laces to which the rod pointed in the
hands of the ladies named; but although they cannot for a moment be
suspected of wilfully deceiving, may there not have been, as in
table-turning, an unconscious employment of muscular force? I have long
since read, and have tried with success, the following mode of producing
the effect:--Holding the rod in the usual position, one branch of the fork
in each hand, and grasping them firmly, turn your hands slowly and steadily
round inwards, _i. e._ the right hand from the right to left, and the left
from left to right--the point of the rod will then gradually descend till
it points directly downwards.

J. S. WARDEN.

_Orange Blossoms_ (Vol. viii., p. 341.).--The compliment of Captain
Absolute to Mrs. Malaprop in _The Rivals_, contains, I have no doubt, the
allegorical reason of the employment of these flowers on bridal occasions;
and in that view they seem highly appropriate, at least in our colder
climates--where we often see many "flowers" still on the parent stem, while
the "fruit" has attained its full perfection.

J. S. WARDEN.

"_Hip, hip, hurrah!_" (Vol. viii., pp. 88. 323. 605.).--Allow me to correct
two mistakes with reference to the notes on this subject. The note ascribed
to Dr. Burney, in a copy of Hawkins's _History of Music_, in the British
Museum, is in the handwriting of Sir John Hawkins, as are _all_ the other
notes scattered through the five volumes. These MS. notes have been
included in the recent reprint of this valuable work. In the hurry of
transcribing, Mr. Chappell (as your correspondent A. F. B. suggests)
_misread_ the MS. note. In future we must read "_hop_ drinkers," and not
"_hep_ drinkers."

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

_Belgium Ecclesiastical Antiquities_ (Vol. vii., p. 65.).--The inquiry of
AJAX has only been recently brought under my notice. In reply, I refer him
to _Recueil Heraldique et Historique des Familles de Belgique_. This is the
finest work on the antiquities, civil, military, and ecclesiastic, of that
country: it was printed at Antwerp by Rapell fils, and is in five large
4to. volumes. I saw a copy sold in Malines for about 3l.: it is now become
more scarce, and probably could not be obtained under 4l.

HENRY DAVENEY.

* * * * *

Miscellaneous.

NOTES ON BOOKS, ETC.

The Faussett Collection has, as our readers are probably aware, become the
property not of the public, but of a private individual, Mr. Jose