Fes. 23. 1850. ] NOTES AND QUERIES. 259 
of November, for the skeleton of a horse’s head, 
dressed up with ribbons, &c., having glass eyes 
inserted in the sockets, and mounted on a short 
pole by way of handle, to be carried by a man 
underneath, covered with a horse-cloth. There 
is generally a chain attached to the nose, which is 
held by a second man, and they are attended by 
several others. In houses to which they can gain 
access, they go through some kind of performance, 
the man with the chain telling the horse to rear, 
open its mouth, &c, Their object, of course, is to 
obtain money. The horse will sometimes seize 
persons, and hold them fast till they pay for being 
set free; but he is generally very peaceable, — for 
in ease of resistance being offered, his companions 
frequently take flight, and leave the poor horse to 
fight if out. I could never learn the origin of 
this strange custom. I remember, when very 
young, having a perfect horror of meeting this 
animal in the dark. 
Another custom, which I suppose prevails in 
some other places, is the “ Rush-bearing.” At the 
annual Wakes a large quantity of rushes are col- 
lected together, and loaded on a cart, almost to 
the height of a load of hay. They are bound on 
the cart, and cut evenly at each end. On the 
Saturday evening a number of men sit on the top 
of the rushes, holding garlands of artificial flowers, 
tinsel, &e. The cart is drawn round the parish 
by three or four spirited horses, decked out with 
ribbons, — the collars being surrounded with small 
bells. It is attended by morris-dancers, dressed in 
strange style, — men in women’s clothes, &e. One 
big man in woman’s clothes, with his face blacked, 
has a belt round his waist, to which is attached a 
large bell, and carries a ladle, in which he collects 
money from the spectators. The company stop and 
dance at the principal public-houses in their route, 
and then proceed to the parish church(!), where 
the rushes are deposited, and the garlands hung up 
very conspicuously, to remain till the next year. 
I believe a custom somewhat similar exists in the 
adjoining parish of Warburton, but not carried 
out in such grand style. 
It would be very interesting if your corre- 
spondents in different parts of the country would 
send accounts of these relics of the barbarous aves. 
JuLIvs. 
Runcorn, Feb. 13. 1850, 
ON AUTHORS AND BOOKS, NO. 5. 
As a writer of dedications, Samuel Johnson was 
the giant of his time. He once said to Boswell, 
the subject arising at a dinner-party, “ Why, I 
haye dedicated to the royal family all round,” — 
and the honest chronicler proves that he spoke ad- 
visedly. 
Compositions of this nature admit much variety 
of character. A dedication may be the pure ho- 
mage which we owe to merit, or the expression of 
gratitude for favours received, or a memorial of 
cherished friendship; and such dedications, in 
point of motive, are beyond the reach of censure 
—TI may fairly assert, are very commendable. 
Nevertheless, Johnson left no compositions of 
either class: ‘“ the dyftiness of his mind,” as Bos- 
well gravely states, “prevented him from ever 
dedicating in his own person.” 
A more equivocal sort of dedication also pre- 
vailed. A book was supposed to require the 
prefix of some eminent name as its patron, in 
order to ensure its success. Now the author, 
though very capable of writing with propriety on 
his chosen theme, might be unequal to the courtly 
style which dedicators were wont to display, and 
as the complement was to be returned substantially, 
he might be tempted to employ a superior artist 
on the occasion, It was chiefly under such cir- 
cumstances that the powers of Johnson were 
called into action. By what arguments the stern 
moralist would have endeavoured to justify the 
deception, for it deserves no better name, is more 
than I can undertake to decide, and I submit the 
query to his enthusiastic admirers. 
To the dedications enumerated by the faithful 
Boswell, and by his sharp-sighted editors, Malone 
and Croker, I have to announce, on internal evi- 
dence, a gorgeous addition! It is the dedication 
to Edward Augustus, Duke of York, ef An In- 
troduction to Geometry, by William Payne, London: 
T. Payne, at. the Mews Gate, 1767. 4°., 1768. 8°. 
I transcribe it literatim. It wants no com- 
ment : — 
“To nuts Rovat Hicuness tHE Duke or York. 
“ Str, 
“Tury who are permitted to prefix the names 
of princes to treatises of science generally enjoy the 
protection of a patron, without fearing the censure of 
a judge. 
“ The honour of approaching your royal highness 
has given me many opportunities of knowing, that the 
work which I now presume to offer will not partake 
of the usual security. For as the knowledge which 
your royal highness has already acquired of Gzomerry 
extends beyond the limits of an introduction, I expect 
not to inform you; I shall be happy if I merit your 
approbaticn. 
“ An address to such a patron admits no recom- 
mendation of the science. It is superfluous to tell 
your royal highness that Geomerry is the primary 
and fundamental art of life; that its effeets are ex- 
tended through the principal operations of human 
skill; that it conducts the soldier in the field, and the 
seaman in the ocean; that it gives strength to the 
fortress, and elegance to the palace, ‘To your royal 
highness all this is already known; Geomerry is 
secure of your regard, and your opinion of its useful- 
ness and value has sufficiently appeared, by the conde- 
seension in which you have been pleased to honour 
