"plumbs" must have been clear to his logical mind. A plum without a stone is not unlike a grape. E. S. Dodgson.
Pledge in a Bumper (10 S. vi. 7, 92).—The old custom mentioned by Mr. Wolferstan has obtained from time immemorial at Queen's College, Oxford, on Founder's Day and other great occasions. The grace cup, of great antiquity, is made of a large polished horn standing on eagle's claws; and the cover is formed in the shape of an eagle, no doubt in reference to the arms of the founder, Robert de Eglesfield, confessor to Queen Philippa. I am inclined to think that reference is made to this horn by Richard Braithwait, alias "Drunken Barnaby." On the eagle lectern in Queen's College Chapel is engraved "Aquila Regina Avium, Avis Reginensium." John Pickford, M.A.
Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge.
Beldornie Press (10 S. v. 269).—Some information on this subject will be found in the Second Series of 'N. & Q.' Before Utterson built Beldornie Tower, in Pelham Field, he resided at Buckland Grange, which before his time had been only a farm and was known as Ryde House (this latter name was transferred to a modern house built nearer to the sea by Mr. George Player for his own occupation).
The following is an extract from The Isle of Wight Observer at the time of Utterson's death:
"This distinguished antiquary, who built Beldornie, Ryde, where he for many years resided expired on the 14th July [1852] at Brighton, in the 79th year of his age. The deceased gentleman was an uncompromising Tory of the old school, and a most implacable enemy to the system of 'retrenchment' which followed in the wake of the passing of the Reform Bill. He was one of the 'Six Clerks in Chancery,' a sinecure of great emolument which the Whigs abolished, pensioning off the then holders for life; and we believe Mr. Utterson was the last survivor of them. On the election of Mr. Dawes in 1851 on Free Trade principles, Mr. Utterson took such umbrage that he removed from Ryde and shortly afterwards his exceedingly valuable library of antiquarian literature was brought to the hammer. For several years Mr Utterson kept up a private printing office, where many scarce works were reprinted, more particularly those of the Elizabethan period. At St. Thomas', Ryde, there are tablets to the memory of Utterson and his wife." G. R. Brigstocke.
Ryde, I.W.
[There must be a mistake in the year Mr. Brigstocke gives for Utterson's death. The very interesting article to which he refers appeared at 2 S. i. 6, and was written by J. Payne Collier, who began his note with the words "The late Mr. Edward Vernon Utterson." The next week, however, 'N. & Q.' contained a letter from Mr. Collier, dated "Jan. 8, 1856," saying that he was "most happy to be informed" that Mr. Utterson was then alive and well. The 'D.N.B.' article on Utterson states that he died at Brighton on 14 July, 1856, and gives a list of his reprints at the Beldornie Press.]
"Rime" v. "Rhyme" (10 S. v. 469, 514; vi. 52, 90).—In the appendix to my edition of 'Lycidas' (1874) I find a note referring to a letter from Dr. F. J. Furnivall in 'N. & Q.,' 29 Nov., 1873, citing a line from Daniel in 1595, "Railing rhymes were sowed," as the earliest instance of this mode of spelling. I have also found in the same poet's 'Musophilus' "the sacred relics of whose rhyme" and "this eloquence, these rhymes." But Gascoigne, a little earlier, has "these toyes in ryme" (=rime). In Donne (circ. 1610) we find. "if thou forget the rhyme," and in Carew (circ. 1620) "ballad rhime." Hence it seems that the spelling of this word with h was pretty well established before 1660. C. S. Jerram.
[The first line quoted is from Daniel's 'Civil Wars,' book ii., and was printed at 4 S. xii. 432. A long reply from Prof. Skeat on the spelling of rime appeared on the preceding page. Both articles are worthy of attentive consideration.]
I copy the following sentence from No. 39 of The Spectator, a paper written by Addison. It is the original edition which is before me, and has the date 14 April, 1711: "I am therefore very much offended when I see a Play in Rhyme." I observe that Addison in The Spectator almost always has "Rhyme," though he sometimes has "Rhime." A much older work is also before me, Sir Henry Savile's 'Translation of Tacitus,' fifth edition, 1622. But it was first published in 1581. I there read the following: "riming harmonie of words" E. Yardley.
I am sorry to say there is a misprint in my last article; but it is my fault. In the fifth line, for "modern English" read Middle English. I mean that the word was spelt rime both in Middle English and Tudor English. But it is rhyme in modern English. W. W. Skeat.
Phœbe Hessel and Fontenoy (10 S. vi. 82).—Phœbe's epitaph does not state that she fought in the 5th Regiment of Foot at Fontenoy. "She served for many years as a Private Soldier in the Fifth Regiment of Foot in different parts of Europe, and in the year 1745 she fought under the command of
