2"<i S. VI. 135, July 31. '58.1 NOTES AND QUERIES. 



9? 



of Lyon by patent dated April 1, 1671. In like 

 manner he and his son Charles had a conjunct 

 grant of the same, Jan. 29, 1 702. He was not de- 

 prived of the office, but held it till his death, which 

 took place in February, 1727 (not 1735, as stated 

 by A. S. A., pi'obably on the authority of the 

 Peerage writers). In the notice of his death he 

 is called Lyon King-at-Arms. The reversionary 

 grant in favour of his son does not appear to have 

 taken effect. 



14. Alexander Brodie of Brodie. In his com- 

 mission as Lyon Herald King-of-Arms, July 6, 

 1727, his appointment is said to be on the death 

 of Sir Charles Areskine, the father, and Sir Alex- 

 ander Areskine, the son, who last held the office. 



15. John Campbell, younger (afterwards Hook 

 Campbell), and Alexander Campbell, Esquires, 

 sons of John Campbell of Calder, had ajoint com- 

 mission of the office of Lyon Herald King-of- 

 Arms, April 3, 1754. The former officiated at 

 the coronation of George III., September 22, 1761. 



16. Robert, ninth Earl of KinnouU, and his son, 

 Thomas, Viscount Dupplin, were appointed, May 

 26, 1796, with the bene6t of survivorship. The 

 salary was raised from 300Z. to 6001. by Privy Seal 

 Warrant, July 25 following. 



17. Thomas, tenth Earl of Kinnoull, the present 

 holder of the office. His lordship officiated at the 

 procession of George IV. in Edinburgh, August 

 22, 1822, from Holyrood House to the Castle, but 

 acted by deputy at the coronations of that so- 

 vereign, of AVilliam IV., and of Queen Victoria. 



During the tenure of office of the last two 

 noble Lyons, as well as of a great number of their 

 predecessors, the appointment has been little more 

 than a sinecure, conferred for political reasons, 

 and exercised by deputes holding office during 

 pleasure ; and the loss of respect and confidence 

 caused by the mercenary and ignorant doings of 

 the officials in recent times has been so great that 

 no remedy can be successful unaccompanied by 

 a sweeping change of the system. It is to be 

 hoped, therefore, if the subsistence of such an in- 

 stitution be deemed expedient, that on the first 

 voidance of the office of Lord Lyon, it shall not 

 be filled up till a thorough investigation be or- 

 dered by authority.* Why should this ancient 

 office continue a sinecure, and not be filled by an 

 able and zealous antiquary, discharging, like Sir 

 James Balfour and his predecessors, the duties 

 personally, as in the case of the Kings-of- Arms of 

 England and Ireland ? A depute would then be 

 unnecessary, except for matters of form and special 

 emergencies, and the subsidiary existing appoint- 

 ments are quite sufficient in number to constitute 

 an efficient college of arms. After a commission 

 composed of competent individuals shall have re- 

 ported as to the proper measures to be taken to ob- 



* As was lately done in the case of the principal keeper 

 of the Kegiater of Sasiues, ou the death of Mr. i'ringle. 



tain this, there will be no difficulty in framing an 

 act of parliament to carry these into effect, should 

 that be necessary. Much edifying information 

 respecting " the duties, salaries, fees, and emolu- 

 ments" of the "Office and Court of the Lord 

 Lyon" will be found in the Tenth Report of the 

 Commissioners on the Courts of Justice in Scot- 

 land, dated May 20, 1822. R. R. 



3acjlterf t0 jKinor «aun-tc^. 



Heraldic Query (2"* S. vi. 49.) — Armorial en- 

 signs are transmitted by hereditary descent, and 

 all who inherit the blood of the original grantee 

 are entitled to this honorary distinction. For this 

 reason, I think, a plebeian alliance of the nature of 

 that described would not so degrade the family of 

 A. as to invalidate the right. The honour simply 

 remains in abeyance, B.'s family not being able to 

 quarter the arms because that family had no arms 

 of its own with which to do so ; but in the family 

 of C. the impediment is removed. 



For the same reason L. M. is not entitled to 

 quarter the arms of his grandmother's brother's 

 wife, there being no consanguinity between them ; 

 but I have no doubt that upon a petition to the 

 crown, through the Heralds' College, the right 

 would be granted upon payment of the usual fees. 

 The inquirer had better apply to G. Harrison, 

 Esq., Windsor Herald. John Maclean. 



Hammersmith. 



Coincidences among the Poets (2°* S. vi. 45,) — 

 Db. Doran's article on the above subject brought 

 to my mind a very remarkable "coincidence;" 

 but, in the strict sense of the term, hardly one 

 " among the poets," although few would deny that 

 the " story of Le Fevre " is the creation of a poet 

 in posse, if not in esse. 



The readers of Tristram Shandy and Lalla 

 Rookh will not fail to recognise the following : — 



" He shall not die by G ! cried my Uncle Toby. — 



The accusing spirit -vvhich flew up to Heaven's chancery 

 with the oath, blushed as he gave it in, — and the record- 

 ing angel, as he wrote it down, dropped a tear upon the 

 word, and blotted it out for ever." 



« . . . . there written all 

 Black as the damning drops that -fall 

 From the denouncing Angel's pen. 

 Ere Mercy weeps them out again." 



Dr. Doran, too, in his playful allusion to the 

 "bean blossoms" and "dreams of bacon," has, 

 unwittingly perhaps, added another instance of 

 "coincidence among the poets:" see Southey's 

 " Apology for the Pig :" — 



" And there ! the breeze 

 Pleads with me, and has won thee to the smile 

 That speaks conviction. O'er yon blossom'd field 

 Of beans it came, and thoughts of bacon rise." 



J. J. SOMKKS. 



