It ought, in my opinion, to be more comprehensive than even the largest scheme suggested by your correspondent; for, in addition to the comments which may be thought most worthy of insertion in full, or nearly so, it ought to contain at least a _reference_ to every known comment, in the slightest degree worthy of notice, in relation to any passage in the work. To accomplish this would of course be a work of enormous labour, and the object of the present Note is to suggest, as first step, the circulation of a list of works intended to be consulted, for the purpose of inviting additions; not that such a list should encumber the pages of "N. & Q." but I am much mistaken if you would not afford facilities for receiving the communications asked for. This course is the more necessary, inasmuch as, in addition to works written exclusively on the subject of Shakspeare, there is a vast amount of Shakspearian criticism spread over works, the titles of which give no indication of the necessity for consulting them. For instance, upwards of two hundred pages of Coleridge's _Literary Remains_ are so employed; and though, perhaps, the work is so well known that it would have found a place in the first copy of the list I have suggested, it may serve as an illustration of the sort of information which it would be desirable to invite. J. F. M. * * * * * MOTTOS OF THE EMPERORS OF GERMANY. I was much interested in the lists given in "N. & Q." last year of the mottos adopted by serjeants-at-law on arriving at that dignity; and it then occurred to me, that it would be curious to collect in like manner a complete list of the sentences, which, as is well known to students of history, the Emperors of Germany were accustomed to assume at their coronations. A recent visit to Frankfort has given me an opportunity of making and sending you such a list. The materials are collected from inscriptions on a series of imperial portraits which adorn the principal chamber in the Römer or town hall of that city. The list, if it have no other interest, will at least serve to remind us that some of the Latin aphorisms and "wise saws" current among us now, have been doing duty in the same capacity for centuries: Conrad I. 911. (Franconia.) _Fortuna cum blanditur fallit._ Henry I. 918. (Saxony.) _Ad vindictam tardus, ad beneficentiam velox._ Otho I. (The Great.) 936. (Saxony.) _Satius est ratione æquitatis mortem oppetere, quam fugere et inhonesta vivere._ Otho II. 974. (Saxony.) _Cum omnibus pacem; adversus vitia bellum._ Otho III. 983. (Saxony.) _Facile singula rumpuntur jacula; non conjuncta._ Henry II. 1002. (Bavaria.) _Nihil impense ames, ita fiet ut in nullo contristeris._ Conrad II. 1024. (Franconia.) _Omnium mores, imprimis observato._ [1]Henry III. 1039. (Franconia.) _Qui litem aufert; execrationem in benedictionem mutat._ Henry IV. 1056. (Franconia.) _Multi multa sciunt, se autem nemo._