Verses in Prose.
—I consider the following not to be an instance of casual versification by prose authors:
"Fides antiquitatis religione firmatur. Stato tempore in sylvam,
"'Auguriis patrum et priscâ formidine sacram,'
"omnes ejusdem sanguinis populi legationibus coëunt."
Tacit. Germ. cap. 39.
But I consider it to be a quotation from some lost Roman poet. It is too lofty and sonorous to be casual, though such quotations are unusual to the historian.
A. N.
Stops, when first introduced (Vol. v., pp. 1. 133., &c.).
—In order to assist SIR HENRY ELLIS in his inquiry into the use of stops in the early days of typography, I examined some of the earlier specimens of printing which my library afforded, and made the following notes. P. T. had not found the semicolon earlier than 1636, with the exception of Gerard's Herbal, 1597. It is, however, probable that the communication of A. J. H. (p. 164.), by which it appears that the semicolon was used in 1585, may render my notes of no use. However, I send my contribution, such as it is.