·

added. This is important, because it is sometimes difficult for the student to know if his books are complete in this respect. To take an instance, not one in a dozen copies of Prickett's History of Highgate' possesses the correct number of plates, and as no list of illustrations is given in the book, it requires some expert knowledge to ascertain if any particular copy is perfect.

Such a work could best be accomplished by means of a club or society undertaking it on co-operative lines, as it is not likely that any publisher would risk his money on it. A hundred members with an annual subscription of a guinea should be able to complete the task in five years. I venture to think that this is the only practical method of successfully executing a work which would be of undoubted utility and value; but in order to start it, a young and enthusiastic "navvy 22 is required.

W. F. PRIDEAUX.

Evidently W. S. S. has misunderstood the query at the first reference, or at least my suggestions when replying. Nobody has proposed to include, for example, all the books, periodicals, &c., issued in the parishes of St. Bride and St. Dunstan-in-the-West in any bibliography of London. It is the topography and history only that have been dealt with in the bibliographies already attempted, and this is as much as could be accomplished with any probability of final

success.

Sonnenschein's 'Best Books' is of no value in this connexion, and the sections of the B.M. Catalogue are not of great importance. The best method would be to form bibliographies of the boroughs, parishes, or the sub-sections adopted in the Guildhall Catalogue. We should thus obtain satisfactory fragments of the long-sought whole. ALECK ABRAHAMS.

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2

OLIVER TWIST ON THE STAGE IN 1838 (11 S. ii. 129).-The following is taken from the editorial notes in The Dickensian for August, 1905 :—

"The first [dramatized version of Oliver Twist'] was produced on May 21st, 1838, at the Pavilion Theatre, before the story was half finished in serial form. It was adapted by C. Z. Barnett. The second version was by George Almar, and was first performed at the Surrey Theatre, November 19th, 1838; whilst three other separate versions, one at Sadler's Wells, another at the Adelphi, and another at the City of London, were seen on the London stage before the close of the year. The story, in three volumes, appeared in October, 1838.

"From then up to the present day only two other versions, apparently, have been played in

London, one at the Queen's Theatre in Long Acre, when a 'new' version, prepared by John Oxenford, Mr. Oswald Brand, at the Grand Theatre, Islington, was given on April 11th, 1868... .; the other by March 30th, 1903.......

"Dickens made two propositions to dramatize, or to collaborate in dramatizations of 'Oliver Twist,' but neither came to anything. One was to Macready, in November, 1838. The great actor appreciated the kindness and generous intention of Dickens, but assured him of the utter impracticability of the book for dramatic purposes. The other was to Frederick Yates, and although no arrangements were consummated between them, Yates produced a version, which was given at the Adelphi referred to above."

The dramatized version by Mr. J. Comyns Carr was produced at His Majesty's Theatre on 10 July, 1905.

According to Forster the Adelphi representation was "by a theatrical adapter named Stirling." Dickens appears to have witnessed this production and also that by Almar at the Surrey Theatre (see Forster's 'Life,' Book II. chap. iv.).

In Mr. John P. Anderson's Bibliography at the end of Sir Frank T. Marzials's Life of Dickens ("Great Writers " Series) the adaptations of Barnett and Almar only are mentioned.

JOHN T. PAGE.

Long Itchington, Warwickshire.

The Literary Gazette, 31 March, 1838, is responsible for the following:

-

"'Oliver Twist,' a piece so called, was produced here [St. James's Theatre], and we regret to say, acted with great ability; for a thing more unfit for any stage except that of a Penny Theatre we never saw. We believe it was a benefit piece, but still the management ought to have objected to it." At this time Webster, Wright, Miss Allison (Mrs. Seymour), and Mrs. Stirling were members of the St. James's company.

The

Biographies and bibliographies of Charles Dickens make no mention of any dramatic version by him of 'Oliver Twist. story of his novel, arranged by Edward Stirling, was first given in dramatic form at the Adelphi, when Frederick Yates, comanager with Terry, made a very marked hit as Fagin. Dickens, as John Forster tells us, incessantly complained of the stage adaptations of his works, although he had sometimes a good word to say for the actors, and notably for Yates's performances in his more eccentric characters. ROBERT WALTERS.

[Reply from MR. W. SCOTT next week.]

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JOHN BAVINGTON JONES.

"KING IN PLACE-NAMES (11 S. ii. 130). -In Fifeshire a series of names between the

neighbourhood of Falkland and the East Neuk of the county almost certainly originated through the residence and the activities of the Stuarts. Kingskettle, which is within easy reach of Falkland, is said to be on the site of the royal stables, the latter part of the name having no connexion with gatherings for tea on remote afternoons, but vaguely indicating the cattle or stock that used to have dignified quarters on the spot. Ten or twelve miles eastward there is an obscure "King's Park," which is locally believed to have been a resting-place (with a convenient "New Inn " adjoining) when the King of the Commons or one of his predecessors was conducting a hunting party towards an outlying point of the" Kingdom." Still further by a mile or two, on what must have been the direct route from the royal palace to the wilderness, is Black Boar's Park," which is traditionally associated with the death of the last wild boar of the district. Close by is "Castle Hill," wearing its own legendary significance, though revealing not a trace of masonry. A little

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doubt, brilliantly alive with "outriders that loved venerie," but now covered by a cluster of small, well-cultivated farms. At the extreme point of the tract thus indelibly associated with the days of Falkland's glory is Kingsbarns, which looks out upon the German Ocean. Although no longer possessing such granaries as must have been within its borders when mighty hunters in the neighbourhood needed sustenance for themselves and their steeds, it is a thriving township with attractions which the modern pilgrim fully appreciates. THOMAS BAYNE.

