Willis's Current Notes Part 2

Besides the list of towns given by Lindsay in his "View of the Coinage of Ireland, 1839," I can add from my collection, Ballinasloe, Downpatrick, Loughrea, Mount-Mellick, Navan and Roscommon, besides many varieties of the towns Mr. Lindsay has published.

The circulation of these tokens was forbidden under severe penalties in 1673, but in Ireland they were continued partially to near the close of the 18th century, when another general issue of tokens throughout Great Britain was allowed by Government, owing to the great scarcity of small money. The tokens of this period are of an entirely different size and character to those of the preceding century.

WM. BOYNE.

Leeds, Feb. 1852.

LITHOGRAPHY.--Some years ago, letters and papers of William Combe, the well known author of "Dr. Syntax," came into my possession, and with them a paper, of which the following is a copy:--

"_I have been told of one Who being ask'd for bread, In its stead Returned a stone._

_But here we manage better.

The Stone we ask To do its task, And it returns us every letter._

_Wm. Combe, January 23, 1817._"

"_This is the first impression of Ackermann's Lithographic press._"

Combe was so intimately connected with Ackermann's establishment, that there can be no doubt of the fact that the paper I have, was truly the very _first_ impression in Lithography in England. The poetic sc.r.a.p was no doubt Combe's own, and the facsimile shews that it was in Combe's writing.

ROBT. COLE.

52, Upper Norton Street.

STERNE'S AUTOGRAPH.--As mentioned by A. C. K. in "Current Notes" for January, p. 2, as _occurring on the t.i.tle page_[2] of his "Tristram Shandy," is not I believe often met with, but I doubt much its having been written for the gratification of particular friends, to whom copies of the work were presented.

I have two (the t.i.tle pages only) in my possession.

ROBERT COLE.

52, Upper Norton Street.

[2] G. W.'s respected Correspondent A. C. K. said "_at the head of the first chapter in some or one of the volumes_" of a few of the first editions.

MIDDLE AGES.--MEDIaeVAL.

These terms are now so frequently used in reference to periods and works of art, that it would be useful to your readers if some competent person would define precisely what period is comprehended in the term _mediaeval_. In a recent Exhibition many works of a comparatively late date were cla.s.sed as mediaeval. Mr. James, speaking of _Charlemagne_, says--"the precise birth-place of the greatest man of the middle ages is unknown." Here he refers to the year 742. Some of the correspondents will, perhaps, through your "Notes Current," define the limits of this term.

S. E.

ARCHaeOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS.

SIR,--With regard to the inquiry made in your "Current Notes" for December, p. 93, with respect to Archaeological publications, I wish to direct your Correspondent to a publication issued by the Architectural Societies for Northampton, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Bedfordshire, consisting of the Reports and Papers read before those Societies in the year 1850. The second part, comprising the Transactions for the Year 1851, is now in the press, and will shortly be published. These two parts will form one handsome octavo volume, printed more especially for the use of the Members of the above Societies, but a few copies are reserved for general sale, for which Mr. Masters is the agent; Thinking that your Correspondent might be glad to hear of the existence of this volume, I thought it as well to trouble you with this note.

I remain, yours faithfully, T. PYNDAR LOWE.

Saltfletby, Louth, Jan. 29.

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.--With reference to the January Number of "Current Notes," p. 2, and the reply to an inquiry (from J. P., Philadelphia, 18th November) respecting the Author of "Father Tom and the Pope, or a Night at the Vatican,"--a paper which appeared in Blackwood some years ago, W. C. J. A. has had the goodness to inform G. W. that the reply given by F. M. is not quite correct.

"The writer of that paper was Mr. Samuel Ferguson, then and still a Member of the Irish Bar, going the North-East Circuit, and a native of Belfast. Mr. Ferguson is also the author of some spirited stanzas, published in the same Magazine, ent.i.tled, 'The Forging of the Anchor,'

and is very favourably known as the author of some interesting papers in 'Blackwood,' and in the Antiquarian department of the 'Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,' of which learned body he has been for several years a member."

"Mr. F." adds W. C. J. A. "has, _I believe_, but I am not quite sure, written in the 'Dublin University Magazine.'"

THE SHADOOF.--I beg to inform W. G. with reference to his observations in your "Current Notes" for December last, that the Shadoof as engraved by you at p. 96 is in common use all over the State of New York in places where wells are obliged to be sunk, the machine being far less costly than a pump, and such as anybody can construct.

We have abundance of rivers and streams, so many indeed, that I have never seen a windmill in America.

YOUR N. Y. ES-PECIAL REPORTER.

THOMAS HOOD.--How lamentable is it to observe, from the research of A. K. in Willis's "Current Notes" for December (p. 90), and for which I sincerely thank his Correspondent, that so eminent a man as Thomas Hood should so recently have departed from among us without record of his death.

His Song of the Shirt alone, written with so humane a purpose, surely demanded some notice. Are you aware that the Song of the Shirt suggested the American Sewing Machine, exhibited in the World's Fair, for the purpose of relieving poor females from the nightly drudgery of "st.i.tch--st.i.tch--st.i.tch?" W. S.

AMERICAN TESTIMONIAL TO MRS. COWDEN CLARKE.

MR. WILLIS,--Some of your correspondents appear mighty fond of Old Oaken Chairs, and I rather think if they were to visit the good old City of Aberdeen, and go into the "Auld Kirk," they will see an Oak Chair somewhat older than the engraved specimens in your "Current Notes," and on a scroll over it, they will see written

"=The Chaire of Veritie.="

But what do you say to the New Rosewood Shaksperian Chair, sent from New York as a complimentary testimonial to an amiable lady living at Bayswater, the inscription on which exquisite piece of work is as follows:

TO MRS. MARY COWDEN CLARKE THIS CHAIR IS PRESENTED BY A FEW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF AMERICA AS A TRIBUTE OF GRAt.i.tUDE, FOR THE UNEQUALLED INDUSTRY WHICH GAVE THE READERS OF ENGLISH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD HER CONCORDANCE TO SHAKSPERE.