_Recent Curiosities of Literature._--Thackeray, in the second number of _The Newcomes_, describes an old lady's death as being caused from her head having been _cut_ with a bed-room _candle_. N. P. Willis, in his _Health Trip to the Tropics_, speaks {32} of being waited on by a Carib, who had "no beard except a long moustache." Professor Spalding, of St. Andrew's in his _History of English Literature_, says that the sonnets of Wordsworth "have _perfection_ hardly to be _surpassed_." And J. Stanyan Bigg (the "new poet"), in the December number of Hogg's _Instructor_, exclaims: "The winter storms come rushing round the wall, Like him who at Jerusalem shriek'd out 'Wo!'" CUTHBERT BEDE, B.A. _Assuming Names._--Last Term, in the Court of Exchequer, application was made by counsel to add a surname to the name of an attorney on the roll; he having been left property with a wish expressed that he should take the surname in addition to his own, which he had done, but not by royal license. The court granted the application. (_Law Times_, vol. xxii. p. 123.) ANON. _False Dates in Water-marks of Papers._--Lately, in cutting up some paper for photographic purposes, I found in one and the same quire two sheets without any mark, two of the date 1851, nine bearing the date 1853, and the remaining eleven were 1854. I can imagine a case might occur in which the authenticity of a document might be much questioned were it dated 1853, when the paper would be presumed not to have been made until a year afterwards. I think this is worth making a note of not only by lawyers, but those interested in historical documents. H. W. D. Jan. 2, 1854. * * * * * Queries. CAPTAIN FARRE.