"The Idea of Christian Love; being a Translation, at the Instance of Mr. Waller, of a Latin Sermon upon John xiii. 34, 35., preached by Mr. Edward Young, Prebend of Salisbury. With a large Paraphrase on Mr. Waller's Poem of Divine Love. To which are added, some Copies of Verses from that excellent Poetess Mrs. Wharton, with others to her. London, 1688, 8vo."

The versification is extremely good, but as I never saw the sermon, I can have no notion whether the translation be faithful, or the reverse. I suspect a Latin "preachment" would have few hearers, especially now-a-days: but it would be interesting to see a Latin sermon which Waller thought highly of, and which he proposed should be turned into verse.

I have not been able to procure any information as to the sermon, or its poetical translation, in any bibliographical work; but perhaps some of your numerous readers may know something either about Mr. Edward Young, the father I presume of the poet, or the translator.

Mrs. Wharton was the daughter of Sir H. Lee, of Ditchly, and the first wife of the future Marquis of Wharton. A manuscript tragedy by her, and in her own handwriting, is in my possession. It is the presentation copy to Miss Mary Howe, whose autograph is on the fly-leaf. It is beautifully bound in old morocco, and formerly belonged to Horace Walpole, whose book-plate is on it. Who was Miss Mary Howe? It was purchased at the dispersion of the curious MSS. of Mr. Charles K. Sharpe, who had a great fancy for the lady's poetry. She is erroneously styled Marchioness of Wharton in Park's edition of Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors.

J. MT.

[The Rev. Edward Young was father to the poet, and Rector of Upham in Hampshire, Prebendary of Salisbury, and lastly Dean of that church. He died in 1705. The translation and paraphrase in The Idea of Christian Love is attributed to William Atwood in the Bodleian Catalogue.]

PLAGUE STONES.

In a recent and valuable report addressed to the General Board of Health, on the sanitary state of the borough of Dorchester, by a gentleman to whom I, in common with all the readers of "N. & Q.," have often been indebted—I mean Robert Rawlinson, Esq.,—an allusion is made to the existence of "Plague Stones" in different parts of the country. Briefly recording the principal visitations of plague in Dorchester and its neighbourhood, he describes these "plague stones" as "stones placed on the boundary limits of old towns, having a circular or square dish-like sinking in them, which was filled with water, into which the town's people dropped the purchase-money in their dealings with the country people, as was supposed, to prevent infection. Such stones may be seen in many places throughout England." The object of this communication is, to suggest the propriety of a list of these curious relics being made, through the medium of your excellent paper. I am not aware of any such list at present existing. A plague stone is to be seen, I believe, at Penrith; and another near Manchester, which is, I am told, called the "Giant's Stone." The name of the latter seems, to my mind, to point to a more remote period, unless an existing monument of antiquity bearing that title was during the times of plague converted to the temporary use of receiving the suspected money in the hollowed dish, which is made at the top of these "plague stones." By the way, might not our forefathers have suffered less from the fearful visitations and devastating epidemics to which so many hundreds of thousands of them fell victims, if they had been as careful to wash themselves habitually in aqua pura as they were to wash the money which they received from suspected localities. The custom above alluded to admitted the powerfully cleansing qualities of water. It would have been good for them, especially in trying times of plague, if they had not been so accustomed to "let" the "well alone," as regards their own personal purification.

J. J. S.

The Cloisters, Temple.