by Lightning. — I have 

 heard it frequently and confidently asserted that a 

 beech tree is never struck by lightning ; and there- 

 fore, if a beech tree be at hand, I may securely 

 take refuge under it, if unexpectedly overtaken by 

 a thunderstorm. But I wish, first of all, to ascer- 

 tain the truth of the assertion. If indeed it be 

 true, how is the fact to be accounted for ? 



TiTYBUS. 



Derivation ofKnightshridge. — I should be greatly 

 obliged by a correct derivation of this name. I do 

 not know the chronicler from whom Mr. Walcott's 

 note, as to its origin, is derived ; but from its 

 composition, I think dates arc against him. In a 

 charter of the twelfth century, it is called 

 Knyghtsbrygg. I am aware of the traditional 

 account, and its truth or not is worth testing now 

 " N. & Q." is in existence. 



An allusion to a place called " Spring Gardens" 

 appears in No. 134. Will the owner of the MS. 

 mentioned explain that Note? Spring Gardens 

 stood on the site of the present William Street. 



Can any reader of " N. & Q." give me a copy of 

 a song, relating to and sung by the Knightsbridge 

 Volunteers ? The burden of the chorus was : 



" Then with Major Ayres we'll go, my boys, 

 Then with Major Ayres we'll go." 



The Major was their commander ; and from 

 their allusions to the leading men in the regiment, 

 they are interesting to Knightsbridgites. H. G. D. 



Henrie Smith. — I have in my possession the 

 following sermons by one Henrie Smith. Can you 

 or any of your correspondents inform me who he 

 was, or refer me to any work containing a bio- 

 graphical notice of him and his writings ? 



The Benefte of Contentation, by H. Smith, taken 

 by Characterie, and examined after. (Black 

 letter.) London, 1590. 



The Examination of Usury., in two Sermons. 

 London, 1591. 



The Affinitie of the Faithfull; being a verie 

 Godlie and Fruitful Serinon, made upon part of 

 the Eighth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, by 

 Henrie Smith, 1591. 



The Christian Sacrifice. Scene and allowed. 

 1591. 



A Fruitfull Sermon, upon part of the 5th chap- 

 ter of the 1st Epist. of Paul to the Thessalonians, 

 by Henrie Smith, 1591. 



Three Prayers, a Godly Letter to a SIcke 

 Freend, &c., by Henrie Smith, 1591. 



A Treatise of the Lord's Supper, in Two Ser- 

 mons, 1591. 



Seven Godly and Learned Sermons upon Seven 

 divei-s Texts of Scripture, perused by the author 

 before his death, by Henrie Smith, 1591. 



The Wedding Garment, by Henrie Smith, 1591. 



G. R. Vine. 



Portsmouth. 



[Henry Smith was one of the most popular preachers 

 of his age. He was born at Withcock, in Leicester- 

 shire, and, after pursuing his studies at Oxford, became 

 lecturer at tlie church of St. Clement Danes, Strand. 

 Wood (AthencB Oxon., vol. i. p. 603., Bliss) says, that 

 he was "in great renown among men in 1593," in 

 which year he thinks he died. Smith's Sermons, toge- 

 ther with other his learned Treatises, were published in 

 1675 in 4to., to which Fuller prefixed a Life of the 

 Author. That Wood has dated the death of Henry 

 Smith somewhat after its occurrence is proved by the 

 following Encomium Henrici Smithi, by Thomas Nash, 

 which is not only curious on account of the source 

 whence it is derived, but as referring to metrical com- 

 positions nowhere to be found. Speaking of the supe- 

 riority of those preachers whose minds are imbued 

 with poetical feeling " over those dulheaded divines 

 who deem it no more cunning to write an exquisite 

 poem, than to preach pure Calvin, or distil the juice of 

 a commentary into a quarto sermon," Nash exclaims, 

 " Silver-tongu'd Smith, whose well tun'd stile hath 

 made thy death the generall teares of the Muses, 

 queintlie couldst thou deuise heauenly ditties to Apol- 

 loe's lute, and teach stately verse to trip it as smoothly, 

 as if Ovid and thou had but one soule. Hence along 

 did it proceede, that thou wert such a plausible pulpit- 

 man ; before thou entredst into the wonderful! waies 

 of theologie, thou refinedst, preparedst, and purifiedst 

 thy wings with sweete poetrie. If a simple man's cen- 

 sure may be admitted to speake in such an open theater 

 of opinions, I neuer saw aboundant reading better 



