An autograph resembling "J. Chelmar" is on the fly-leaf. As I do not see this Memoir ascribed to Dr. Warton in any list, to which I have access, of his writings, perhaps the Memoir is not generally, or at all, known to be by him, and I therefore send the memorandum to you to be winnowed in your literary threshing-floor, by those who have better means and more leisure to ascertain its value.
J.M.
Oxford, Feb. 5.
William Baxter.—I do not know whether William Baxter is authority for anything. When you see a word quoted from one of the languages or dialects which the moderns call Celtic, that word will very commonly be found not to exist. When at a loss, quote Celtic. If W. Baxter says (see No. 13. p. 195.) that buarth papan means the sun's ox-stall, or, in other words, that papan means the sun, I should wish to know where else such a name for that luminary, for or any thing else, may be met with? I have not found any such thing.
A.N.
Derivation of the word "Avon."—Among the many proofs of the prevalence of the Gaelic roots in existing names at both ends of the island, it may be mentioned that there are ten rivers named Avon in Britain, and Avon is simply the Gaelic word for a river.
J.U.G. Gutch.
Warton and Heinsius.—A late critic thinks he has discovered that Mr. Thomas Warton, a contemporary of Mr. Wise, and fellow of the same college, an antiquary and scholar of whom England may be proud, knew little of Latin, and less of Greek, because, forsooth, he did not notice Milton's false quantities, which Heinsius did! As well might it be argued, that the critic is an immoral man, because he did not notice the delinquencies of Heinsius in a moral point of view; the said Heinsius being obliged to resign his secretaryship to the city of Amsterdam in consequence of a prosecution by a young woman for breach of promise of marriage, under the faith of which she had lived with him, and borne him two children. The sentence of misdaadigheyd was pronounced against him, and confirmed, on appeal, by the supreme court of Holland, in 1662. So much for the unpatriotic puff of the learned foreigner, to the disparagement of one of the greatest ornaments of English literature. As one "note" naturally produces another, I hope your sense of justice, Mr. Editor, will admit this, in order to counter-balance the effect of the former one; appearing, as it did, in a periodical of considerable circulation, which, I am glad to hear, is soon to be very much improved.
J.I.
Queen's Bagnio (No. 13. p. 196.).—The Queen's Bagnio in Long Acre was on the south side, nearly opposite to the door of Long Acre Chapel. The Duke's bath I have always heard was in Old Belton Street, now Endell Street; the fourth house from Castle Street on the west side. It has been new fronted not long since; but at the time that I frequented the baths there—the exterior had pilasters, and a handsome cornice in the style of Inigo Jones,—all being built in dark red brick. Within there was a large plunging bath, paved and lined with marble, the walls being covered by small tiles of blue and white, in the Dutch fashion. The supply of water was from a well on the premises.