80 NOTES AND QUERIES. [10"- s. iv. JULY 22,1005. Some of the joyous party—most of whom for the first time in their lives went by rail—must be able to give an account of their impressions of what was then spoken of as a " great national work." The •most foreseeing passenger could not, however, by any effort of the imagination have so far looked into the future as to have pictured the railway systems of the world at the present day. We have in the same year a striking contrast betwseu the then newest mode of travel and the most ancient. A few months before the London and Greenwich Railway was opened, the churchwardens of Chelsea, Brompton, Hammersmith, Paddington, and Ken- sington called a meeting for the purpose of resisting encroachments made on their footpaths across what were then green fields, and determined to resist the injustice. On Holy Thursday a perambulation was made for the purpose of removing the impediments to foot traffic. This was carried out successfully; but legal proceedings on the part of the obstructors were threatened. What came of it we do not know. We trust, however, the paths were pre- served to future ages. By far the larger number •of our footpaths were in use long before anything we now know as a highway—long, indeed, Before any inhabitant of our land had yoked oxen to a cart. In many rural districts, through the care- lessness or greed of landowners, the rights of the public to these "trods" have been lost in recent days; but we have strolled along many others which, we feel sure, were in constant use long before •Celt, Roman, or Teuton ever invaded the solitude of our forests. There are some interesting papers concerning the •Great Fire of London in 1666. One writer gives, in a translated form, the inscriptions that were once on the monument which yet commemorates the catastrophe. Those parts which attributed the fire to "papistical malice" are not now to be seen. 'They were effaced in consequence of an order issued by the Court of Common Council in 1831. An interesting letter is also given, which was written to Lord Scudamore by one present at the fire. True to the Flag •' Sailors' Points. Edited by E. C. Ommanney. (Routledge k Sons.) THIS is a spirited and inspiriting collection, con- taining many sea poems, some of the best of which are, as might be anticipated, by W. E. Heuley. What James Montgomery's ' What is Prayer ?' does •among naval songs we fail to see. The Nun's Rule: being the Ancren Riwle. Modern- ized by James Morton. With Introduction by Abbot Gasquet. (De La More Press.) To the general public the 'Ancren Riwle,' or
- Regula Inclusarum,' a " semi-Saxon tract" on the
life of the female recluse, the authorship of which is conjecturally, but with much probability, assigned to Richard Poore, Bishop of Salisbury from 1217 to 1229, and subsequently of Durham, is only available in a translation. This was supplied by the Rev. -James Morton when in 1853 the original was issued by him as No. 57 of the Camden Society publica- tions. With few and insignificant changes this is now included by Prof. Gollancz in "The King's Classics." In the admirable introduction of Abbot Gasciuet the majority of readers will find the chief interest and value. The book itself is noteworthy not only for piety, but for a species of worldly wisdom. How judicious is the statement, " No seduction is so perfidious as that which is in a plaintive strain; as if one spoke thus: 'I would rather suffer death, than indulge an impure thought with regard to you; but had I sworn it, I could not help loving you ; yet 1 am grieved that you know it.'" As the author says, she forgives him because he speaks thus fair, and the dangerous conversation is begun afresh. There is much in the volume that tends to delight as well as edification, and the inclusion of the volume in this attractive and popular series is much to be commended, showing how much tact and judgment is exhibited in the choice of matter. The Journal to Stella. By Jonathan Swift, D.D. Edited by Frederick Ryland, M.A. (Bell & Sons.) SWIFT'S 'Journal to Stella" constitutes a most acceptable addition to "Theltork Library." We possess it in the "Bonn's Standard Library" edition of Swift, of which it is the second volume. The eminently attractive type and form of "The York Library" tempt to alreperusal, which cannot be other than prodigal of advantage and delight. MESSRS. ROUTLEDGE & SONS have issued in a cheap and attractive guise Coventry Patmore's Angel in the House and Victories of Love, reprinted by permission from the eighth collective edition (1903) of Messrs. Bell & Sons. A pleasing and helpful introduction by Mrs. Meynell now appears for the first time. MB. ROBERT H. FRYAR, of Bath, has issued a post card showing the spots of interest to Pick- wickians in the Dickens-land of Bath. Qolicts ia €om:ijj0ntats. We must call special attention to the following notice*:— ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith. WK cannot undertake to answerqueries privately. To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rules. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as lie wishes to appear. When answer- ing queries, or making notes with regard to previoai entries in the paper, contributors are requested to put in parentheses, immediately after the exact heading, the series, volume, and page or pages to which they refer. Correspondents who repeat queries are requested to head the second com- munication "Duplicate." M. N. (" Oliver Cromwell a Brewer ").—Discussed at considerable length at 5th S. x. 148; xii. 292, 349 ; 6th S. i. 59; ii. 238, many allusions in prose and verse being cited A. C. JONAS (" Brigstocke ").—Proof shortly. NOTICK. Editorial communications should be addressed to "The Editor of 'Notes and Queries"1—Adver- tisements and Business Letters to "The Pub- lisher"—at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.C. We beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we do not print; and to this rule we can make no exception.
