2'><« S. VI. 149., Nov. 6. '58.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



379 



plan to interfere with the legitimate sphere of 

 " N. & Q." Of course the communication would 

 be by post, and therefore much interesting matter 

 might pass from hand to hand without being made 

 available to the public in "N. & Q." I would 

 therefore advise that this sheet should be con- 

 fined to subjects of individual interest only — such 

 would be for the most part genealogical inquiries 

 — and that all Queries and Replies of general in- 

 terest should still appear in extenso in " N. & Q." 

 Your paper would thus be freed from much that 

 now occupies space for the gratification of a few, 



though uninteresting to the majority, while on 

 the other hand the inducement of a return would 

 elicit much interesting literary matter. 



I would therefore suggest that an option should 

 be left with our worthy Editor, whether these in- 

 quiries should be reserved for the body of " N. & 

 Q.," as on a subject of public interest, or inserted 

 in the " Private Intee-communication Page." 

 (Shall that be its name ?) 



I suppose the arrangement of that page would 

 be something like the following imaginary speci- 

 men : — 



To "open the ball," No. 1. is a lona fide in- 

 quiry. 



Care must be taken not to let this sheet 

 degenerate into a mere agency advertisement ; 

 and I am inclined to think it should be confined 

 to subscribers. John Ribton Garstin. 



Dublin. 



I really hope that you will carry out the idea 

 of your correspondent, who suggests that there 

 should be a mutual communication upon genea- 

 logical subjects, through the medium of your 

 pages ; and by keeping to the rule that each per- 

 son requiring information should be a subscriber, 

 and should also give his name and address, in order 

 that any who can afford him the information he 

 requires may write direct, and so not encumber 

 your very valuable pages with mere family matter, 

 much good would be done to all parties. Allow 

 me in conclusion to say that the clergy as a body 

 are the most polite gentlemen I have met with in 

 the course of my researches, frequently giving me 

 long letters and extracts from their registers, of 

 course in a non-ofBcial form ; and antiquaries 

 cannot be too thankful to them for their constant 

 kindness. M. D. 



I have this morning read " A Suggestion " in 

 "N. & Q." I write immediately to beg you, if 

 you act upon it, to put ray name in the list of 

 those who would be glad to make genealogical 

 researches on mutual terms. I do not live near 

 a cathedral town, but I have access to many of 

 the parish registers in this neighbourhood. 



C.a:po Illud's suggestion is well worthy of the 

 attention of all genealogists. Edward Peacock. 



The Manor, liottesfortl, Brigg. 

 October 18, 1868. 



I read with much pleasure the suggestion put 

 forth by CiEDo Illud, and have no doubt its 

 adoption would prove a great practical boon to 

 genealogists, amateur and professional, but more 

 especially to the former class. 



Having devoted some time, principally during 

 vacation, to genealogical researches, as an amateur 

 in the radical sense of the word, I have had occa- 

 sion to inspect many parochial registers, chiefly 

 in the western counties, and whilst acknowledging 

 the general courtesy met with from the clerical 

 custodians, I take this opportunity of drawing 

 your attention to the very neglected state in 

 which the majority of the registers which have 

 come under my notice — and 1 believe the ma- 

 jority in the whole kingdom — are found. Leaves 

 loose and mixed up indiscriminately, torn, damp 

 and mildewy, are the appearances which too often 

 greet the eye of the investigator. 



Scattered through the parish registers of the 

 kingdom are entries, baptismal, matrimonial, and 

 burial, of the utmost importance in establishing 

 the genealogies, titles to estates and honours, of 

 members of our noble and gentle families, and yet 

 these records are yearly diminishing ! The very 

 able work of Mr. Downing Bruce of the Temple, 

 on this subject, sufficiently shows the necessity for 

 taking some steps for their conservation. 



" I need do nothing more," says Mr. Bruce, " than 

 mention three cases which have fallen under my own 

 observation within the present year (1852). The first 

 occurred at Andover in Hampshire, where I made copious 

 extracts from the dilapidated books in the year 1845 — 

 but on recently visiting that place for the purpose of a 

 parliamentary search, I found tliat these books were no 

 longer in existence, and that those which remained were 

 kept in the rectory-house, in a dump place under the stair- 

 case, a7id in a shameful state of dilapidation. The second 

 case occurred at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, where the 

 earliest register mentioned in thu return was reported to 



