_Sir Walter Scott, and his Quotations from himself_ (Vol. ix, p. 72.).--I beg to submit to you the following characteristic similarity of expression, occurring in one of the poems and one of the novels of Sir Walter Scott. I am not aware whether attention has been drawn to it in the letters of Mr. Adolphus and Mr. Heber, as I have not the work at hand to consult: "His grasp, as hard as glove of mail, Forced the red blood-drop from the nail." _Rokeby_, Canto I. Stan. 15. "He wrung the Earl's hand with such frantic earnestness, that his grasp forced the blood to start under the nail."--_Legend of Montrose._ N. L. T. _Nightingale and Thorn_ (Vol. viii., p. 527.).--Add Young's _Night Thoughts_, Night First, vers. 440-445.: "Griefs sharpest thorn hard pressing on my breast, I strive with wakeful melody to cheer The sullen gloom, sweet Philomel! like thee, And call the stars to listen--every star Is deaf to mine, enamour'd of thy lay." H. T. G. Hull. _Female Parish Clerks_ (Vol. viii., p. 474.).--Within the last half-century, a Mrs. Sheldon discharged the duties of this post at the parish church of Wheatley, five miles from Oxford, and near Cuddesdon, the residence of the Bishop of Oxford. This clerkship was previously filled by her husband; but, upon his demise, she became his successor. It is not a week since that I saw a relation who was an eye-witness of this fact. PERCY M. HART. Stockwell. _Hour-glass Stand_ (Vol. ix., p. 64.).--There is an hour-glass stand of very quaintly wrought iron, painted in various colours, attached to the pulpit at Binfield, Berks. J. R. M., M.A. * * * * * Miscellaneous. NOTES ON BOOKS, ETC. The Rev. Edward Trollope, F.S.A., wisely conceiving that an illustrated work, comprising specimens of the arms, armour, jewellery, furniture, vases, &c., discovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum, might be acceptable to those numerous readers to whom the magnificent volumes, published by the Neapolitan government, are inaccessible, has just issued a quarto volume under the title of _Illustrations of Ancient Art, selected from Objects discovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum_. The various materials which he has selected from the _Museo Borbonico_, and other works, and a large number of his own sketches, have been carefully classified; and we think few will turn from an examination of the forty-five plates of Mr. Trollope's admirable outlines, without admiring the good taste with which the various subjects have been selected, and acknowledging the light which they throw upon the social condition, the manners, customs, and domestic life, of the Roman people.