use.

daughter Jane shall choose to take for own "His Greek and Latin books to be sold and the produce divided between his daughters Mary and Martha. His French and other books to his daughter Jane. To his wife an annuity during her life payable out of his estates in Northorpe and Althorpe in the Isle of Axholme, Co. Lincoln. His nephew George Eckersall to be Executor and Guardian of his children. By the first codicil he bequeathed £540 among twelve Hospitals to which he had contributed in his life time. To his daughter Wyndham £100. To his niece Hackshaw £50. In the second codicil he appoints Daniel Malthus, Esq., Trustee and Executor in the place of George Eckersall, deceased, and failing him Francis Maseres, Esq. In the third codicil he makes up the portions of his three daughters Jane, Mary and Martha to £4,000 each. Proved at London July 16, 1772, by Daniel Malthus (P.C.C. Taverner, 253), on Sept. 12, 1825, Administration of the chattels and credits left unadministered by Daniel Malthus, was granted to the Rev. Thomas Robert Malthus, Clerk.

The will of Alicia Dalton of Hurstbourne Tarrant, Co. Southampton, is dated June 20, 1796. She appointed as her sole heir her daughter Jane Dalton with remainder to her daughter Mary Powlett-Powlett. Proved at London, July 12, 1798, by Jane

Dalton the sole Executrix.

Henry Dalton was baptized at Leatherhead Aug. 14, 1746. He inherited his father's estates in Lincolnshire and for the last fifty years of his life resided at Knaith Hall. He is traditionally said to have been an old bachelor of rather eccentric habits, but very kind to the poor. He died Feb. 3, and was buried in the Chancel of Knaith Church, Feb. 12, 1821. A plain stone slab marks his grave and a marble tablet formerly on the east but now in the south wall, commemorates his virtues in the following terms:

Underneath the stone beneath this monument lie the remains of Henry Dalton Esq. owner of the manors of Knaith and Welesby and of considerable estates at Althorpe Northorpe and Binbrook in the County of Lincoln. For nearly half a century he resided in this Parish | And as a landlord and a master largely contributed to the comfort and welfare of his tenants and dependants (sic) whose happiness formed his principal gratification. The general kindliness and benevolence of his disposition | secured to him the respect and attachment of

all who knew him and for those who enjoyed his particular regard his friendship capable of the most exalted efforts. To these was not only constant and disinterested | but qualities of the heart were added the endowments of a highly cultivated mind and he elevated and adorned the character of of talents and extent of erudition I which an English Country Gentleman by a range would distinguish him as a statesman or a man of letters. He died deeply lamented | in the seventy-sixth year of his age on the third day of February, 1821.

A marble slab bearing his coat of arms was formerly fixed to the tablet, but it fell off and has been lost.

A village tradition has it that when he died the whole of the woodwork in the little church was painted black. This was later covered with a coat of brown. At the restoration of the church this paint was removed, and fine old oak was discovered beneath it.‡

of

Henry Dalton's will is in two portions,. (a) dated May 6, 1918, and (b) dated Nov. 21, 1820. He devised his lands at Walesby and Ottby, Co. Lincoln, to John Eckersall,. Esq., of Bath, and late of Claverton, Co.. Somerset, and his lands at Albury, Co. Surrey, to Sydenham Malthus, Esq. § He bequeathed to Miss Sophia Wyndham,¶ Hampton Court £30. To Mrs. Catherine Bray, daughter of the late Daniel Malthus, Esq., £100. To Mrs. Mary Bignold, "in consideration of her long and affectionate attendance on my late sister Jane Dalton," £500. To the poor of the parish of Albury, £40, and to the Rev. William Powell, £10. To Mrs. S. Atkinson of Sidney Place, Bath, "the very kind friend of my late sister Mary," £20. To William Powlett-Powlett** Esq., of Lainston, Hants, £20. Executors,

Communicated by the Rev. J. R. Elliott, late Rector of Knaith.

