It is currently reported, and nine men in ten will tell you, if you ask them the reason why goose is always eaten on the 29th Sept., Michaelmas Day, that Queen Elizabeth was eating goose when the news of the destruction of the Invincible Armada was brought, and she immediately put down her knife and fork, and said, "From this day forth let all British-born subjects eat goose on this day." Now in Creasy's _Battles_ it is stated that the Spanish fleet was destroyed in the month of July. How could it then be the 29th of Sept. when the news of its defeat reached her majesty? If any of your readers can solve this seeming improbability be will greatly oblige MICHAELMAS DAY. [Although it may be difficult to show how it is that the custom of eating goose has in this country been transferred to Michaelmas Day, while on the Continent it is observed at Martinmas, from which practice the goose is often called _St. Martin's bird_, it is very easy to prove that there is no foundation for the tradition referred to by our correspondent. For the following extract from Stow's _Annales_ (ed. Howes), p. 749., will show that, so far from the news of the defeat of the Armada not reaching Elizabeth until the 29th of September, public thanksgivings for the victory had been offered on the 20th of the preceding month: "On the 20th of August, M. Nowell, Deane of Paules, preached at Paules Crosse, in presence of the lord Maior and Aldermen, and the companies in their best liveries, moving them to give laud and praise unto Almightie God, for the great victorie by him given to our English nation, by the overthrowe of the Spanish fleete."] * * * * * Replies. PORTRAITS OF HOBBES AND LETTERS OF HOLLAR. (Vol. viii., p. 221.) Although I cannot answer the question of SIR WALTER TREVELYAN, the following notices respecting the portraits of the Philosopher of Malmesbury may not be unacceptable to him and to those who hold this distinguished man's memory in high respect. That admirable gossip, John Aubrey, who lived in habits of intimacy with Hobbes, has left us such a lively picture of the man, his person, and his manners, as to leave nothing to desire. In reading it we cannot but regret that Aubrey had not been a cotemporary of our great poet, about whom he has been only able to furnish us with some hearsay anecdotes. Aubrey tells us that-- "Sir Charles Scarborough, M.D., Physician to his Royal Highness the Duke of York, much loved the conversation of Hobbes, and hath a picture of him (drawne about 1655), under which is this distich: 'Si quaeris de me, mores inquire, sed ille Qui quaerit de me, forsitan alter erit.'" "In their meeting (_i. e._ the Royal Society) at Gresham College is his picture drawne by the life, 1663, by a good hand, which they much esteeme, and several copies have been taken of it." In a note Aubrey says: