Eye, Nov. 17. 1851.
"Posie of other Men's Flowers" (Vol. iv., p. 58.).
—A literary friend of mine has found the passage in Montaigne, book iii., chapter 12., about three-fourths of the way through it:
"We invest ourselves with the faculties of others, and let our own lie idle: as some one may say to me that I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them together."
ESTE.
Abigail (Vol. iv., p. 424.).
—I have always supposed that the term "Abigail" had reference to the handmaid, who is described in sacred history as coming before David, and appeasing his wrath. I am far from wishing, as I am certain all your readers are, together with yourself, to tamper with holy things. With this understanding, let me therefore suggest, that other names recorded in the Bible have been used much in the same way as marking distinctive character. Witness Joseph, Solomon, Jehu, Job.
C. I. R.
Legend of St. Molaisse (Vol. ii., p. 79.; Vol. iii., p. 478.).
—This manuscript was purchased for the British Museum, and is MS. Add. 18,205. Instead of being of the eleventh, it is probably of the fourteenth or fifteenth century.