John Eckersall was the son of George Eckersall and Catherine Malthus (his cousin). He was born September 14, 1748, and died December, 1837. He also married a cousin, Catherine Wathen. Both were buried at Claverton. John Eckersall was related to Henry Dalton through his grandmother, Jane Dalton, and through his mother, who was a sister of Daniel Malthus.

§ Sydenham Malthus was the eldest son of Sydenham Malthus, elder brother of the Rev. Robert Thomas Malthus, the Economist, who was an Executor of his will.

Probably a relative through his halfsister, Elizabeth Wyndham.

** William Powlett-Powlett may have been a son of his sister, Mary Powlett-Powlett.

Life flying thence, he falls upon ye ground. Venus drawne by her milke-white swanns through th' aire

Lamenting sadly doth to him Repaire.

She on his effus'd blood doth nectar poure From whence sprung up a purple colour'd flow[er]

132. Orpheus torne in peeces by ye Bachinalls

Sweet orpheus with's melodious sound had drawn

Stones, trees, birds, beasts, ye fircest of ye laune

who quiet harkned to his charming songs, Till set upon by Bachinalian throngs,

whose darts and stones throne, rauish't with his sound

Not touching him fell humbly on ye ground, They wound and teare him, when with ugly noyse

of Drumes and Grerhes, they had droun'd his voyce

133. The muses bewale Orpheus

The scatter'd limbs, of Orpheus, here and there

Lye 'bout the feilds, the muses rend their hair

And wring their hands, and sadly mourne his losse

Hebrus'es waves his head and harpe do

All things converts to gold, his drink and meet,

Turneth to starving Gold between his teeth His wish h' vnwishes, Bacchus grants, he laues,

In pactolus and all begolds his waves.

135. Midas Ears turn'd into asses eares Tmolus sits Judge 'twixt pan, and Phoebus they

with cheefest skill for mastership doe play Apollo wins; surpassing Pan by farr, All giue consent; but midas he doth jar, And Speakes for Pan; Apollo thus abus'd Punish'd that part which he so much misus'd.

And for his fault upon his head he beares, No longer his, but a dull asses eares.

136. Apollo & Neptune the builders of Troy.

Phoebus and neptune humane shapes indue
Hyr'd by Laomedon Troyes walls renew;
He breakes his faith with them, Neptune
commands

The tumid sea to spread o're all the lands.
His daughter chained to a rock to be
Foode for a rageing monster of the sea:
Her hercules defends the monster slayes:
Promis'd rewards the perjur'd King deneys.

137. Thetis beloued of Peleus

Peleus loues Thetis She the surging waue, Leaues by her Dolphin brought unto a caue where she did use to rest. There peleus

and water all their deaths

The masts are broke, the sailes are tore, the sea

At last takes Ceyx, crying Alcione. 131. 7. effus'd blood. cf. "with gushing bloud effus'd." P. L.' xi. 447.

132. 7, 8. Grerhes probably an uncom

mon instrument in the musical collection of John Milton the father; it would be just like the son to bring it in here. noise and voice are rhymed in Sol. Mus.' 11. 17, 18. 133. This stanza closes the sad story of Orpheus, which always had so much interest for Milton. cf. P. L.' vii. 35-7, and 'Lycidas,' 61-3. The reader will note that in

stanza 132 trees and stones are also ravish❜t till the voice is drown'd, and in the present stanza the Hebrus carries his head to the shore at Lesbos. In the earlier draft of Lycidas' the resemblance was closer still, for divine head is found (T. 29). The present stanza is very characteristic; the repeated 'bout in a varied sense, the repeated his head, and the two conversions are significant, while the beautiful fourth line with the toss in the rhythm has the unmistakeable mark of Milton's hand. The details described in this stanza are all depicted in the cut to which it relates: head and harp floating on the Hebrus, etc. 134. Note the characteristic Miltonic repetitions throughout this stanza.

140. 7. cf. "his snares are broke;" 'P. R.' iv. 611. The rough sea and the gathering storm are quite felt in the rhythm of this stanza.

