Minor Notes.

Objective and Subjective.—I tried, a little while ago, to show in your pages that this antithesis, though not a good pair of terms, is intelligible, and justified by good English usage. But I must allow that the writers who use these terms, do all that is possible to put those who justify them in the wrong. In a French work at least, recently published, I find what appears to me a curious application of the corresponding words in that language. M. Auguste Comte, in the preface to the third volume of his Système de Politique Positive, speaks of some of his admirers who had by their "cotisations," or contributions, supported him while he was writing the work; and he particularly celebrates one of them, Mr. Wallace, an American, adding:

"Devenu jusqu'ici le principal de mes souscripteurs, Wallace a perpétué subjectivement son patronage objectif, en me leguant une annuité de cinq cent francs."

I must confess that the metaphysics according to which a sum paid by a living man is objectif, and a legacy subjectif, is beyond my depth.

While I write, as if writers of all kinds were resolved to join in perplexing the use of these unfortunate words, I read in a journal, "objective discussion in the sense of hostile or adverse discussion, discussion which proposed objections." I think this is hard upon the word, and unfair usage of it.

Lucy Walters, the Duke of Monmouth's Mother.—The death of this unfortunate woman is usually stated to have taken place at Paris. The date is not given, and the authority cited is John Evelyn. But Evelyn's words have been misunderstood. He says, speaking of the Duke of Monmouth's execution:

"His mother, whose name was Barlow, daughter of some very mean creatures, was a beautiful strumpet, whom I had often seen at Paris; she died miserably, without anything to bury her."—Diary, July 15, 1685.

This passage surely does not imply that she died at Paris? In the Parish Registers of Hammersmith is the following entry:

"1683, June 5, Lucy Walters bur."

which I am fully persuaded records the death of one of King Charles's quondam mistresses.

Edward F. Rimbault.

General Haynau's Corpse.—A most extraordinary account has reached us in a private letter from Vienna to a high personage here, and has been the talk of our salons for the last few days. It appears that the circumstance of the death of General Haynau presented a phenomenon of the most awful kind on record. For many days after death the warmth of life yet lingered in the right arm and left leg of the corpse, which remained limpid and moist, even bleeding slightly when pricked. No delusion, notwithstanding, could be maintained as to the reality of death, for the other parts of the body were completely mortified, and interment became necessary before the two limbs above mentioned had become either stiff or cold. The writer of the letter mentioned that this strange circumstance has produced the greatest awe in the minds of those who witnessed it, and that the emperor had been so impressed with it, that his physicians had forbidden the subject to be alluded to in his presence. Query, Can the above singular statement be verified? It was copied from a French paper, immediately after the decease of General Haynau was known in Paris.

W. W.

Malta.

"Isolated."—This word was not in use at the commencement of the eighteenth century, as is evident from the following expression of Lord Bolingbroke's:

"The events we are witnesses of in the course of the longest life appear to us very often original, unprepared, single, and unrelative; if I may use such a word for want of a better in English. In French, I would say isolés."

The only author quoted by Richardson is Stewart.

R. Cary Barnard.

Malta.

Office of Sexton held by One Family.—The following obituary, copied from the Derbyshire Advertiser of Jan. 27, 1854, contains so extraordinary an account of the holding of the office of sexton by one family, that it may interest some of your readers, and may be difficult to be surpassed.

"On Jan. 23, 1854, aged eighty-six, Mr. Peter Bramwell, sexton of the parish church of Chapel-en-le-Frith. The deceased served the office of sexton forty-three years; Peter Bramwell, his father, fifty years; George Bramwell, his grandfather, thirty-eight years; George Bramwell, his great-grandfather, forty years; Peter Bramwell, his great-great-grandfather, fifty-two years: total 223 years."

S. G. C.

Sententious Despatches (Vol. viii., p. 490.; Vol. ix., p. 20.).—In addition to the sententious dispatches referred to above, please note the following. It was sent to the Emperor Nicholas by one of his generals, and is a very good specimen of Russian double entendres:

"Voliā Vāschā, ā Varschāvoo vsiat nemogoo."

"Volia is your's, but Warsaw I cannot take."

Also,—

"Your will is all-powerful, but Warsaw I cannot take."

J. S. A.

Old Broad Street.

Reprints suggested.—As you have opened a list of suggested reprints in the pages of "N. & Q.," may I be allowed to remark that some of Peter Heylin's works would be well worth reprinting.

There is a work of which few know the value, but yet a work of the greatest importance, I mean Dr. O'Connor's Letters of Columbanus. A carefully edited and well annotated edition of this scarce work would prove of greater value than any reprint I can think of.

Mariconda.