the above, seventy-nine preliminary volumes were printed before August, 1880, the matter being arranged in chronological order; but these were only used as printer's copy. Altogether the compilation cost the U.S. Government 570,000l. to produce.

The work is of such great importance that a brief summary of its contents in the words of Major Ward is appended :

"The 1st Series-111 books and an atlas-embraces the official reports of all military operations. These reports are arranged according to campaigns and theatres of operations. Union reports are printed first and are followed by Confederate Reports. The 2nd Series-8 books-relates to prisoners of "The 3rd Series-5 books-contains miscellaneous correspondence and reports. such as the annual reports of the Secretary of War, of the General in Chief, and of the heads of the various corps and departments; also correspondence between National and State authorities."

war.

"The 4th Series-3 books-is similar to the 3rd Series, but refers exclusively to the Confederate

side.

The last volume-No. 130-contains a preface giving a history of the publication, five pages of explanations as to abbreviations, plan of indexes, &c., a synopsis of the contents of each volume, a special index for the principal armies, army corps, &c., a table showing volumes pertaining to contemporaneous operations, a general index of 1,087 pages; and finally, 150 pages of additions and corrections. M. J. D. COCKLE.

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.

"FROM PILLAR TO POST." The original form of this expression was "from post to pillar. Of twenty-two quotations between 1420 (Lydgate) and 1700 now before me, seventeen have the original and five the later form, three of the latter being in verse, and having post riming with tost, tossed, which was apparently the fons et origo of the transposition. The earliest of these is from Skelton, a century later than Lydgate. In those times, and much later, the phrase nearly always qualified toss, there being in our instances one solitary exception before 1600. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries toss began to be replaced by bang, bounce, bandy, and drive. But drive is a word of many meanings; one may drive a man o beast as well as a ball, and the taking

of it in that sense led to the later use of the phrase with hunt, chase, drag, harry, run, &c. I suppose it was its occurrence with these verbs that led Dr. Brewer aptly to hazard the guess (unfortunately repeated in some quarters as an "etymology") that the phrase belonged to the driving of a horse in the manege ground. The constant early use of toss, and in later times of bandy, bounce, and bang, suggests that the expression referred to some game of ball in which posts _and_ pillars were used, or came in the way. I see in the description of the tennis court in Julian Marshall's Annals of Tennis' much mention of "posts," each with its distinctive name, and of galleries or openings "between the posts," also light rods of wrought iron, which sometimes take the place of posts. Much is said also of the danger of a ball striking a post and rebounding. May I throw out the conjecture, then, that the game in which there was a chance of something being tossed from post to pillar was tennis? Unfortunately, Julian Marshall is no longer with us, to tell us if the conjecture seems to him likely; but perhaps some one else, who has played tennis (real tennis, that is, and not the modern lawn game, to which commercial enterprise has "conveyed" the name), will tell us what he thinks.

J. A. H. MURRAY.

DESCENDANTS OF THE PLANTAGENETS.-I am now preparing the volume of 'The Plantagenet Roll' dealing with the descendants of Anne, Duchess of Exeter, the sister of Kings Edward IV. and Richard III., and I subjoin a list of those persons and families concerning whom I am seeking information. I should be extremely obliged for any information as to whether they have issue surviving; and, if so, where or from whom I could obtain particulars. The figures in parentheses indicate the sections, and are for my guidance alone.

Hunloke (3).-Thomas Windsor, Robert, James, Catherine, Charlotte, Anne, Mary, Mariana, Barbara, and Henrietta, brothers and sisters of Sir Henry, 4th Bart., who d. 1804.

Heneage of Hainton (5).—Thomas, Elizabeth Maria, and Katherine, brother and sisters of George Fieschi H. of H. who d. 1782.

Heneage of Hainton (6).-The four younger sons and two daughters of George H. of É., who d. 1731.

=

Gallini Bertie (10/11).-Sir John G., who d. 1805; m. Lady Elizabeth Bertie, and had a son and two daughters.

