Henry M. Burt.
Gibson Square, Feb. 4. 1851.
Prayer of Bishop of Nantes.—In Allison's History of the French Revolution, ed. 1849, at page 432. vol. i., there occurs the following passage:
"The Bishop of Nancy commenced, as customary, with the prayer: 'Receive, O God, the homage of the Clergy, the respects of the Noblesse, and the humble supplications of the Tiers Etat.'"
This formula was, the historian tells us, received with a storm of disapprobation by the third order. Will any of your contributors be so obliging as to inform me where the form of prayer spoken of as customary is to be found?
J. M.
Liverpool.
Advantage of a Bad Ear.—Can any of your readers supply the name of the man of mark in English history, who says "he encouraged in himself a bad ear, because it enabled him to enjoy music he would not have enjoyed without?"
I have looked through the lives of Lord Herbert of Cherbury, Hampden, Hobbes, Andrew Marvell, and Fletcher of Saltoun, without finding it; though it is possible it may be in some of these after all. The list given will point to the kind of personage in question.
Tn.