Every one knows that instances of _catachresis_ occur in all languages; but I think this case may be more satisfactorily explained by considering that the _nerves_ consist of two very distinct and independent classes of organs--nerves of sensation, which conduct impressions to the sensorium; and nerves of volition, which convey the mental impulse to the muscles. From this it necessarily follows that when the former class are _over-active_ (and _redundancy_ is decidedly the adjectival idea in the word _nervous_), a morbid excitability of temper, with a perturbable anxious state of mind are produced (making the "bad" sense of the word); while from a similar state of the nerves of volition results a powerful and vigorous system of muscular action and mental energy (making the "good" sense of the word). EDWIN J. JONES. THE DUKE OF MONMOUTH'S POCKET-BOOKS. (Vol. i., p. 198.; Vol. iv., p. 1.) I am anxious to acknowledge that SIR F. MADDEN has established, beyond all doubt, the facts that _several_ manuscript books were found on the Duke of Monmouth when he was captured, and that the volume rescued from oblivion by Dr. Anster, and now placed in the British Museum, is one of these, and also in Monmouth's handwriting. I take this opportunity of saying, that I, unfortunately, have not seen Dr. Anster's reply to my communication; and it is to be regretted that it was not copied from the _Dublin University Magazine_ into "NOTES AND QUERIES," so that we (the readers of "NOTES AND QUERIES") might have had the whole subject before us. This is a course which I think our kind Editor may usefully adopt on similar occasions. Referring unsuccessfully to Lowndes' _Manual_ for an answer to SIR F. MADDEN'S question as to the date of the first edition of Welwood's _Memoirs_, I was pleased, however, to find that my edition (the sixth, published in 1718) possesses a value which does not attach to previous editions, inasmuch as it contains "A short introduction, giving an account how these memoirs came at first to be writ." From this it appears that there are spurious editions of the work, for Welwood writes: "I have given my bookseller leave to make a sixth impression of the following memoirs; and the [rather] that some time ago one Baker printed more than one edition of them without my knowledge, very incorrect, and on bad paper." We may fairly assume, that the first edition was published at the beginning of 1699, for [the] "epistle dedicatory" to King William is dated February of that year. If this be so, it must be taken as a proof of extraordinary popularity that the work should have reached a third edition as early as 1700, as stated by SIR F. MADDEN. The "account how these memoirs came at first to be writ" possesses some interest. It appears that Queen Mary used to hold frequent converse with the Doctor on the subject of her great-grandfather's and grandfather's history, and--