Bertie (15).-Edward B., d. 21 Sept., 1733;

Rev. William B. of Albury, D.D.; Henry B.; Rev. John B., Preb. of Exeter, d. 1 Feb., 1774; and Bridget, wife of Robert Coytmor or Coctmor of co. Carnarvon, brothers and sisters to the 3rd Earl of Abingdon.-The Rev. William had issue James, Richard, Frances, Sophia, and Anne.-The Rev. John had an only surviving son Willoughby and nine daughters, viz.: Anne, Mary, Bridget, Elizabeth, Frances Mary, Eleanora, Isabella, Mary, and Sophia Eustacia, one of whom m. Samuel Ryder Weston, D.D., Canon Residentiary of St. Paul's.

Harpur (17).-Charles H., Major 38th Regt., d. 9 July, 1770; and Caroline, wife first of Adam Hay, and secondly of Major Archibald Stewart, brother and sister of Sir Henry, 6th Bart.-The latter had at least one daughter, Caroline Stewart, wife of William Jenny (Glover's 'Derby,' ii. 217).

Parkyns Territt (23). Anne (dau. of Capt. Augustus P.), m. c. 1800 Samuel Territt, of Chilton Hall, Suffolk, LL.D.

Basil (25).-Frances, dau. and h. of William Dowdeswell of Pull Court, co. Worcester, m. c. 1736 William Basil of Wilton Park, Bucks, and had ten children; b. 1737 ;

b. 1742; William, b. 1743; Gilbert, b. 1745; Edmund and Gabriel, twins, b. 1746; Thomas, b. 1748; George, b. 1749; Frances, b. 1738; and Amy, b. 1751.

Whitelocke Hamar (26) -Mary, dau. of Sir Wm. W. of Phyllis Court, Oxon, M.P., d. 1717; m. Wm. Hamar of the Middle Temple. Whitelocke Sherwood (26).-Hester, sister of above, m. Edw. Sherwood of Henreth, Bucks.

=

Whitelocke Wiseman (26).—Elizabeth (d. 1735), sister of above, m. Wm. Wiseman of Sparsholt Court, Berks (d. 1713), and had issue Mary, dau. and h. (d. 1740), who m. Edward Clarke and was mother of Wm. Wiseman, who m. twice, and had issue Dorothy Maria, by first wife, and William Nelson C. by second.

Whitelocke Seawen and Hill (31).-Cecily, b. 1641, and Hester, b. 1642, sisters of the above-named Sir Wm. W., m. respectively Seawen of Wales and Abraham Hill of Shilton, Devon.

=

Courtenay Locke (37). - Lady Matilda Jane C., 1778-1848, m. Lieut.-General John Locke, d. 1837.

Courtenay-Foy (38).—Lady Sophia C., b. 1780; m. 1804 Col. Nathaniel Foy, R.A., 1773

1817.

Fair Eve knelt close to the guarded gate
In the flush of an Eastern Spring.

J. A. B.
Who wrote the verses, the drift of which is
as follows (exact wording forgotten)?—
An original something, fair maid,
You would ask me to write......
But how shall I begin?

For I fear I've nothing original in me,
Excepting original sin.

Could the quotation be given correctly?

RETREAT. "HUMANITAS."-Could any reader inform me who used this nom de guerre in The Press and other National journals in Dublin during the troublous times of '98 ?

JOHN S. CRONE.

ROLL OF CARLAVEROCK.-Where can I find rock? an English translation of the Roll of CarlaveSADI.

MESSIAH NAME OF THE LORD.-Can any of your readers tell me whether it is true that the ancient Jewish writers interpreted the phrase "The Name of the Lord as equivalent to "The Messiah," and give the authority? Y. N.

DE QUINCEY AND American lady writes:-

SWEDENBORG.

