H. T. Ellacombe.
Clyst St. George, Devon.
M. Barrière and the Quarterly Review (Vol. v., pp. 347. 402.).—As I see that J. R. (of Cork) has resumed his correspondence with "N. & Q.," I beg leave to call his attention to his statement, and to my inquiry under the above references: any one or two instances of what is stated to be "so frequent" a practice will suffice.
C.
"I do not know what the truth may be" (Vol. v., p. 560.).—The lines run thus in the Lay of the Last Minstrel, Canto II. 22.:
"I cannot tell how the truth may be,
I say the tale as 'twas said to me."
J. Eastwood.
[J. M.—D. P. Waters—Naso—L. X. R.—W. J. B. S.—B. R. J.—Mary, &c., have also furnished us with Replies to this Query.]
Optical Phenomena (Vol. v., p. 441.).—You have not yet published any satisfactory reply to the optical Query of N. B., at p. 441. of the present volume. I apprehend there is not much difficulty in finding the solution. I attribute the phenomenon to the refraction of light through a stratum of air that is more dense than the surrounding air. Every solid is coated by such a stratum. This is the well-known fact of adhesion