Fife affords interesting illustrations of names in "King." the double meaning which attaches to place22 A number of such names may be traced to Celtic ceann, a head. In 'The Place-Names of Fife and Kinross,' by the late W. J. N. Liddall, three examples of the sort appear-Kingask, Kinghorn, and Kinglassie. But the association with royalty shares in the explanation of certain of these place-names. Kingsmuir is traditionally regarded as a hunting-ground of the Stuart sovereigns when they resided at Falkland. And about five minutes' walk from where I write there is a field yet called the King's Park, where the Scottish kings are said to have halted regularly at a hostel on their way to Kingsmuir. W. B. Radermie, Fifeshire.

"King" in place-names in the majority of cases implies, I should say, royal ownership; but in some cases it would imply the ownership of a person named King. In Dover street was on the margin of the estuary of we have King Street. At the Conquest this the river Dour, which was called King's Water, on which there was a mill called Kingsmill. That mill was built by Bishop Odo, the Conqueror's half-brother, and after that bishop's disgrace it reverted to the king, and was royal property for many

centuries.

Kingsland, on the banks of the Severn, at Shrewsbury, was, I think, so named because it was Crown land.

Dover.

ઃઃ

JOHN BAVINGTON JONES.

"King" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon cyning, a king. It occurs in the names of numerous places which are known to have been residences, or manors, of Saxon, Danish, or English monarchs. Kingston-upon-Hull was purchased by Edward I. Kingsgate, in the Isle of Thanet, marks the spot where

THOMAS W. HUCK.

Several place-names beginning with "king" are of Anglo-Saxon origin, and denote royal ownership. As to the particular places mentioned, Kingsford means a royal ford, and Kingsley or Kingsby a king's dwelling or farm; these names are found in two or three counties. Kingswood (Glos), as its name implies, was anciently a royal chase or forest of 3,000 or 4,000 acres. Among the places where the Anglo-Saxon kings held their courts was Kingsbury (Warwick), a seat of the Mercian kings. Kingsland (Hereford) is reputed to have had a castle in which was the burial-place of King Merwald. Perhaps the most celebrated of all is the A.-S. Cyngestune, the king's town, Kingston-on-Thames. TOM JONES.

[W. S. S. also thanked for reply.]

THE CASE ALTERED, HUMOROUS POEM (11 S. ii. 89).—May I be permitted to hazard a guess, based to some extent on a dim and misty recollection, as to the authorship of The Case Altered'? K. S. perhaps stands for Miss Catherine (i.e. Kate) Sinclair, daughter of Sir John Sinclair, the famous writer on agricultural subjects. She was 24 years of age in 1824. For ten years previously she had acted as her father's amanuensis, and was well acquainted with all the details of farming life. Her period of literary activity did not begin until eleven years after the date above mentioned; but during the time she assisted her father, she occasionally relieved the monotonous examination of agricultural statistics, rotation of crops, and prices of grain, with studies of a lighter nature, of which, unless memory plays me false, The Case Altered' was one. W. S. S.

EAST INDIA COMPANY'S MARINE SERVICE (11 S. ii. 68, 134, 157).-By far the best account of the service I have seen occurs in 'Adventures of a Master Mariner (Robert William Eastwick), edited by Mr. Herbert Spencer Compton for Mr. Fisher Unwin's admirable Adventure Series." The logs of these ships are at the India Office.

J. M. BULLOCH.

LIARDET (11 S. ii. 49, 159).-Lionel Liardet was a son of the Rev. John Liardet, and is said to have been a midshipman, and to have lost his life on board Lord Howe's ship the Queen Catherine on the 1st of June, 1794; but his name does not appear in the muster books of that ship.

John William Tell Liardet was second son of the Rev. John Liardet, and was baptized at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields as "John James Robert Guillaume Tell Liardet, son of the Rev. John Liardet and Mary Salome Liardet, born 16th January, 1775, and baptized 16th February, 1775." He entered the Royal Marines as second lieutenant 7 July, 1797, as John William Tell Liardet, and was placed on half-pay 21 May, 1802. Family tradition says he was secretary to the Legation at Madrid, and died abroad aged 29. He married at Hamburg, in 1794, the Lady Perpétué Félicité de Lammanon D'Albe, of Provence, by whom he had several children, who survived him.

