Mr. Halliwell, however, in a recent pamphlet, states that—
"This new emendation has not only been mentioned in a great variety of editions, but has been introduced into the text by no fewer than five editors, the first, I believe, in point of time, being the Rev. J. Rann, who substituted ethics into the text as early as 1787."
A. E. B.
Leeds.
Critical Digest.—Your readers have seen no more welcome announcement than that contained in p. 75. of your present volume, that this project of a work, bringing into one view the labours of preceding editors and commentators, is in good hands and likely to be brought to bear. On the form of such a work it is perhaps premature to offer an observation; but, to be perfect, it ought to range with that remarkable monument of a lady's patient industry, Mrs. Cowden Clarke's Concordance. On the materials to be employed, all your readers have such an interest in the subject as to warrant them in making suggestions; and it will be well to do so before the plans are fully matured.
It ought, in my opinion, to be more comprehensive than even the largest scheme suggested by your correspondent; for, in addition to the comments which may be thought most worthy of insertion in full, or nearly so, it ought to contain at least a reference to every known comment, in the slightest degree worthy of notice, in relation to any passage in the work. To accomplish this would of course be a work of enormous labour, and the object of the present Note is to suggest, as first step, the circulation of a list of works intended to be consulted, for the purpose of inviting additions; not that such a list should encumber the pages of "N. & Q." but I am much mistaken if you would not afford facilities for receiving the communications asked for. This course is the more necessary, inasmuch as, in addition to works written exclusively on the subject of Shakspeare, there is a vast amount of Shakspearian criticism spread over works, the titles of which give no indication of the necessity for consulting them. For instance, upwards of two hundred pages of Coleridge's Literary Remains are so employed; and though, perhaps, the work is so well known that it would have found a place in the first copy of the list I have suggested, it may serve as an illustration of the sort of information which it would be desirable to invite.
J. F. M.
MOTTOS OF THE EMPERORS OF GERMANY.
I was much interested in the lists given in "N. & Q." last year of the mottos adopted by serjeants-at-law on arriving at that dignity; and it then occurred to me, that it would be curious to collect in like manner a complete list of the sentences, which, as is well known to students of history, the Emperors of Germany were accustomed to assume at their coronations. A recent visit to Frankfort has given me an opportunity of making and sending you such a list. The materials are collected from inscriptions on a series of imperial portraits which adorn the principal chamber in the Römer or town hall of that city. The list, if it have no other interest, will at least serve to remind us that some of the Latin aphorisms and "wise saws" current among us now, have been doing duty in the same capacity for centuries: