acread Hearse.
And, as when happy earth did, here, enclose
His heavn'ly minde, his Fame then Heav'n did pierce.
Now He in Heav'n doth rest, now let his Fame earth fill;
So, both him then posses'd: so both possesse him still."

Therefore, although Basse had written his _Sword and Buckler_ in 1602
(if it were the same man), he still called his Muse "young" in 1613. I
cannot call to mind any precedent for the form of stanza adopted by him,
consisting, as it does, of six ten-syllable lines, rhyming alternately,
followed by a twelve-syllable couplet. None of the other stanzas contain
personal matter; the grief of the author of _Great Britain's Sun's-set_
seems as artificial as might be expected; and his tears were probably
brought to the surface by the usual pecuniary force-pump.

I have some notion that William Basse was a musical composer, as well as
a writer of verses; but here, again, I am at fault, and particularly
request the aid of Dr. Rimbault, who has paid special attention to such
matters, and who has just published a learned and valuable work on the
music of the ballads in Percy's _Reliques_. If the volume were not so
indisputably excellent in its kind, there are reasons, connected with
its dedication, which might make me hesitate in giving it even a just
tribute of praise.

J. PAYNE COLLIER.

Kensington, Jan. 21. 1850.

* * * * *

MINOR QUERIES.

_Christmas Hymn_.--Can any of your readers inform me who was the author
of the well-known Christmas Hymn, "Hark the Herald Angels sing," which
is so often found (of course without the slightest shadow of authority),
at the end of our Prayer-Books? In the collection of poems entitled
_Christmas Tyde_, published by Pickering, the initials "J.C.W." are
appended to it; the same in Bickersteth's _Hymn Book_. In the last
number of the _Christian Remembrancer_, it is incorrectly attributed to
Doddridge, who was the author of the other Christmas Hymn, "High let us
swell our tuneful notes," frequently appended to Tate and Brady; as well
as of the Sacramental Hymn, "My God and is Thy table spread?" If the
author of this hymn cannot be determined, it would be interesting to
know its probable date, and the time when this and the other
unauthorised additions were made to our Prayer-Book. The case of
Doddridge's hymn is more remarkable, as being the composition of a
dissenter.

E.V.

_On a Passage in Pope_.--"P.C.S.S.," who is ol