Philadelphia.
Piccalyly.—The ornament, somewhat between a hood, a scarf, and an armlet, worn hanging over the right shoulder of judges and serjeants at law, is called a piccalyly. What is the origin of this peculiarity of judicial costume, what are the earliest examples of it, and what its etymology?
No Judge.
Post-Office about 1770.—Mr. Smith, in the notes prefixed to the Grenville Correspondence, says several of Junius's letters appear to have been sent from the same post-office "as the post-mark is 'peny post payd,'"—a peculiarity of spelling not likely to occur often. Have any of your correspondents letters of that date with a like post-mark? and, if so, can they tell us where posted?
P. A. O.
"Carefully examined and well-authenticated."—I agree with Mr. Cramp (Vol. vii., p. 569.) that "the undecided question of the authorship of Junius requires that every statement should be carefully examined, and (as far as possible) only well-authenticated facts be admitted as evidence." I take leave, therefore, to remind him that my question (Vol. iii., p. 262.) remains unanswered; that I am anxious that he should authenticate his statement (p. 63.), and name some of the "many"
persons in whose libraries vellum-bound copies of Junius have been found.
V. B.
Sir Heister Ryley.—Who was the author of the Visions of Sir Heister Ryley, and whence did it derive its name? It was published in 1710, and consists of papers periodically published on serious subjects. It was one of the many short-lived periodicals that sprung up in imitation of the Tatler, and appears to have died a natural death at the end of the so-called first volume.
H. T. Riley.