a missal by J. de
Coligny, who died in 1686.

Racine, the French tragic poet, was also a great annotator of his books;
the Bibliotheque National at Paris possesses a Euripides and
Aristophanes from his library, the margins of which are covered with
notes in Greek, Latin, and French.

The books which formerly belonged to La Monnoie are now recognizable by
the anagram of his name. _A Delio nomen_, and also by some very curious
notes on the fly-leaves and margins written in microscopic characters.

G.J.K.

[Footnote 1: Conversion de la Reina de Suecia in Roma (1656).]

* * * * *

ORIGIN OF WORD "GROG."

Mr. Vaux writes as follows:--Admiral Vernon was the first to require his
men to drink their spirits mixed with water. In bad weather he was in
the habit of walking the deck in a rough _grogram_ cloak, and thence had
obtained the nickname of _Old Grog_ in the Service. This is, I believe,
the origin of the name _grog_, applied originally to _rum_ and _water_.
I find the same story repeated in a quaint little book, called Pulleyn's
_Etymological Compendium_.

[A.S. has communicated a similar explanation; and we are obliged
to "An old LADY who reads for Pastime" for kindly furnishing us
with a reference to a newly published American work, _Lifts for
the Lazy_, where the origin of "Grog" is explained in the same
manner.

The foregoing was already in type when we received the following
agreeable version of the same story.]

* * * * *

ORIGIN OF WORD "GROG"--ANCIENT ALMS-BASINS.

Mr. Editor,--As a sailor's son I beg to answer your correspondent
LEGOUR'S query concerning the origin of the word "grog," so famous in
the lips of our gallant tars. Jack loves to give a pet nickname to his
favourite officers. The gallant Edward Vernon (a Westminster man by
birth) was not exempted from the general rule. His gallantry and ardent
devotion to his profession endeared him to the service, and some merry
wags of the crew, in an idle humour, dubbed him "Old Grogham." Whilst in
command of the West Indian station, and at the height of his popularity
on account of his reduction of Porto Bello with six men-of-war only, he
introduced the use of rum and water by the ship's company. When served
out, the new beverage proved most palatable, and speedily grew into such
favour, that it became as popular as the brave admiral himself, and in
honour of hi