The Rev. John Liardet was a native of Lausanne, and was naturalized by an Act of Parliament passed in 1776. He lived in Great Suffolk Street and also in Lower Grosvenor Place, and died abroad.

F. M. R. HOLWORTHY. Elsworth, Tweedy Road, Bromley, Kent.

AMERICAN WORDS AND PHRASES (11 S. ii 67, 132).—“ Pikery" in this list is undoubtedly “hiera picra " (the sacred bitter), though I have never heard it asked for in England in this shortened form. Its vulgar name with us is "hickery pickery

or

[See also 10 S. iv. 87, 232; vi. 288, 330, 352.] 22 is defined in Barrère and Slang Dictionary,' vol. ii., as news which has been heard before." is said to be the equivalent of the modern term chestnut," but is now obsolete. The English mung, past of ming, to speak of, mention, is given as the source whence it W. S. S.

comes.

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2

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reddleman 22

22

NAMES TERRIBLE TO CHILDREN (10 S. x. 509; xi. 53, 218, 356, 454; xii. 53; 11 S. ii. 133).—Mr. Thomas Hardy's "reddleman,' a conspicuous figure in 'The Return of the Native, seems to merit inclusion in this imposing category. The " he who provided was the bright pigment so largely used by shepherds in preparing the sheep for the fair," and he was formidable of aspect because of the prevalent flaming colour he received through the handling of his wares. 66 Reddle," says the novelist, spreads its lively hues over everything it lights on, and stamps unmistakably, as with the mark of Cain, any person who has handled it half an hour." 22 Little wonder is it, therefore, that the roaming, elusive merchant should have had a portentous significance for the childish imagination. In The Return of the Native,' chap. ix., the relative positions are thus vividly depicted :

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"A child's first sight of a reddleman was an epoch in his life. That blood-coloured figure was a sublimation of all the horrid dreams which had afflicted the juvenile spirit since imagination began. The reddleman is coming for you! had been the formulated threat of Wessex mothers for many generations. He was successfully supplanted for a while by Buonaparte; but as process of time rendered the latter personage stale and ineffective, the older phrase resumed its early prominence. And now the reddleman has in his turn followed Buonaparte to the land of worn-out bogeys, and his place is filled by modern inventions."

THOMAS BAYNE.

MOKE FAMILY OF FLANDERS (11 S. ii. 130). -There are two references to persons of this name in 'Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic,' vol. xiv. part ii. On p. 198 we find "Thomas Moke, 5l. pension on dissolution of Kirkstall Priory, 22 Nov., 31 Hen. VIII."; and on p. 298: Jerome Moke, born subject of the Duke of Gueldres. Denization 7, Dec. Pat. 31 Hen. VIII. p. 2, RICH. JOHN FYNMORE.

m. 34.22

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been a cure for ague, i.e., acute fever, it became an accredited remedy for fevers in general; hence the fever would be protracted so long as a cobweb in a room was left undisturbed, and was not used for this

purpose.

"Though the spinner be venomous, yet the web that cometh out of the guts thereof is not venomous, of medicine."but is accounted full good and profitable to the use -Bartholomeus de Proprietatibus Rerum,' trans. by J. Trevisa.

"The Spider's Web helps Hæmorrhages, and other Fluxes of Blood, is Binding and Vulnerary, some use it outwardly against Agues and creeping Ulcers, others adventure to give it inwardly."Salmon's London Dispensatory,' 1676.

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"In time of common contagion," writes Sir Kenelm Digby in 1660, men use to carry about with them......a spider shut up in a box, which draws the contagious air, which otherwise would infect the party."-Quoted in Hulme's Natural History in Lore and Legend.'

Hugh Pigott in The Gentleman's Magazine (1867, part i. pp. 728–41) says :—

"To swallow a spider, or its web, when placed in a small piece of apple, is an acknowledged cure for ague, which was unfortunately urged upon myself. It is employed not only by the poor, but by the better informed...... Miss Strickland mentions an instance of its being tried in vain, but its failure excited great astonishment."

J. HOLDEN MACMICHAEL.

4, Hurlingham Court, S. W.

Longfellow's line in 'Evangeline,' affirming that fever in Acadia could be

Cured by the wearing a spider hung round one's neck in a nutshell,

presents a curious contrast to the superstition referred to by MR. RATCLIFFE. ~ In Chambers's Book of Days,' i. 732, spiders and their webs are noted as possessing curative rather than pernicious properties in the case of fever and ague.

22

W. S. S.

GOLDSMITH'S 'DESERTED VILLAGE' (11 S. ii. 41).-COL. PRIDEAUX twice designates the pamphlet which he mentions a small octavo.' Perhaps I may be permitted to point out that as it consists of one sheet of four leaves (16 leaves, 32 pages), it is divided into four parts, each part consisting not octavo, but 16mo. DIEGO.

DICKENS ON THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY (11 S. ii. 87).-There must surely be some mistake somewhere. Those who have seen Landseer's painting of the Newfoundland dog entitled 'A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society' will readily understand that experiments on dogs were