Nor. 27. 1852.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



^09 



tunately lost at the mouth of the harbour, with 

 most of their crews. While the storm was at its 

 height, the Roman Catholic bishop ordered all the 

 church bells to be rung for an hour ; which was 

 accordingly done, that the wind might cease, and 

 the sea be calmed. Of the result I need not 

 remark. 



This custom of ringing bells while storms are 

 raging prevails not only In Malta, but also in 

 Sicily and Sardinia, in Tuscany, and France. It 

 was only a short time since I read an account in 

 Galignani, which stated, that during a thunder- 

 storm the bells of a church In a French village 

 were struck by lightning, and the persons killed 

 who were ringing them. 



May I ask Avhen this custom of ringing bells in 

 storms originated; whether it Is known In Pro- 

 testant countries ; and if the service of ringing 

 them is not attended with danger ? W. W. 



Malta, Oct. 22. 1852. 



Charity, Seraph of Earth. — Who Is the author 

 of the following lines, and where are they to be 

 found ? 



" Seraph of earth ! lov'd Charity appears, 

 And drops on human griefs celestial tears ; 

 O, come ! thine eyes of dewy light unfold, 

 And wave thy tresses of ethereal gold ! 

 Mark the warm blush upon her forehead sent, 

 Her hand outstretch'd, her listening head just 



bent ! 

 Hung round her knees a graceful group is seen ; 

 She comes, and famine's blasted heath looks green !" 



E. 



Pontefract. 



Generals. — Who was the greatest general, and 

 why, and wherefore ? The Duke of Wellington 

 gave the palm to Hannibal. It is a remarkable 

 circumstance in the career of the Hero of Water- 

 loo, that his sword was never drawn except in a 

 defensive warfare. C. T. 



Black Sheep. — How can the occasional appear- 

 ance of a black sheep be accounted for ; and what 

 is the average number ? Are there flocks of this 

 complexion in existence ? Have some of the an- 

 cestors of our breed been black; and does the 

 " nigger" blood now and then show itself? C. T. 



Lease for Ninety-nine Years. — What is the 

 reason of granting a lease for ninety-nine years 

 instead of one hundred years ; and when did the 

 custom arise of granting* this singular term of 

 years ? It is clear It could not be to avoid grant- 

 ing a fee, for all the old leases I have seen are to 

 the lessee and his assigns. F. J. G. 



Rubrical Query. — I should be obliged If any of 

 your clerical correspondents can tell me the mean- 

 ing in the Rubrics before the offertory of the words 



" If occasion be, shall notice be given of the Com- 

 munion." Do they mean the same thing as those 

 in another Rubric, " when the minister giveth 

 warning for the celebration of the holy Com- 

 munion ; " so that the two forms of words are 

 Interchangeable, and the minister may use which 

 form he pleases, when he gives notice of the In- 

 tended celebration to the people ? Qu^stob. 



The Willow Pattern. — What Is the legend illus- 

 trated by the willow pattern ; and what the date 

 of its first use ? A. A. D. 



Deodorising Peat. — Has the deodorising peat 

 proved a failure ? If not, how, and at what price, 

 can it be procured ? A. A. D. 



Queries on Langvage. — 1. When was the pro- 

 noun its introduced Into use ? It does not exist 

 in the English Bible. I have a note of it in a 

 book printed 1647, and in the reprint of one dated 

 1628. 



2. T^Tien was itself written as it now is ? In 

 and after 1622, It was written it self as two words. 



3. What is the derivation of the word had? la 

 Dr. Johnson's Dictionary, It is referred to the 

 Dutch quoad, which does not seem probable. 



4. Is qziaad the derivation of the vulgar English 

 word " quad," i. e. prison ? If not, what is ? 



B. H. COWPER. 



'Apvlof, Sfc. — What is the probable reason why 

 our Blessed Saviour is uniformly called in the 

 Apocalypse, and that twenty-eight times, apviov ; 

 and in the Gospel of St. John, i. 29. and 36., and 

 elsewhere, afivos rod Beou ? G. T. 



Durham. 



Ricardo's " Theory of Rent," was Sir Edw. West 

 the Author? — In a note on p. 173. of De Quin- 

 cey's Logic of Political Economy, he asserts, that 

 Sir Edward West was the original discoverer of 

 Ricardo's Theory of Rent. In The Bee of De- 

 cember 28th, 1791, vol. vl. p. 293., a small period- 

 ical published by Dr. Anderson, at Edinburgh or 

 Glasgow, the same theory is to be found. I will 

 be obliged to any of your correspondents if they 

 will inform me : 



1. Who was Sir Edward West? 



2. In what work of his may that theory be 

 found ? 



3. Who is the original discoverer of it ? 



4. Who is the author of the paper in The Bee ? 



J. F. J. 

 Philadelphia, U. S. 



" Between the saddle and the ground^ — 



" Between the saddle and the ground, 

 Mercy he sought and mercy found." 



Can you inform me who was the author of this 

 couplet, and to what it refers ? Clericus (D.) 



