A BOOK OF FABLES (11 S. ix. 348).Your correspondent asks for information concerning a book which contains cuts by W. Kent and J. Wootton, engraved by B. Barron, P. Fourdrinier, and J. Vdr. Gucht, and whose introductory fable is 'The Shepherd and the Philosopher.'

The fables in question, i.e., the Introduction and Fables 1-50, were written by John Gay, and form the first series of his Fables' (the second series was published posthumously in 1738, and is outside of the query). This first series was published in 1727 by "J. Tonson and J. Watts," who on 6 Feb., 1727/8, paid Gay 947. 10s. for the copyright of these Fifty Fables' and his 'Beggar's Opera.' The first edition was a handsome quarto, and was rapidly followed by the second, third, fourth, and fifth editions, which were all octavos, and were dated 1728, 1729, 1733, and 1737. Since then the 'Fables' have been reprinted at least 200 times, and translated into Bengali, French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, and Urdu.

a

Unless your correspondent's copy is quarto, in which case it is the first edition and dated 1727, it is impossible to assign more than an approximate date, c. 1727-37, and an approximate edition, first to fifth, to it, because his copy lacks the title-page. The editions which I have noted are the only ones whose plates are signed with all the names mentioned in the query.

The cuts (not counting the tragic mask on the title-page) are fifty-one in number, and are placed in rectangular frames at the head of the introductory fable and each of the fifty fables in the volume. They were designed and drawn by two of Gay's friends, William Kent and John Wootton. Both were painters of some note, but Kent excelled as an architect, while Wootton was chiefly known as an animal and landscape painter. Their fortes are clearly shown on their respective plates. The designs were so excellent and so well adapted to their subjects that practically all of the succeeding illustrators of Gay's Fables' have been content merely to copy, or at the most to modify, the original designs.

The illustrations were cut in the best manner of the time by the well-known engravers B. Barron, Peter Fourdrinier, and Jan Van der Gucht. The cut to Fable 49 is signed "A. Motte, sc.," and apparently was not noted by your correspondent. Gay thought that they were a bit slow with their work, for in his letter of 18 Feb., 1726/7, to

The particulars given indicate By the late Mr. Gay. The Sixth Edition. London: Printed for J. and R. Tonson and J. Watts.

MDCCXLVI." Very likely MR. RATCLIFFE'S copy is of an earlier edition, In mine the name Baron (not Barron) appears once only, viz., at Fable VIII., The Lady and the Wasp,' and the initial of the Christian name is illegible, consisting of nothing but two little marks.

With my copy is bound " Fables. By the late Mr. Gay. Volume the Second. The Fifth Edition. London: Printed for J. and P. Knapton in Ludgate-street; and J. Hinton in Newgate-street. latter has full-page illustrations, drawn by H. Gravelot, engraved by G. Scotin.

66

MDCCLV.' This

ROBERT PIERPOINT.

GENERAL BEATSON (11 S. vi. 430, 516; vii. 57, 135, 237; ix. 397).-Is not MR. TEW somewhat in error in speaking of General Scarlett's too forward advance at Balaclava -after the charge of the Light Brigade"? If I remember rightly, the glorious charge of the Heavy Brigade preceded the charge of the Light Brigade, and was in its way as splendid a as that of the Light Calvalry was a splendid failure. A third French Chasseurs d'Afrique, serving in great cavalry charge was, I think, made by the degree to cover the retreat of our Light Brigade.

success

W. S-RR.

FEAST OF SHELLS (11 S. ix. 108, 175).— Will MR. PEET or any other reader kindly say in what sort of shells the ancient Gaels drank when they feasted together?

Formerly the Chinese made it a fashion to drink out of the shells of the pearly nautilus and Tridacna gigas. The latter is said by the celebrated savant Yang Chin (1488-1559) to possess a singular characteristic of never spilling, should it be made into a cup and so overfilled with wine as to exceed its brim by a tenth of an inch (Li Shi-Chin, Pantsau-kang-muh,' 1578, tom. xlvi.). The Japanese sometimes drink from the Venus's. ear shell (Haliotis gigantea), which they deem an emblem of longevity and good fortune. From the Makura no Sôshi,' written in the eleventh century, we understand the then Japanese noblemen - nay, even ladies— occasionally to have drunk from the shell of Turbo marmoratus, a usage which has not

GRIMOL (11 S. ix. 410). St. Annes-on the-Sea is part of the old parish of Lytham where in the time of Richard I. (1189-99) was founded a cell dependent upon the Priory of Durham. In the foundation charter the boundaries of the lands forming the endowment are clearly defined, of which the following is a portion :

"To wit, from the ditch on the western side of the burial yard of Kilgrimol, above which I have erected a crop, westward unto the sea.'