An

to Swedenborg that has puzzled me for some time. I wonder if you can throw light on a reference De Quincey in his Autobiography' writes, in 1853: I presume the reader to be aware that Cambridge has, within the last few years, unsettled, and even revolutionized, our estimate of Swedenborg as a a clue to philosopher.'...... If you can give me De Quincey's meaning, or put me on the track of discovering it, I shall be very grateful."

May I transfer to your readers at large the proposed task and the proffered reward?

CHARLES HIGHAM.

169, Grove Lane, Camberwell, S. E.

SOUBISE, BLACK PAGE.-Can any one kindly give a date for the death of Soubise, once a favourite black page of the Duchess of

Beplies.

CATALOGUES OF MSS.

(10th S. iv. 368, 415, 436.)

MR. G. F. T. SHERWOOD. in bringing forward this subject, says, "The catalogues of MSS. in the British Museum......and other big libraries fail in that they are practically inaccessible because the price is too high." To this point I will confine my reply. Three years ago, finding that I had to make extensive use of the Additional and Egerton MSS. at the British Museum, and that time was a great matter to me in my search, I applied to the authorities at the Museum for information as to whether or not there was any chance of another edition being published of the Catalogues, with their Indices of these MSS., which were next to impossible to obtain in the public market. I mentioned at the same time that each year I read about 300 catalogues received from second-hand booksellers resident in all parts of England and Scotland; that during twenty years or more I had met with only two volumes; that even the second-hand prices for them were very high; and that several of the early volumes were out of print, and had been so for many years; and asked whether, as their published prices were quite prohibitory, they would be reprinted at a cheaper rate.

In reply my attention was drawn to the fact that the Trustees had recognized agents for the sale of their publications, as shown in a printed list which was sent to me.

The list was dated June. 1902, and upon referring to p. 10 thereof I found that the Index to the Additions 1783 to 1835; that a further Index (period not stated!); and that all the seven volumes from 1836 to 1881 (costing when issued 77. 4s, without including the Index 1783 to 1835, the price of which is not stated!) are therein stated to be "Out of print"; that the volume for 1882-7 costs il. 1s., and that the volume for 1888-93 (the last date given) costs 17. 5s., or together 21. 6s, which must be added to the 77. 48., making 97. 10s. And even that large cost carries one only up to 1893, or nine years behind the date of the list (June, 1902).

I pointed out these curiosities to the authorities, and received a reply stating that "there had not yet been occasion to consider the question of reprinting the out-of-print volumes, the number of copies placed in various public libraries in the kingdom and abroad, besides those in private hands, having apparently sufficed for the information of students in general,'

&c.; and further that "it is possible that the

earlier volumes may be re-edited rather than reprinted some day."

In 1903 a further volume, 1894-9, was issued at 2l. 8s., or 6s. dearer than any of the previous volumes!

much more highly than, for instance, the Why should these volumes be charged so various publications of the Public Record Office, the parliamentary publications, the Charity Commissioners' Reports, the Historical MSS. Commission Reports, each and all of which have excellent indices?

The published prices of these volumes are entirely prohibitory to nine-tenths of the readers at the British Museum. If they were sold at a moderate price, like the other books I have mentioned, I cannot but think that many persons would purchase them, and thereby save themselves very considerable and valuable time by consulting them at home, instead of at the Museum, to find out what they require. To those living in the country the saving of time would be, as MR. SHERWOOD observes (p. 415), incalculable, to say nothing of the saving of the expenses which would of necessity be incurred in going to the Museum to consult them.

If the Indices only to these volumes were to be sold separately at a cheaper rate, they would be of the utmost use, and save an infinity of time, trouble, and expense to the student.

Cannot the Trustees see their way to assist not only the large and growing number of readers who make use of the British Museum Library, but also the still larger searching public, towards the speedy attainment of this object in some form or another? The labour involved would be simply reprinting what is already in print; the cost comparatively trifling, if confined to the reprinting of the Indices alone.

29, Emperor's Gate, S. W.

