anuscripts." I wish to know, first, who was the anonymous author of these
letters; and, secondly, in what collection of manuscripts this "Dialogue"
is to be found.

[mu].

_Ballad Editing._--The "_Outlandish Knight_" (Vol. iii.,p. 49.).--I was
exceedingly glad to see Mr. F. Sheldon's "valuable contribution to our
stock of ballad literature" in the hands of Mr. Rimbault, and thought the
treatment it received no better than it deserved. _Blackwood_, May, 1847,
reviewed Mr. Sheldon's book, and pointed out several instances of his
"godfathership;" among others, his ballad of the "Outlandish Knight," which
he obtained from "a copy in the possession of a gentleman at Newcastle,"
was condemned by the reviewer as "a vamped version of the Scotch ballad of
'May Collean.'" It may be as the reviewer states, but the question I would
wish answered is one affecting the reviewer himself; for, if I mistake not,
the Southron "Outlandish Knight" is the original of "May Collean" itself. I
have by me a copy, in black letter, of the "Outlandish Knight," English in
every respect, and as such differing considerably from Mr. Sheldon's border
edition, and from "May Collean;" and, with some slight alterations, the
ballad I have is yet popularly known through the midland counties. If any
of your correspondents can oblige me with a reference to the first
appearance of "May Collean," sheet or book, I shall esteem it a favour.

EMUN.

Birmingham.

_Latin Epigram on the Duchess of Eboli._--In his controversy with Bowles
touching the poetry of Pope, Byron states that it was upon the Princess of
Eboli, mistress of Philip II. of Spain, and Mangirow, the minion of Henry
III. of France, that the famous Latin epigram, so well known to classic
readers, was composed, concluding with the couplet:

"Blande puer lumen quod habes concede parenti,
Sic tu caecus Amor, sic erit illa Venus."

Can any contributor to the "NOTES AND QUERIES" suggest what authority his
lordship has for his statement? Many years since, a curious paragraph
appeared in one of the public journals, extracted apparently from an
historical work, specifying the extraordinary political embroglios which
the one-eyed duchess occasioned, eliciting from one of the statesmen of her
times the complimentary declaration, that if she had had two eyes instead
of only one, she would have set the universe on fire. A reference to this
work--I fancy one of Roscoe's--would be of material service t