In an agreement as to the boundaries between Lytham and Laton, dated 9 Feb., 1271, between the Sheriff of Lancashire and the Prior and monks of " Lithum," mention is made of pasture land lying between Kelgrimoles and Laton, and reference to the ancient cross on the Croshowe, and another cross erected by the Prior between Lytham and Laton. It is well known that, centuries ago, many acres of land on either side of the Ribble became submerged, and were said to have been "drowned and adnichilate," as one old record puts it. The original church of Lytham shared this fate, and all that was left of it was the old burial-ground named in the above charter (History of Lytham,' Chetham Soc., lx., New Series). As to the meaning of Grimol, authorities may differ. Several other places in the district had the terminative meols, meles, melys, all of which were situate on the sandy shore of the river. In Domesday Book one Wilbert held lands in West Derby known as Erengermeles in 33 Hen. III. (1248-9). Thomas de Betham died seised of Argarmell: this latter place was, before the end of the fourteenth century, swept away by the encroachment of the HENRY FISHWICK.

river.

Domesday Book tells us of five thanes who held Otegrimele or Otringemele, which Dr. Farrer identifies with North Meols in his History' of that parish. He suggests that they were descendants of Odda, son of Grim, a Norse settler among these sandhills, or mels, and states that these names occur in the Landnama-bok,' iii. 17, as ancestors of one Mark de Melis.

The Rev. J. Sephton, in his 'Handbook of Lancashire Place-Names,' says the first

6

theme of Otegrimele is Ohthere (see Searle's Onomasticon Anglo-Saxonicum,' 365), which name is found, he says, in King Alfred's Orosius. Argarmeols (the Erengermeles of Domesday) is now partly represented by Birkdale. The first theme of this, according to Mr. Sephton, is a personal name Earngaev, the Norse Arngeirr. Dr. Wyld and Mr. Hurst, in their Place-Names of Lancashire," agree in this, and also that Meols is from melr, a sandhill, but do not appear to notice Otegrimele. No such form as Grimol seems to occur. R. S. B.

THE AGE OF COUNTRY BRIDGES (11 S. viii. 270, 315).-In case my query at the first reference may have interested others the following gleanings which I have made subsequently may also be of interest.

The Act regulating the construction of bably in search of, was the County Bridges country bridges, which my query was proAct, 1803, or Lord Ellenborough's Act, 1803

to give its two popular names-otherwise Act 43 Geo. III. cap. 59. In its section v. it provides

built in any county....shall be deemed....to "That no bridge hereafter to be erected or be a county bridge....unless such bridge shall be erected in a substantial and commodious manner, under the direction or to the satisfaction of the county surveyor."

It is to be noted that no measurement is given, but old by-laws of different counties might give minimum measurements as a definition of "the satisfaction of the county surveyor." In any case, it is evident from the above extract that county bridges which are not "substantial and commodious" are older than 1803 at least.

Acts bearing on country bridges are few and far between, and a good authority informs me that he knows of none which prescribes for them a minimum width. Here is a list, given me by the above authority, of Acts relating to country bridges: 22 Henry VIII. cap. 5; 14 Geo. II. cap. 33; 43 Geo. III. cap. 59; 54 Geo. III. cap. 90; 5 & 6 William IV. cap. 50; 33 & 34 Vic. cap. 73. T. LLECHID JONES.

Yspytty Vicarage, Bettws-y-Coed.

