_Shakspeare's Venus and Adonis._--The following extract from an advertisement in the _St. James's Chronicle_, April 15, 1779, is worth a note as illustrative of the altered value of the book referred to:-- "If any person is possessed of an impression of Shakspeare's _Venus and Adonis_, 4to. Printed by Richard Field for John Harrison, 1593, and will bring it to Mr. Thomas Longman, bookseller, in Paternoster Row, he will receive one guinea for it." Malone gave 25l. for the copy in his collection in the Bodleian. J. F. M. _Moorfields in Charles II.'s Time._--I copy this from _The New Help to Discourse_, published about 1670: "Two gentlemen of Stepney going homewards over Moor-fields, about twelve of the clock at night, were staid by an impertinent constable with many frivolous questions, more by half to show his office than his wit; one whereof was, If they were not afraid to go home at that time of the night? They answered, 'No.' 'Well,' said he, 'I shall let you pass at this time; but if you should be knockt on the lead before you get home, you cannot but report that there was a good watch kept in Moor-fields." BLOWEN. _Yankee, Derivation of._--The word _Yankee_ is nothing more than the word _English_ so transformed by the imperfect pronunciation of the natives of Massachusets--_Yenghis_, _Yanghis_, _Yankies_. The orthography of this much-used epithet, which is not given, we believe, in any English or American work, was communicated to M. Philarete {261} Charles by one of the best-informed men of that province. "Le mot Yankee, applique aujourd'hui comme sobriquet aux populations agricoles et commercantes du nord, n'est autre que le mot _English_ transforme par la prononciation defectueuse des indigenes du Massachusets: _Yenghis_, _Yanghis_, _Yankies_. Nous tenons de l'un des hommes les plus instruit de la province cette curieuse etymologie, que ne donne aucun ouvrage americain ou anglais. Les Anglais, quand ils se moquent des _Yankies_, se moquent d'eux-memes."--Philarete Charles, "Les Americains," in _Revue des Deux Mondes_, May 15, 1850. J. M. _A Word to Literary Men_ (Vol. iii., p. 161.).--Perhaps MR. KENNETH R. H. MACKENZIE will allow me to add the following as a _rider_ to his suggestion:--