HUGH C. H. CANDY.

(To be continued).

LETTER OF JOHN NEWTON OF
OLNEY, 1781.

I cannot at present identify Sally and Peggy of the following letter; they appear not to belong to the Newton family.

Dear Sally, I intend writing both to you and Peggy, when I am a little settled at Olney. At present I only have time to inform you that we had a safe and pleasant journey hither. We came to Bedford about 20 minutes past 5 last night-found Mrs. Barham rather better than we had hoped for, and the rest of the family well.

I have already been rambling among the green fields and trees, and listning to the birds, which sing sweetly in every hedge. Poor things, they have forgotten what they suffered last winter, and their songs are not embitterd by anxious foreboding cares, that they have another winter before them. Ah, Sally it would [be] better to be a bird or a beast than a human creature, if it were not for the hope of the Gospel. Men and women torment themselves with regret and remorse for what is past, and are terrified with apprehensions of the future. They are burdened with sin, haunted by fear and care, are dissatisfied with the present, and have no chearing hope of hereafter, till they believe in Jesus. But formd for immortality, when we have promises then oh how happy is it to be a Creature for both worlds and may expect to be safely

guided thro life, and then receivd into glory. My Dear had a good night and is pretty well to day. We both join in love to you both, as does Miss Catlett.

Mention our love to Mr. and Mrs. Crawford

Mr. and Mrs. Etherige Mr. and Mrs. NindDoctor and Mrs. Ford when you see them. Likewise to Mr. Batt, Mr. Foster, &c. I am Your sincere friend Bedford ye 5 June 81.

J. N.

I wish you could send Mr. Hills book the Cobblers letter by Mr. Jones if he calle directed to Mr. Cowper. RICHARD H. THORNTON.

Portland, Oregon.

CHINESE WITNESSES.-The other day a Chinese witness was reported as sworn by blowing out a candle, the interpreter having informed the presiding magistrate that this would be considered binding on his conscience. The general rule seems to be that to witnesses of religions other than Christian an oath is administered in such form and with such ceremonies as they may declare to be binding. This may be a good rule to apply to a Jew or a Mahomedan, but it is doubtful whether it should be enforced where what we call the heathen are concerned.

Burning a piece of paper, spitting on the ground, breaking a saucer, pouring out a libation, and cutting off a white cock's head are all forms of taking an oath supposed to

be binding on the conscience of a native of 'the Flowery Land, but none of these in my opinion, after many years' experience of Chinese witnesses, can be considered as having any weight unless performed in a Chinese temple and in the presence of a Chinese idol. Even when the religious atmosphere is provided, it is extremely doubtful whether the

Chinaman's word is rendered more truthful than it would be in the absence of

such trappings, and the swearing of Chinese (other than Christians) before magistrates or coroners in England can, I apprehend, only tend to make our courts appear ridiculous to Orientals. A Chinese Mandarin, trying a case in court, never swears a witness, and in the British Colony of HongKong, where there are more than half a million Chinese residents, the judges and magistrates do not swear the non-Christian witnesses, but cause to be administered to them a declaration by which they bind themselves to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If, after the administration of this declaration, the witnesses are proved to be telling material untruths, they are subject to the pains and penalties provided for wilful and corrupt perjury.

The fear of punishment in this life is, I think, quite as effectually deterrent as the fear of judgment in the next world, and with reference to Chinese lying, which ha become proverbial with Europeans, it must always be remembered that when a Chinaman economises the truth he generally does so from moral or physical cowardice-to a friend he does not tell the truth for fear of hurting his friend's feelings; to an official he avoids the truth for fear that he may, by telling it, incur punishment. Europeans who have had experience of the Chinaman in the Straits and the Malay Peninsula will generally agree that, compared to the Indian and the Malay, the Chinaman is the witness of truth.

or

The lookers are named as follows: lookers that no wrong be done at sea; waif and stray lookers; house lookers; lookers that no persons get starr (grass) and that starr be set where required and that gutters be made in the commons; lookers that no persons turn out their cattle on the commons lands; lookers that no persons harbour or lodge vagrants; lookers that the main watercourse between Ainsdale and Green Hey be sufficiently scoured; wreck lookers; lookers that the Fleam bridge and Gorsey Hedge Clowes be duly attended to; lookers that no persons turn out their cattle in the lanes; game lookers; and lookers to the cockle beds and to see that no persons take worms, except regular fishermen, without the licence of the lookers.

