NOTES ON BOOKS, CATALOGUES, SALES, ETC.
The Nibelungenlied, which has been aptly designated the German Iliad, has hitherto been a sealed book to the mere English reader. Mr. Lettsom has however just published a most successful translation of it under the title of The Fall of the Nibelungers. Few will rise from a perusal of the English version of this great national epic—which in its present form is a work of the thirteenth century—without being struck with the innate power and character of the original poem; and without feeling grateful to Mr. Lettsom for furnishing them with so pleasing and spirited a version of it.
Captain Curling, Clerk of the Cheque of what was formerly designated the Band of Gentleman Pensioners, has, under the influence of a laudable esprit de corps, combined the disjointed materials which Pegge had collected upon the subject with the fruits of his own researches; and, under the title of Some Account of the Ancient Corp of Gentlemen-at-Arms, has produced a volume of great interest doubtless to his "brothers in arms," and containing some curious illustrations of court ceremonial.[9]
Mr. Timbs, the editor of The Year-Book of Facts, &c., announces for early publication a work on which he has been engaged for some time, entitled Curiosities of London. It will, we believe, be altogether of a different character from Mr. Cunningham's Handbook, and treat rather of present London and its amusements than those of historical and literary associations which give a charm to Mr. Cunningham's volume.
We are glad to find that the most mysterious and mystified portion of the Greek Geometry is likely to receive at last a complete elucidation—we mean the "Porisms." There are so many questions arising out of this subject, respecting the development of the Grecian intellect, that a full discussion of them is no easy task; especially of those arising out of the conflicting testimonies furnished by history, and by the internal evidences contained in the existing works of the "fathers of Geometry." We certainly anticipate, from the known character of the minds now engaged in this work, that some conclusive evidence as to the state of geometry anterior to the time of Euclid will be elicited by Messrs. Potts and Davies. The analysis of the writings of all the authors who have treated on the Porism, will form a subject of interest not only for its assigning to every author his fair share of credit for his contributions towards perfecting the poristic method; but for that critical discrimination of principles, which constitutes one of the marked features of Mr. Davies's writings in the archæology of geometry. We shall be glad if his slight notice of the intended work shall bring some accession of aid to the undertaking in the form of subscriptions: as upon adequate support, it appears, must depend whether the work shall go to press, or the project be abandoned.
We have received the following Catalogues:—Thomas Thorpe's (13. Henrietta Street) General Catalogue of very Choice, Curious, Rare, and most Interesting Books recently purchased, including some hundred articles of the utmost rarity. Williams and Norgate's (14. Henrietta Street) No. 24. of German Book Circular, a Quarterly List of the principal New Publications on the Continent; C.J. Stewart's (11. King William Street, West Strand) Catalogue of Dogmatical, Polemical, and Ascetical Theology.
WANTED.—MANUSCRIPT OF OLD ENGLISH POETRY.—Borrowed, within the last few months, from the Town Residence of a Gentleman, a large 4to. MS., in modern binding, of Early English Poetry, by Richard Rolle, of Hampole; containing, among other matters, Religious Pieces couched in the form of Legal Instruments, and a Metrical Chronicle of the Kings of England, in the style of Lydgate's. As the owner does not recollect to whom it was lent, and is very anxious to refer to it, he will be obliged by its immediate return, either to himself directly, or, if more convenient, to the Editor of "NOTES AND QUERIES."