Talleyrand (Vol. vi., p. 575.).—Talleyrand's maxim is in Young. I regret that I cannot give the reference.
Z. E. R.
Lord King and Sclater (Vol. v., pp. 456. 518.).—By Sclater's answer, "as I am informed, the Lord Chancellor King was himself fully convinced."—Zach. Grey's Review of Neal, p. 67., edit. 1744.
"Beware the Cat" (Vol. v., p. 319.).-The "dignitary of Cambridge" was probably Dr. Thackeray, provost of King's, who bequeathed all his
black-letter books to the college. Perhaps Beware the Cat may be among them.
Z. E. R.
"Bis dat qui cito dat" (Vol. vi., p. 376.).—The following Greek is either in the Anthologia, or in Joshua Barnes:
"ὠκεῖαι χάριτος γλυκερώτεραι, ἢν δὲ βραδυνῇ πᾶσα χάρις φθινύθει, μηδὲ λέγοιτο χαρις."
"Gratia ab officio quod mora tardat, abest."
Z. E. R.
High Spirits a Presage of Evil.—The Note of your correspondent Cuthbert Bede (Vol. vii., p. 339.) upon this very interesting point recalls to my recollection a line or two in Gilfillan's First Gallery of Literary Portraits, p. 71., which bears directly upon it. Speaking of the death of Percy Bysshe Shelley, the author says, "During all the time he spent in Leghorn, he was in brilliant spirits, to him a sure prognostic of coming evil." I may add, that I have been on terms of intimacy with various persons who entertained a dread of finding themselves in good spirits, from a strong conviction that some calamity would be sure to befall them. This is a curious psychological question, worthy of attention.