Therefore, even if the masking be admitted, it can in no way lessen the inconsistency of the cross questions, which to me appears to have arisen from a most palpable instance of clerical or typographical transposition. Steevens was on the right scent, although he rejected it in the same breath, when he said,-- "No advantage would be gained by _an exchange of names_, because the last speech is determined to Biron by Maria, who gives a character of him after he has made his exit." This is a good reason against a transposition in the _male_ names, but it is none whatever against the same occurrence in the ladies' names; and consequently it is there that the true solution of the difficulty must be sought. If we admit that a substitution may have occurred, of "Rosaline" for "Katharine," in Boyet's answer to Dumain, and _vice versa_ in his answer to Biron, all difficulty disappears at once. The completeness with which the idea of transposition not only accounts for the existence of the error, but at the same time suggests the manner in which it may be corrected, ought of itself to secure its reception, even if it were not corroborated in a very singular way by the following collateral circumstance. It may be observed that Boyet points out two of the ladies, not only by name, but also by styling them "heirs;" one of Falconbridge, the other of Alencon. Now in their previous descriptions of their respective lovers, one of the ladies (Maria) says she had met Longaville at a marriage of a "Falconbridge;" another lady (Katharine) says she had met Dumain at "Duke Alencon's." When, therefore, we find that Boyet, in reply to Longaville's question, designates _Maria_ as "heir of Falconbridge," it is in direct analogy that he should, in answer to Dumain's question, designate _Katharine_ as "heir of Alencon;" but, in consequence of the transposition of names, Boyet appears, as the text now stands, to confer that designation, not upon Katharine, but upon Rosaline, whom Biron had met at Brabant! There can be no doubt, therefore, that the names of Katharine and Rosaline have been transposed _contrary to the author's intention_, and the only wonder is--not that such a very commonplace error should have been committed--but that it should have been suffered to remain through so many editions up to the present time. A. G. B. Leeds, Feb. 10. 1851. * * * * * NOTES ON NEWSPAPERS. I send you the following, as a help to "Materials for a satisfactory History of Newspapers," alluded to in the last volume of "NOTES AND QUERIES," p. 375.