Chicksand Priory, Bedfordshire, was granted, 
1539: it was alienated by his family, about 1600, 
to Sir John Osborn, Knt., whose descendants now 
possess it. In Berry’s Pedigrees of Surrey Fa- 
milies, p. 83., 1 find an Edward Snowe of Chick- 
sand mentioned as having married Emma, second 
daughter of William Byne, Esq., of Wakehurst, 
Sussex. What was his relationship to R. Snow, 
mentioned above? The arms of this family are, 
Per fesse nebulée azure, and argent three ante- 
lopes’ heads erased counterchanged, armed or. 
The Bristol Riots—* J. B. M.” asks our Bristol 
readers what compilation may be relied on as an 
aecurate description of the Bristol riots of 1831 ? 
and whether Zhe Bristol Riots, their Causes, Pro- 
gress, and Consequences, by a Citizen, is generally 
received as an accurate account ? 
1, Union Place, Lisson Grove. 
A Living Dog better than a Dead Lion.—-Can 
any of your readers inform me with whom the 
proverb originated: “A living dog is better than a 
dead lion?” EF. Domin. Bannez (or Bannes), in 
his defence of Cardinal Cajetan, after his death, 
against the attacks of Cardinal Catharinus and 
Melchior Canus, (Comment. in prim. par, S. Thom. 
p- 450. ed. Duaci, 1614), says — 
“ Certe potest dici de istis, quod de Grecis insultan- 
tibus Hectori jam mortuo dixit Homerus, quod leoni 
mortuo etiam lepores insultant.” 
Query? Is this, or any like expression, to be 
found in Homer ? If-so, [should feel much obliged 
to any of your correspondents who would favour 
me with the reference. Joun SANsom. 
Author of “Literary Leisure.’—Can any of 
your readers inform me of the name of the author 
of Literary Leisure, published by Miller, Old Bond 
Street, 1802, in 2 volumes? It purports to have 
come out in weekly parts. of which the first is 
dated Sept. 26.1799. It contains many interest- 
ing papers in prose and verse: it is dedicated to 
the Editors of the Monthly Review. The motto in 
the title-page is — 
« Salva res est: philosophatur quoque jam ; 
Quod erat ei nomen? Thesaurochrysonico- 
chrysides.” — Plautus. 
Is the work noticed in the Monthly Review about 
that time ? * Nemo. 
The Meaning of “ Complexion.”—Is the word 
“complexion,” used in describing an individual, 
to be considered as applied to the tint of the skin 
only, or to the colour of the hair and eyes? Can 
a person, having dark eyes and hair, but witha 
clear white skin, be said to be fair ? Nemo. 
American Bittern — Derivation of * Calamity.” 
— It has been stated of an American Bittern, that 
it has the power of emitting rays of light from its 
breast, by which fish are attracted within its reach. 
Can any one inform me as to the fact, or refer ne 
to.any ornithological work in which I ean find if? 
In answer to “ F.S. Martin” — Calamity (cu- 
lamitas), not from calamus, as it is usually derived, 
but perhaps from obs. calamis, i. e. columis, fram 
KéA@, KoAdw, kokutw, to maim, mutilate, and so for 
columitus. (See Riddle’s Lat.-Eng. Dictionary.) 
AUGUSTINE, 
Inquisition in Mexico. —**D.” wishes to be 
furnished with references to any works in which 
the actual establishment of the Inquisition ia 
Mexico is mentioned or described, or in which 
any other information respecting it is conveyed. 
Masters of St. Cross. — “ H. Epwarps” will de 
obliged by information of any work except Dug- 
dale’s Monasticon, containing a list of the namesof 
the Masters of the Hospital of St. Cross, Win-+ 
chester; or of the Masters or Priors of the same 
place before Humphry de Milers; and of tue 
Masters between Bishop Sherborne, about 1491, 
and Bishop Compton, about 1674. 
Etymology of “ Dalston.” —The hamlet of Hack- 
ney, now universally known only as Daiston, is 
spelt by most topographists Dorleston or Dalston, 
I have seen it in one old Gazette Darvlston, and I 
observed it lately, on a stone let in to an old row 
of houses, Dolston; this was dated 1792. I have 
searched a great many books in vain to discover 
the etymology, and from it, of course, the correct 
spelling of this word, the oldest form of which 
that I can find is Dorleston. 
The only probable derivations of it that I can 
find are the old words Doles and ton (from Saxon 
dun), a village built upon a slip of land between 
furrows of ploughed earth ; or Dale (Dutch Dai), 
and stune, a bank in a valley. The word may, 
however, be derived from some man’s name, 
though I ean find none at all like it in a long list 
of tenants upon Hackney Manor that I have 
searched. If any of your readers can furnish this 
information, they will much oblige 
H. C. pr Sr. Crorx. 
“ Brown Study”—-a term generally applied to in- 
tense reverie. Why “brown,” rather than blue or 
yellow? Brown must be a corruption of some 
word, Query of “ barren,” in the sense of fruit- 
less or useless ? D.V.S. 
Coal Brandy.—People now old can recollect 
that, when young, they heard people then old talk 
of “coal-brandy.” What was this? Cold? or, 
in modern phrase, raw, neat, or genuine? CANTAR. 
Swot.—I have often heard military men talk of 
swot, meaning thereby mathematics ; and persons 
eminent in that science are termed “good swots.” 
As I never heard the word except amongst the 
military, but there almost universally in “ free and 
[No. 22. 
tals 