"BLIZARD" AS A SURNAME (11 S. ix290, 396, 437).-Blizard or Blezard seems to be a Lancashire name. The earliest instance of it which I have met is in the Whalley Parish Registers, wherein the burial of Elizabeth Blesard is recorded in 1580. The name, spelt Blessard, Blezard, and Blessard again, appears in the

Cockerham Registers from 1597 to 1619 as of parishioners living in Wyresdale. The river Wyre drains the north part of Bleasdale Forest, and at the headwaters there is Bleasdale Moss. In Sephton's 'Handbook of Lancashire Place-Names' this Bleasdale is said to be derived either from the Old Norse blár, dark blue, or from Blaes, Blees, a personal name.

as

I would suggest that Blezard has arisen from this name "Blees " and the word 46 assart,' which means land cleared of wood and rendered arable. Assart was used a surname; thus we find in the Lan cashire Assize Rolls in 1262 that a Juliana de Assarto was charged with a breach of the forest laws. When these stringent laws were relaxed "Assarts" would become more common, and have to be distinguished from each other by some prefix; hence Blees-Assart might arise, which would soon be modified to Bleessart, from which the transition to Blessard would be easy.

In 1666 Blizard appears in Chester's London Marriage Licences.' In 1702 and 1748 Bleazard is found in the Richmond Wills. In 1764 we find Bleazerd, in 1802 Blezard,

in the same wills.

MISSIONARY SHIP DUFF (11 S. ix. 410). The title of the book alluded to in my reply at 10 S. xi. 112 is "A Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean performed in the Years 1796, 97, 98, in the Ship Duff, commanded by Capt. James Wilson," pub

lished 1799. It contains an exhaustive list of subscribers who were in all pro

bability " interested in that most worthy enterprise. The book can scarcely be considered rare, although it is seldom met with. The exact date of sailing from the Thames was 10 Aug., 1796, at 6 A.M.; and just a month later (10 Sept., at 9 A.M.) the final departure with the East India convoy, took place from Spithead where the ships lay waiting for a fair wind. If H. H. will communicate with me direct, I shall be pleased to send any particular details required. FRANK PAUL.

61, Marmion Road, Southsea. The following book is entered in Lowndes under Wilson, James:

"A Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean performed in the Years 1796, 1797, 1798, in the Ship Duff, commanded by Captain James Wilson," &c. London, 1799. 4to, with 13 maps and views. J. F. R.

66

DR. JOHN SAMUEL PHENÉ (11 S. ix. 407). In The Morning Leader for 29 Sept., 1905, a drawing of Dr. Phené's house, 76, Oakley Street, Chelsea, of which the scaffolding was then said to be down, is given, and the public had "a view of what is undoubtedly the most astonishing front in London." It certainly has a most picturesque appearance as there shown. Some account of this new house is also given; but to a request to be allowed a view of the interior Dr. Phené replied: No one has been admitted to see it.'"

66

He died, at the age of 89, on 9 March, 1912, and The Evening Standard of 12 March gave some details in regard to his life, under the general heading of Chelsea Hermit's Death: Vagaries of a Strange Career,' as well as a description of the house (there described as 32, Oakley Street).

A cutting from The Standard a few months later (unfortunately not dated in my cutting, but it is one of the months ending 31,5291., of which the net personalty was in r, 1912) says that his will was proved at he left to the French Protestant Hospital, sworn at 29,2671. Among many provisions Victoria Park, two pictures one of a Huguenot lady (Miss Hillier), by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and one of a Huguenot minister (name not mentioned in The Standard). He also left instructions for

a proper and efficient biography with illustrations of my life and travels, with a consideration of 100 guineas to John Murray, Esq., of Albemarle Street, to suggest a compiler, and a comDetails are given as to the disposal of his petent fee for compiling such biography.' property, and at the death of his residuary legatee or legatees, his books, manuscript lectures, drawings, and photographs (after having been used for the preparation of his 'Life ) are to go to the library of the Chelsea Polytechnic, Manresa Road, Chelsea. Money was also left for several of his servants and other assistants. The bulk of the property house is described as 5, Carlton Terrace, was left to two relatives. In this will the Oakley Street, Chelsea; but see above as to the two different numberings in the reports. F. J. HYTCH.

The following appeared in The Daily News of 29 Oct., 1912:

"Sir Joshua Reynolds's portrait of Miss Hillier, a Huguenot lady, has been bequeathed to the French Protestant Hospital, in Victoria Park Road, N.E., by the late Dr. John Samuel Phené, of 5, Carlton Terrace, Oakley Street, Chelsea. Dr. Phené, whose estate has been valued at 31,5291. for probate, was a member of several learned societies, and he claimed to trace