Oyez, oyez, oyez! All manner of persons who owe suit and service of the Court Leet and view of frank-pledge within the court baron of Charles Weld Blundell, esquire, and John Formby, esquire, lords of the manor of Formby, now about to be holden, at this time and place, draw near and give your attendance, every man answering to his name when called and thereby saving his amercement. God save the King and the Lords of the Manor.

These particulars are taken from a detailed report of the proceedings in The Ormskirk Advertiser of 7 December, 1922.

F. H. C.

Queries.

WE must request correspondents desiring information on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries in order that answers may be sent to them direct.

it was ordained that the Boy-Bishop should select his own ministers, who were to carry the census and paper, and they were to be no longer the Canons, but "Clerks of the Third Form," i.e., his fellow choristers. E. A. G. STUART.

Kedah, Malay States.

GRAFFITI OF SHIPS IN OLD CHURCHES.In the June number of The Mariner's Mirror, I have just read an interesting article, by Mr. A. B. Emden, of S. Edmund's Hall, Oxford, upon the scratchings of ships found on the lower portions of the massive piers of the Norman Church of S. Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent. He says that in medieval times church pillars were scored with engravings of ships, unauthorised handiwork of former inhabitants, and describes the shapes and outlines of these ships, their masts, anchors, etc., in great detail.

а

Ships inscribed upon the interior stone and wood-work of sea-coast Churches provide source of information, which in its own way may be no less productive of interest, and no less provocative of debate. Graffiti of this kind, although perhaps more often than not executed by the roughest draughtsmen with the point of a knife or a marling-spike, were executed at any rate, by men or youngsters who were familiar with ships, and who scribbled up ships, because ships were uppermost in their minds. I have found other examples in the churches of Blakeney, Cleynext-the-Sea, Wiveton and Salthouse on the Norfolk coast, and one in Norwich Cathedral. Why were these engravings scratched in this manner upon church pillars? I should greatly welcome the views of readers. M. E. LORENA.

The Heritage, Deal.

DR. JOHNSON: VERSES ON "S. S." Could anyone tell me where I might obtain a copy of some verses written by Dr. Johnson on Sophia Streatfield, the beauty and classical scholar of Tunbridge Wells ("S. S."), whom he met at Mrs. Thrale's at Streatham.

F. LEVERTON HARRIS.

THE THIRD FORM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.-Is not the lowest form at a public school almost invariably known as the Third Form; if so, why, and why not the Second or First? Snell's The Customs of Old England states, in connection with the Boy-bishop observances that by the statutes of St. Paul's Cathedral in 1262,

RICHARD H. THORNTON.

a

of

FOOL'S OR DUNCE'S CAP.-Among the Rev. M. C. F. Morris's Yorkshire Reminiscences is that of seeing a fool's cap hanging in a schoolroom at a time when he was a Diocesan Inspector. He does not know that this particular specimen was ever used; but I have painful memory having been crowned with such thing,. when I was learning to read, in the judicious early years of Queen Victoria. When did the dunce's cap go out of fashion? If used now, some indignant parent would probably hale a teacher before the magistrates for defaming the character of his offspring.

a

ST. SWITHIN. SUBURBS OF THE CITY OF LONDON. I recently received from the Sheriff of the County of Middlesex a jury summons

to

appear before His Majesty's Judges and Justices at the Central Criminal Court in the Old Bailey, in the suburbs of the City of London." I know that in several old deeds the Old Bailey is described as being "in the suburbs," and it would be interesting to know what other parts of the City are "suburbs."

H. PROSSER CHANTER.