J.F.M. (Vol. i., p. 101.) remarks, "I would venture to throw out a hint, that an edition of this _Elegy_, exhibiting all the known translations, arranged in double columns, might be made a noble monument to the memory of Gray." It has been asserted that there is scarcely a thought in this _Elegy_ that Gray has not borrowed from some writer, ancient or modern and if this be true, I would take the liberty of adding a hint to that of J.F.M., namely, that the proposed edition should contain a _third_ column, exhibiting all the known plagiarisms in this famous _Elegy_. To begin with the first line-- "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day." Lord Byron, in his notes to the third canto of _Don Juan_, says that this was adopted from the following passage in Dante's _Purgatory_, canto viii.: ---- "si ode squilla di lontano Che paja 'l giorno pianger che si muore." And it is worthy of notice that this passage corresponds with the first line of Giannini's translation of the Elegy, as quoted by J.F.M.:-- "Piange la squilla 'l giorno, che si muore." I must add, however, that long before Lord Byron thought of writing _Don Juan_, Mr. Cary, in his excellent translation of the Italian poet, had noticed this plagiarism in Gray; and what is more, had shown that the principal thought, the "giorno che si muore," was borrowed by Dante from Statius's "Jam moriente die." HENRY H. BREEN. St. Lucia, West Indies, Nov. 1850. [The preceding communication was accompanied by several others, and by the following gratifying letter, which we print as a fresh proof that our paper is fulfilling the object for which it was instituted, namely, that of promoting literary intercourse between men of letters throughout the world and that it is as favourably received by our fellow countrymen abroad, as it has been by those who are enabled to receive it wet from the press:-- "Owing to the difficulty of procuring the early numbers of 'NOTES AND QUERIES,' especially at this distance from Britain, I have been compelled to wait for its publication in a collected form. I am now in possession of the first volume, and beg leave to offer you a few Notes which have occurred to me on perusing its contents. I am fully sensible of the disadvantage of corresponding with you from so remote a corner of the globe, and am prepared to find some of my remarks anticipated by other correspondents nearer home; but having deeply suffered from the literary isolation consequent upon a residence of twenty-one years in this country, I shall gladly submit to any disadvantage which shall not involve a total exclusion from the means of inter-communication so opportunely afforded by your excellent periodical. "HENRY H. BREEN."] * * * * * THE NINEVEH MONUMENTS AND MILTON'S NATIVITY ODE ILLUSTRATED FROM LUCIAN.