_Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell._--In the _Critic_ of February 2, 1852, p. 78., there is an excellent letter, written by a lady, in defence of female doctors. In this letter Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D., is mentioned with great respect. It appears, from the _Critic_ of January 15, p. 45., that Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell is an American lady, and graduated in some American university, and that she was received with distinguished marks of attention both in London and Paris, and especially at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Can any of your correspondents favour us with a biography of this lady, and state in what university, and when she graduated? SOB. _Martha, Countess of Middleton._--In Worcester Cathedral is a marble monument to the memory of "Martha[5], Countess of Middleton, who died the 9th of February, 1705, aged 71." Can any of your readers inform me who this lady was? I have been unable to find her name in any of the pedigrees within any reach. J. B. WHITBORNE. [Footnote 5: The name is _Dorothy_ in Valentine Green's _History of Worcester_, vol. i. p. 149.--ED.] _Lord Lieutenant and Sheriff._--The latter officer, the sheriff, claims precedency over the Queen's representative, the lord lieutenant, in the county, whilst in office. It seems contrary to all reason, but will any of your legal friends state upon what authority such precedence is maintained; and in what instances they know that, when present, the lord lieutenant has ranked below the sheriff? L. I. _Vikingr Skotar._--Mr. W. F. Skene, in his _Highlanders_, quotes _Ari Froda_ or Arius Multiscius for the assertion, that the Hebrides were occupied, on the departure of Harold Harfagr, "by Vikingr Skotar, a term which is an exact translation of the appellation Gallgael" (vol. ii. p. 27.). That is true, on the assumption that _Vikingr_ is not Icelandic for pirate, but only for Scandinavian pirate; which assumption I should doubt. But I wish to be informed in what edition of _Ari Froda_, and at what page thereof, the words Vikingr Skotar may be found. A. N. _The Abbot of Croyland's Motto._--Will you allow me to call MR. LOWER'S attention to a passage in his _English Surnames_, vol. ii. p. 122., 3rd edition, which he has passed over without comment, but which struck me as requiring some editorial notice: "The motto of John Wells, last abbot of Croyland, engraved upon his chair, which is still extant, is: "'Benedicite Fontes, Domine.' "'Bless the Wells, O Lord!'" Reading "Domin_o_" for "Domin_e_" would make the first line of this inscription plain enough, as a quotation from the canticle "Benedicite, omnia opera;" but what are we to think of the second line? Could not the worthy abbot have given the pun upon his name in English, without using those particular words, or placing them in such a position that they actually _look_ as if they were intended as a translation, word for word, of their Latin companions, in defiance of all the laws of grammar?