"HEIGHTEM, TIGHTEM AND SCRUB (12 S. vii. 248, 295, 356).—“Hightum, Tightum, and Scrub are mentioned under the year 1818, in I. T. Smith's 'A Book for a Rainy Day,' edited by Wilfred Whitten (1905), p. 230. A. H. S. CARLYLE'S 'FRENCH REVOLUTION' (12 S. viii. 29).—It looks very much as if Carlyle has made a mistake, for Billaud-Varennes was banished to Sinnamari, which is near Cayenne, and the Surinam is in Dutch Guiana far away. Were there an oceancurrent flowing eastward it might perhaps have carried alluvial matter from the Surinam in the direction of Sinnamari, but the Equatorial current runs in the opposite direction. But even if Carlyle confused the Surinam with some other river, it does not follow that Billaud was seriously inconvenienced by river-mud on any occasion. Carlyle says little about his exile, but such infpression as he gives is incorrect probably. Everything goes to prove that Billaud had as pleasant a time in French Guiana as was possible under the circumstances. He himself speaks in one of his letters (published, I think. since 66 Carlyle wrote) of the beautiful landscape and of his delightful home, as romantic as it was picturesque. Carlyle tells us that he surrounded himself with flocks of tame parrots," whereas the parrots were, no doubt, always there and would have remained there without Billaud's kind attentions. This judicial assassin occupied himself mainly with agricultural pursuits, meditating on the doctrines contained in Emile,' impressing upon his erring wife in France that there is such a thing as an irreparable fault and enjoying the rural calm all the more after the terrific experiences of his political career. Carlyle, in short, seems to have aimed at setting forth striking details rather than at producing a picture of what really happened. 66 T. PERCY ARMSTRONG. DANIEL DEFOE IN THE PILLORY (12 S. viii. 12). In reply to G. B. M.'s question the following extract from The London Gazette, No. 3936, Aug. 2, 1703, may be of interest : 66 (London, July 31 1703.) On (Thursday) the 29th instant, Daniel Foe alias De Foe, stood in the Pillory before the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, as he did yesterday near the Conduit in Cheapside,. and this day at Temple Bar; in pursuance of the sentence given against him, at the last Sessions. at the Old Bailey, for writing and publishing a seditious libel, intituled The Shortest Way with the Dissenters.' By which sentence, he is also fined 200 marks, to find sureties for his good behaviour for seven years, and to remain in prison till all be performed." W. W. DRUETT.. Notes on Books. English Wayfariny Life in the Middle Ages. By J. J. Jusserand. A new edition revised and' enlarged by the Author. (Fisher Unwin, 258.) WE are glad to welcome an old friend in a new edition of M. Jusserand's English Wayfaring Life.' It is now some five and thirty years since La Vie Nomade first made its appearance, and some thirty since the first English edition was published. Within this period there have been not fewer than nine impressions, a fact that vouches for the popularity of the work. The volume before us is the second edition, printed from new plates, revised in the light of modern research by its distinguished author, In format, too, we note virtually a new book. a difference. Those who are familiar with the A EARLY RAILWAY TRAVELLING (12 S. vii. 461, 511; viii. 13,32).—Humour in railway station design, described at the last reference, is not confined to Ireland. We have an example of it on the L.S.W. line at Dor-attempt of a competent scholar, the first attempt chester, amusing to the leisured, and exasperating to the hurried, traveller. There, trains may daily be seen rushing past their proper platform, and then solemnly backing to the appointed place. The book we have said is virtually a new book. This is no exaggeration. The bulk has not been appreciably increased and a page for page collation with an earlier impression will not reveal a large amount of additional matter. What it will reveal is a systematic rewriting of the whole. There is Aima, of careful reconsideration and refinement readings-which heighten the vivacity of the Corrections and additions have been so skilfully characters in introduced as to be barely perceptible. The reduce the effect of all but the greatest of the greatest fiction-slightly freshness and whimsicality of treatment remain. Trollope's creations. A few new illustrations are inserted and some of put down to that inequality as a story-teller This is perhaps to be the old ones appear to have been printed from with which Prof. Saintsbury gently, but justly The press work is good, and the reproaches Trollope. only complaint we have concerns the paper which is too heavily clayed for permanence. But times are difficult for publishers and to have carried the work through so successfully is a matter for congratulation. new blocks. Essays and Studies by Members of the English Mr. George Sampson contributes a delightful essay On playing the Sedulous Ape,' which consists of reflections and their branching reflections on