"Marmout, deceived by the seemingly careless winter attitude of the allies, left Ciudad Rodrigo unprotected within their reach and Wellington jumped _with both feet_ upon the devoted fortress of Napier," _Pen. War_, vol. iv. p. 374. Any apology for the unwarrantable length of this discursive despatch, would, of course, only make matters worse. C. FORBES. Temple. * * * * * ETYMOLOGICAL NOTES. 1. _Gnatch._--"The covetous man dares not gnatch" (Hammond's _Catechism_). From this, and the examples in Halliwell's _Dictionary_, the sense seems to be "to move." Is it related to "gnake?" 2. _Pert._--I lately met with an instance of the use of this word in the etymological sense _peritus_: "I beant peart at making button-holes," said a needlewoman. 3. _Rococo._--A far-fetched etymology suggests itself. A wealthy noble from the north might express his admiration for the luxuries of Paris by the Russian word [Cyrillic: roskosha], or Polish _roskosz_. A Frenchman, catching the sound, might apply it to anything extravagant enough to astonish a barbarian. 4. _Cad._--The letters from Scotland ascribed to a Captain Burtt, employed in surveying the forfeited estates, give an account of the "cawdies," or errand boys, of Edinburgh. 5. _Fun_, perhaps Irish, _fonamhad_, jeering, mockery (Lhuyd, _Archæologia Britannica_). 6. _Bumbailiff._--The French have _pousse-cul_, for the follower or assistant to the sergeant. 7. Epergne, perhaps _épargne_, a save-all or hold-all. Here seems no more difficulty in the transfer of the name than in that of chiffonier, from a rag-basket to a piece of ornamental furniture. 8. _Doggrel._--Has the word any connexion with _sdrucciolo_? 9. _Derrick._--A spar arranged to form an extempore crane. I think Derrick was the name of an executioner. 10. _Mece_, A.-S., a knife. The word is found in the Sclavonic and Tartar dialects. I thinly I remember some years ago reading in a newspaper of rioters armed with "pea makes." I do not remember any other instance of its use in English. F.Q. * * * * * MISTAKES IN GIBBON. The following references may be of use to a future editor of Gibbon; Mr. Milman has not, I believe, rectified any of the mistakes pointed out by the authors cited. In the Netherlands ... 50,000 in less than fifty years were ... sacrificed to the intolerance of popery. (Fra Paolo, _Sarpi Conc. Trid._ 1. i. p. 422. ed. sec. Grotius, in his _Annal. Belq._ 1. v. pp. 1G, 17. duod., including _all_ the persecutions of Charles V, makes the number 100,000. The supposed contradiction between these two historians supplied Mr. Gibbon with an argument by which he satisfied himself that be had completely demolished the whole credibility of Eusebius's history. See conclusion of his 16th book.) [Mendham's _Life of Pius V._, p. 303. and note; compare p. 252., where Gibbon's attack on Eusebius is discussed.]