Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/282

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274


NOTES -AND QUERIES, p* s. VIIL SBW. as, iwi.


alluded in his 'Echoes ' referred, I fancy, to 'The Australian Nights' Entertainments,' tales (made up from the Blue-books in the old Reading Room of the British Museum) supposed to be related by convicts, bush- rangers, and others, which were contributed by G. A. S. from week to week in 1848 to Chat, the founder and then proprietor of which was Marriott, the pioneer of modern illustrated journalism, whose occasionally illustrated Weekly Chronicle first suggested to Herbert Ingram the notion of the Illus- trated London News, and whose advice, com- bined with that of Henry Vizetelly, gave to No. 1 of that paper the refined and superior tone which it has ever since maintained. Mr. Sala about, or a little before, this time was artist for " Lloyd's Penny Novels," which, if I remember rightly, were, he says, mostly written by a melodramatic playwright named Saville Faucit, who was, I believe, also the author of the once-famous ' Ada the Betrayed ; or, the Murder at the Old Smithy.' The author of ' Ada ' was a most prolific writer, so it may possibly be to him we owe ' Sweeny Todd.' H. B. CLAYTON.

JOHN STOW'S PORTRAIT, 1603 (9 fch S. vii. 401, 513 ; viii. 86, 146, 213). As is well known, I was the first to point out that the monu- ment to John Stowe in the church of St. Andrew Undershaft (otherwise "St. Mary Axe"), in the City of London, is not of terra-cotta, as had hitherto been frequently and absurdly stated, but for the most part of a reddish or tawny-coloured alabaster a soft, defective, and inferior kind of marble much used in early works of the kind, but which must not be confused with the mate- rial we now know by that name as made in Italy into vases, &c., for household orna- ments. This was in the year 1882, when I was copying the whole of the inscriptions on the numerous monuments, brasses, and gravestones in the church and churchyard, examining the important parish register, and otherwise collecting materials from original sources for a history of that in- teresting and formerly fashionable parish. It remembering rightly, I understood at the time from my worthy and hard-working friend Mr. Nash, the respected curate of bt. Andrews, that until the then recent restoration of the church Stowe's monument or at least his effigy, was painted in its proper colours (in oil) by way of decora- tion, just as many others of that period still are (including that to Alderman Sir Thomas Jffley and his wife Jone, with its quaint in- scription, m the chancel of the same church),


but that such colouring was then carefully removed. I may here remark that during my long and wide experience as an anti- quary, comprising (inter alia) a very extensive acquaintance with everything in any way appertaining to early ecclesiastical edifices, I have known of no "long- prevailing practice in such cases," as mentioned by a corre- spondent at the last reference, of simply " staining " (in the present popular sense of the term) the materials of such monuments but, on the contrary, that painting in oil colours, and in some cases partial gilding, was the execrable kind of " art decoration " unfortunately applied. And I may further state that, although Stowe's monument is the greatest attraction at St. Andrew's to visitors, and more particularly to those hail- ing from the States, it is not, as such corre- spondent thinks, because it is " the chief ornament of the church " (which might be questioned), but on account of Stowe's well- known name as an early chronicler, and the first historian of our great City. It may perhaps interest many to know and I have frequently been asked the question what the parish register (or, as some people like to term it, the church register) contains I relating to the name. I therefore now give the information (for the first time in print) as follows :

Baptisms.

1559/60, Jan. 27. Jone d. John Stooe.

1563/4, Feb. 20. Mare d. John Stoe.

Marriages.

1567, Aug. 31. Thomas Stowe and Margerie Kent, wid. 1581, Apr. 23. Peter Towers and Julyan Stoe.

Burials.

1559, Oct. 27. Nycolas s. John Stooe. 1580/1, Jan. 18. Anne w. Jo : Stow. 1584/5, Feb. 18. Joyce w. Jo : Stooe. 1605, Apr. 8. Mr. John Stoe [died 5th (7.6th), cet. 80].

John Stowe's third (1) wife, Elizabeth, who erected the monument, does not appear to have been buried at St. Andrew's.

W. I. R. V.

AUTHORS OF QUOTATIONS WANTED (9 th S. vii. 369, 458).

I saw a Judas once, &c. Following the editorial note, I give the following from 'Charles the First,' by W. G. Wills, as per- formed at the Lyceum Theatre, Act III., near the end (Blackwood Sons, 1873) : 1 saw a picture once, by a great master, Iwas an old man's head. Narrow and evil was its wrinkled front- Lyes close and cunning ; a dull, vulpine smile. Twas called a Judas ! Wide the painter erred. Judas had eyes like thine, of candid blue ; His skin was smooth, his hair of youthful gold ;