the well-known passage where Stevenson declares that, in the process of masters of style. He argues that critics have acquiring the art of writing he imitated divers taken Stevenson's words with too literal and heavy a seriousness, and that, allowing them to indicate a certain amount of practical study and practice in divers English styles, done at the prentice stage of authorship, there is nothing to do but applaud. dealt with, is an affair of sentences and phrases. Style, as here As such we think it has been somewhat overconsidered. No doubt phrase and sentence construction require care-Mr. Sampson puts some ludicrous deterrents before the carelessA collection of papers like this-carefully but we do not hear enough of the greater care selected and printed and put into a strong and which should be expended, and expended first, neat cloth cover-seems, by its very appear- upon the construction, the balanced form, of the ance, to set up some little claim to be taken piece of writing as a whole. more seriously than the literary essays of nation that is muddled in its prose," he says, Again, "the current journalism-to be kept and, in fine, "will be muddled in to be re-read. The claim would not, as the though it be, we think the converse not only its thought ": trite book stands, be without foundation, yet we truer but better worth saying. wonder, somewhat, that the writers have not we would support Mr. Sampson's arguments That is to say, thought it worth while to add that additional to the effect that there is a great deal to be depth of working, and also that additional said in favour of direct imitation of the style polish, which would have made it obviously of this or that master solid and well-founded. of English, with a Three of the essays proviso: that the would-be imitator are occupied very largely with style: it seems already exercised himself in the larger problems curious that writers with that pre-occupation of construction and occupied himself should not have been brought to consider the quately with the classifying, selecting and importance not merely of style in phrase but ordering of the ideas he intends to set forth. also of style in form-the form of the whole. The getting of a language, like the making Suggestive and interesting as these papers o fa friendship, cannot be quite left to chanceare they are more ephemeral in quality than but yet is most successfully brought off if it is they need have been by reason of a certain not, at the beginning, pursued too directly. formlessness. 66 com Having delivered ourselves of this plaint we can proceed to pay the thanks due for real and considerable enjoyment. Prof. Saintsbury re-visiting Trollope delivers himself of a principle of criticism which we wholeheartedly endorse. The questions he asks about a work of fiction, he says, are: "Is the romance such that you see the perilous seas and ride the barrière as in your own person? Are the folk of the novel such that you have met or feel that you might have met them in your life or theirs? If so the work passes; with what degree of merit is again a second question." The difficulty of applying this principle where nicety of judgment is required lies in the diversity of the judges' minds. Things 66 come alive " much we have ade must Miss Melian Stawell's analysis of the work of Mr. Conrad is a very good article and should send new and keen readers to an author worthy of them. The paper for which express our personal predilection is the clear and charming account of the Caedmonian' Genesis by Dr. Bradley-a paper which alone would justify giving this volume a permanent place upon one's book shelf. attractive little Notices to Correspondents. EDITORIAL Communications should be addressed to The Editor of Notes and Queries '"-Advertisements and Business Letters to more lishers"-at the Office, Printing House Square, "The PubLondon, E.C.4.; corrected proofs to the Athenæum Press, 11 and 13 Bream's Buildings, E.C.4. readily to one person than to another, and even to the same person more readily at one time than another. We agree that the best of Trollope passes upon this principle being applied; but, or so the present writer has found, the first reading remains the most vivid and decisive; the second and third be written on a separate slip of paper, with the IT is requested that each note, query, or reply sigrature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. Publishers' Binding Cases VOL. VII. (July to December, 1920) Notes and Queries is now in preparation. In green cloth, gold blocked. These Cases may be ordered through Booksellers, or obtained direct from THE PUBLISHER, THE TIMES OFFICE, at the published price, 2s. each post free. The Publisher has also made arrangements for Binding Subscribers' Parts into Volumes at an inclusive charge of 48. 6d., covering Case, Binding, and return postage. Parts for Binding should be sent post-paid to THE The PUBLISHER, and marked "BINDING ORDER.' necessary remittance should be forwarded at the same time, under separate cover. 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