Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/136

This page needs to be proofread.

128


NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. IL AUG. 13,


PICTURE BY MURILLO. At John Proctor Anderdon's sale the first Duke of Wellington purchased a picture by Murillo, 'La Vieia' or 'An Old Woman eating Porridge.' Will any of your readers kindly give me informa- tion respecting this picture before it came into the possession of Mr. Anderdon, espe- cially respecting the date at which he bought it? EVELYN WELLINGTON.

Apsley House.

DR. THOMPSON, OP TRINITY COLLEGE, CAM- BRIDGE, AND A VICTIM. By general consent the best-known sarcasm of this master of sarcastic phrase would be that usually quoted as " We are none of us infallible not even the youngest of us." The point on which I ask for information is, Of whom was it said ? Mr. J. G. Cotton Minchin, at p. 206 of a volume entitled 'Old Harrow Days,' states that " it is not generally known, but it is a fact," that the phrase was " called forth " by Francis Maitland Balfour, who, at a meeting of the fellows of Trinity College, advocated a limitation of the Master's power. The author of " Collections and Recollections, by One who has Kept a Diary " (p. 234) asserts with equal rashness that it was a "hit " at Mr. Balfour' brother, Gerald Balfour, the present Chiel Secretary for Ireland. Clearly both these instructors of the public, though possibly young, cannot be accused of infallibility Neither Mr. Minchin's name nor that o: the reputed author of the second work can be found in the list of Cambridge graduates. Had they been brought up in the social life of the University they would have learnt that the phrase was curreni there long before either of the brothers Bal four had earned the distinction of being ; fellow of Trinity. Of whom, then, was i said? RUSTICUS IN URBE.

GORDON FAMILY. Sir Christopher Seton married Christian, sister of Robert I. (Bruce) and had a son Sir Alexander Seton, wh< married Christian Cheyne, of Straloch, am was father of Margaret Seton, who marrie Alan de Wintoun, and had a son Sir Williar. Seton. He married Katherine, daughter o Sir William St. Clair, of Herdmanston, an had a son Sir Alexander Seton, who marrie. Elizabeth de Gordon, and was father of Si Alexander Gordon, first Earl of Huntly. I there a "royal descent" in any of thes marriages? A. C ALDER.

Exeter.

COUNT ST. GERMAIN. Details required o Count St. Germain /arrested i n London an committed to the iSurahalsea Prison on


large of high treason in 1745 (see ' Letters f Horace Walpole,' Cunningham's ed., vol. i. . 410 ; Gentleman's* Magazine, 1745, p. 665). HELEN TOYNBEE. Dorney Wood, Burnham, Bucks.

MRS. JOHN HUNTER. Can any of your orrespondents kindly tell me if a portrait ias been published of Mrs. John Hunter, uthor of My mother bids me bind my hair,"

c.? She was the wife of the celebrated Dr.

ohn Hunter. WILLIAM ANDREWS.

Tne Hull Press, Hull.

PENNY-FARTHING STREET. When I visited Salisbury, some forty - five years ago, the

erger, a very intelligent man, in showing me

ver the cathedral, mentioned incidentally /hat when it was in course of construction ,he labourers only received one penny per lay. A strike occurred for another far- thing, which they obtained, and in cele- oration thereof they had a jollification over

t. He added, in corrobation of this, that a street adjoining the cathedral was still

alled Penny-Farthing Street. Is there such

a street in existence in the vicinity ?

BRUTUS.

SIBORNE'S WATERLOO MODELS. Capt. Siborne made two models, representing two different periods in the battle of Waterloo. One of these is well known, and is to be seen at the United Service Museum, Whitehall. What has become of the other? It was advertised in 1845 as being on view at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly. It represented (so a little guide-book in my possession states) " the splendid charge between 1 and 2 o'clock by the British heavy cavalry under the Marquess of Anglesey and by the British infantry under Sir Thomas Picton."

T. W. B.

WELLINGTON AND NEY. What is the autho- rity for Mr. Gladstone's statement, reported by Lord Tollemache, that the Duke of Wel- lington was in favour of Marshal Ney being shot. We know that he did not think proper to interfere in the matter ; but that is quite another thing. E. F. D. C.

' TELEGRAPH.' As the title of a paper this word was used in 1795. It is described by John Taylor in his 'Records,' 1832, as an obscure evening paper. It was edited by an Irishman named McDonnell, and seems to have pandered overmuch to the public want of taste. S. J. A. F.

ENGRAVING. The other day one of my friends found in a country house in the south