er, non pas dans la peuple, mais
bien dans la classe eclairee de la societe, les principes des sciences.
Cette classe si importante, dont l'autorite devrait faire loi pour
toute la nation, s'est deja montree plusieurs fois au-dessous de cette
noble mission. La remarque n'est pas de moi, mais au besoin je l'adopte
et la defends:

'Si les raisons manquaient, je suis sur qu'en tout cas,
Les exemples fameux ne me manqueraient pas!'

Comme le dit Moliere. Il est a constater que l'initiative des
reclamations en faveur du bon sens contre les prestiges des tables et
des chapeaux a ete prise par les membres eclaires du clerge de France.

"4^o. Enfin, les faiseurs des miracles sont instamment supplies de
vouloir bien, s'ils ne peuvent s'empecher d'en faire, au moins ne pas
les faire absurdes. Imposer la croyance a un miracle, c'est deja
beaucoup dans ce siecle; mais vouloir nous convaincre de la realite
d'un miracle ridicule, c'est vraiment etre trop exigeant!"--_Revue des
Deux Mondes_, Janvier 15, 1854.

J. M.

Oxford.

_Female Dress_ (Vol. ix., p. 271.).--I have dresses from 1768 to the
present time, two or three years only missing, from pocket-books, which I
have carefully arranged and had bound in a volume. On referring to it I
find that hoops ceased after 1786, excepting for court days. The ladies at
that time wore large hats, the same shape young people and children have at
the present day. Powder went out at the time of the scarcity, patches
before hoops, and high-heeled shoes when short waists came in fashion.

I have a small engraving of their Majesties, attended by the lord
chamberlain, &c., together with the Princess Royal, Prince Edward, and the
Princess Elizabeth, in their boxes at the opera in the year 1782. The queen
in a very large hoop, each with their hair full powdered; and the
celebrated Mademoiselle Theodore, in the favourite comic ballad called "Les
Petits Reins," the same year, with a large hoop, hair well powdered, a
little hat at the back of her head with long strings, very short
petticoats, and shoes with buckles.

JULIA R. BOCKETT.

Southcote Lodge.

_Office of Sexton held by one Family_ (Vol. ix., p. 171.).--A search into
parish registers would, I think, show that the office of clerk was often a
hereditary one. In Worcestershire, for example, the family of Rose at
Bromsgrove, and the family of Osborne at Belbroughton, have s