33, the date being
determined by a very simple act of mental arithmetic, since the author
informs us that the colonel went to the party in the mufti-coat "sent him
out by Messrs. Stultz to India in the year 1821," and which he had "been in
the habit of considering a splendid coat for twelve years past." The
anachronism on Mr. Doyle's part is probably intentional. Indeed, he only
follows the example which Mr. Thackeray had justified in these words:

"It was the author's intention, faithful to history, to depict all the
characters of this tale in their proper costumes, as they wore them at
the commencement of the century. But, when I remember the appearance of
people in those days, and that an officer and lady were actually
habited like this [here follows one of Mr. Thackeray's graphic
sketches], I have not the heart to disfigure my heroes and heroines by
costumes so hideous; and have, on the contrary, engaged a {368} model
of rank dressed according to the present fashion."--_Vanity Fair_, note
to p. 55.

And, certainly, when one looks at a fashion-book published some twenty
years ago, one cannot feel surprised at Mr. Doyle, or any other man of
taste, preferring to commit an anachronism, rather than depict frights and
monstrosities.

CUTHBERT BEDE, B.A.

* * * * *

CEPHAS, A BINDER, AND NOT A ROCK.

Some of the multifarious readers of "N. & Q." may feel interested in the
suggestion of an original solution on Matt. xvi. 16-19. I submit it (not
presumptuously, but hopefully), that its examination and discussion, by
your learned readers, may throw more light upon my humble endeavour to
elucidate a passage which seems to have been darkened "by a multitude of
words."

The solution I propose is an extract from my MS. annotations on the Hebrew
Old Testament, and forms a portion of a note on Habakkuk ii. 11. It will be
desirable, for the readier comprehension of my exposition, to give the
original, with a literal translation, of the verse alluded to:

[Hebrew: KY 'BN MQYR TZ`Q]
[Hebrew: WKPYS M`TS Y`NNH:]
"For the [_Ebhen_] stone shall cry out of the wall,
And the [_Caphis_] fastening shall testify out of the timber."[1]

This verse has passed into a proverb amongst the Jews in every part of the
world. It is invariably quoted to express the impossibility of secrecy or
concealment; or to intimate the inevitable publicity of