ronetage_,
mentions that the first man of the name of Bacon of whom there is record
in the Herald's College, bore for his arms "argent, a beech tree
proper." Additional confirmation seems afforded by the fact that in
certain places in England boys call beechen tops "bacons."

[N] "My father," says Thomas Shirley to the king, "being a man of
excellent and working wit, did find out the device of making baronets,
which brought to Your Majesty's coffers wellnigh one hundred thousand
pounds, for which he was promised by the late Lord Salisbury (son of
Miss Cooke, Bacon's aunt), lord-treasurer, a good recompense, which he
never had." Ninety-three patents were sold within six years. It was
promised in the patents that no new title of honor should be created
between barons and baronets, and that when the number of two hundred had
been filled up, no more should ever after be added. The first promise
has been kept.

[O] This recalls a story of the Marquis of L----, Sydney Smith's friend,
grandfather of the present peer. His lordship's gallantries were
notorious, though most carefully concealed. On one occasion he went to
visit a lady with whom he maintained very intimate relations. Not
choosing to take a groom on such an occasion, he gave his horse to a boy
in the street to hold. On coming out he looked up and down the street,
but in vain, and at length had to go home steedless. On reaching L----
House, the groom, waiting at the door for his return, said, "Shall I go
for the horse, my lord?" "The horse is dead," was the brief response.
"Where shall I send for the saddle and bridle, my lord?" "Oh--a--a--h"
(and then with emphasis), "they're dead too!"

NOTES.

As a knowledge of the circumstances under which a work of art is
composed occasionally gives a clearer insight into certain of its
peculiarities, so perhaps an analysis of the individual elements which
go to make up the present Assembly of Versailles may give the reader a
clue to the reason of some of its legislative measures, as well as to
its possibilities for the future and its political tendencies. Such an
analysis is made by the _Rappel_ of Paris in an elaborate article, from
which we must only cite a few points. The Assembly, then, contains, it
appears, 2 princes (the princes d'Orleans), 7 dukes, 30 marquises, 52
counts, 17 viscounts, 18 barons and 97 untitled nobles, or those
"_n'ayant que la particule_;" which last phrase we may explain to mean
having th