C. MASON.

1677. "They [the French at Swally, near Surat, n 1671] also make use of another drink that is no better, which they call ponce, composed of harec [arrack], water, the juice of citrons, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon, a pint [peinte] of which costs a sol."-Relation ou Journal d'un Voyage fait aux Indes Orientales,' by Fr. l'Estra, 57-58.

1705. "Pontz or Burepontz, as the Hollanders call it, they make thus: They take fresh spring water and squeeze therein the juice of lemons or limes, then they make it sweet with sugar, and pour Arack into it. This drink, it is true, is not altogether wholesome to drink, yet the English think much of it, and consider it a peculiar honour to treat their friends, when they visit them, with Pontz."-Christoph Langhauss, 'Neue Ost-Indische Reise,' 201.

On pp. 573-5 the author describes the tomb of a Dutch skipper in the burial-ground at Surat in 1695, and says:

"Above on each side is a stone bench, and on each corner a big cum or drinking bowl, from which one is accustomed in India to drink Pontz, because, as this deceased skipper had been a great lover of Pontz, he had himself desired that his tomb should be thus adorned."

He then quotes some curious verses, composed by the skipper's steersman and engraved on the tomb, adding a German translation. In the latter the Pontz of the Dutch is rendered Ponch.

It is strange that while all the English writers quoted by Yule call the drink punch (except Fryer, who spells it paunch," which," he says, is Indostan for Five, from Five Ingredients"), the earliest foreign writers agree in describing it by a name in which this punch appears with a puzzling dissyllabic prefix. The earliest form of this compound word is palepuntz, as it is spelt by Mandelslo, who is also, as yet, the earliest known writer to mention the drink. (By the way, why does MR. MOUNT twice call Mandelslo a "Dutchman" He was a Mecklenburger.) Then we have bolleponge, pulebunz, bouleponge, paliponts, palepunts, palapuntz, burepontz, and lastly follepons. Yule would have us believe that all these forms represent an English "bowl o' punch "; and certainly some of them bear a close resemblance thereto, while the second passage I have quoted above seems to give colour to the theory. Were the last form not unique and suggestive of a misprint, we might imagine the folle to be Hind. phul (cf. Hobson-Jobson,' s.v. Fool's Rack'). But it will be seen that in nearly half the instances the first vowel of the prefix is an a, which rather militates against Yule's theory.

MR. MOUNT assumes that the name "punch" was invented, fixed, and made "so generally known as to have become a household word among Dutchmen" by the agents of the East India Company between 1614 and 1638. But there is no proper ground for the assumption that it was invented by the English traders at all. The Dutch were in the East before the English, and the Portuguese before the Dutch. Both understood how to obtain spirit by distillation-as, indeed, did the natives of India they traded with-and both knew how to mix their grog. It is much more likely that the English newcomers adopted the native word from the Dutch who preceded them than that the Dutch adopted it from the English newFRANK PENNY.

comers.

Wine works the heart up, wakes the wit,
There is no cure 'gainst age but it;

It helps the headache, cough, and tissick,
And is for all diseases Physick,

is thus reproduced in the later song, 'Three Jolly Postboys':

Punch cures the gout, the cholic, and the phthisic,
And is to all men the best of all physic.
In 4th S. v. 543 and vi. 33 both songs are given
at length.
C. B. MOUnt.

MR. YARDLEY's memory has deceived him, as there is no mention of punch in any of the plays of Beaumont and Fletcher. The drinking song that MR YARDLEY had in his mind occurs in 'The Bloody Brother,' Act II. sc. ii.

As regards the main question, there is a good deal to be said for MR. MOUNT'S contention, but I think the weight of evidence is in favour of punch, like arrack and toddy, being originally an East Indian drink. Is there any evidence that the expression "punch-house" was ever used out of India during the seventeenth century?

W. F. PRIDEAUX.

I see a song quoted that begins "Three jolly postboys," in which it is alleged that