"The day gan failen, and the darke night, That reveth beastes from hir businesse, Berafte me my booke for lacke of light." _The Assembly of Foules_, I. 85. "_Lo giorno se n'andava, e l'aer bruno_ _Toglieva gli animai che sono in terra_ _Dalle fatiche loro._"--_Inf._ ii. 1. "With that my hand in his he toke anon, Of which I comfort caught, and went in fast." _The Assembly of Foules_, I. 169. "_E poiche la sua mano alla mia pose_ _Con lieto volto, ond' io mi confortai._" _Inf._ iii. 19. By the way, Chaucer commences _The Assembly of Foules_ with part of the first aphorism of Hippocrates, "[Greek: Ho bios brachus he de techne makre]" (but this, I suppose, had been noticed before): "The lyfe so short, the craft so long to lerne." Chaucer was forty years old, or upwards, in 1372, when he was sent as an envoy to treat with the duke, citizens, and merchants of Genoa; and if, as is probable, he had translated _Troilus and Creseide_ out of the "Lombarde tonge" in his youth (according to the testimony of Lydgate), it is not unreasonable to infer that his knowledge of Italian may have led to his being chosen to fill that office. But, however this may be, abundant proof has been adduced that Chaucer was familiarly acquainted with Italian. I may briefly remark, in conclusion, that the dates and other circumstances favour the supposed interview at Padua, between Fraunceis Petrark the laureate poet, and Dan Chaucer, "Floure of poets throughout all Bretaine." J. M. B. Tunbridge Wells. * * * * * THE REBELLION OF '45.--UNPUBLISHED LETTER. Inverness, 16th Aprile, 1746. Dear Sirs,