"I have, ere now, deserved a cushion: call for the _Cushion Dance_." The musical notes are preserved in _The English Dancing Master_, 1686; in _The Harmonicon_, a musical journal; in Davies Gilbert's _Christmas Carols_ (2nd edition); and in Chappell's _National English Melodies_. In the first-named work it is called "Joan Sanderson, or the Cushion Dance, an old Round Dance." In a curious collection of old songs and tunes, _Neder-Landtsche Gedenck-clank door Adrianum Valerium_, printed at Haerlem in 1626, is preserved a tune called "Sweet Margaret," which, upon examination, proves to be the same as the _Cushion Dance_. This favourite dance was well known in Holland in the early part of the seventeenth century, and an interesting engraving of it may be seen in the _Emblems_ of John de Brunnes, printed at Amsterdam in 1624. The last-named work (a copy of the edition of 1661 of which is now before me) is exceedingly curious to the lovers of our popular sports and pastimes. The engravings are by William Pass, C. Blon, &c., and among them are representations of Kiss in the Ring, the game of Forfeits, rolling Snow-balls, the Interior of a Barber's Shop, with citherns and lutes hanging against the wall, for the use of the customers, &c. EDWARD F. RIMBAULT. _North Sides of Churchyards_ (Vol. ii., p. 93.).--In an appendix to our registers I find the following entry, where I conceive the _backside_ means the northside. Though now the whole of our churchyard is so full that we have much difficulty in finding any new ground, what we do find, however, is on the north side. "1750, Oct. 23. One Mary Davies, of Pentrobin, single woman, though excommunicated with the _Greater Excommunication_, was on this day, _within night_, on account of some particular circumstances alleged by neighbours of credit in her favour (as to her resolving to come and reconcile herself, and do penance if she recovered), indulged by being interred on the _backside_ the church, but no service or tolling allowed." From this I conclude that _here_ at least there was no part of the churchyard left unconsecrated for the burial of persons excommunicate, as one of your correspondents suggests; or burial in such place would have been no indulgence, as evidently it was regarded in this case. It would be interesting to ascertain from accredited instances _how late_ this power of excommunication has been _exercised_, and thereby how long it has really been in abeyance. I expect the period would not be found so great as is generally imagined. WALDEGRAVE BREWSTER. _Antiquitas Saeculi Juventus Mundi_ (Vol. ii., p. 466.).--Dugald Stewart, in his Dissertation prefixed to the _Encyclopaedia Britannica_, ed. 7., p. 30., points out two passages of writers anterior to Lord Bacon, in which this thought occurs. The first is in his namesake, Roger Bacon, who died in 1292: