ers have given some curious instances of Cockney and other
rhymes. I am sorry to see that the offensive _r_ not only appears to be
gaining ground in poetry, but also in the mouths of many whose station and
education might have been supposed to preserve them from this vulgarism. If
the masters of our great schools took as much pains with their pupils'
pronunciation of English, as with that of Latin and Greek, we should hear
less of this.

J. S. WARDEN.

_"The Angels' Whisper."_--The admirers of that popular song will be
surprised to find that there prevails in India a tradition very similar to
the one on which that song is founded.

The other day our Hindoo nurse was watching our baby asleep, and noticing
that it frequently smiled, said, "God is talking to it!" The tradition, as
elicited from this woman, seems to be here, that when a child smiles in its
sleep, God is saying something pleasing to it; but when it cries, He is
talking to it of sorrow.

J. C. B.

Punjab.

_Pronunciation of Coke_ (Vol. vii., p. 586.).--Probably the under-mentioned
particulars may tend to elucidate the Query discussed in your paper
touching the pronunciation of Chief Justice Coke's surname in his
Lordship's time.

In numerous original family "Coke documents" in my possession, amongst
which are a most spirited and highly interesting letter written by the
celebrated Lady Elizabeth Hatton[1], Sir Edward Coke's widow, quite in
character with her ladyship, shortly after her husband's death; and
likewise several letters written by his children and grandchildren; Sir
Edward's surname is invariably spelt Coke, whilst in other his family
documents[2] and public precepts I possess, the latter of which came under
the eye of Lords Keepers Coventry and Littleton, Sir Edward's name is, in
nine cases out of ten in five hundred instances, spelt _Cooke_ and _Cook_;
thus, I submit, raising an almost irresistible presumption that, however
the Chief Justice's surname was written, it was pronounced _Cook_ and not
C_o_ke.

T. W. JONES.

Nantwich.

[Footnote 1: Her surname is so written.]

[Footnote 2: Some of them of so early a date as the year 1600, when Sir
Edward was Attorney-General to Queen Elizabeth.]

_The Advice supposed to have been given to Julius III._--The _Consilium_,
sometimes and inadvertently called a _Council_, addressed to Julius III.,
Pope of Rome, by certain prelates, has just been once more quoted, for the
fiftieth time, perhap