It is not unlikely that I may be called upon to justify the orthography of several words of frequent occurrence in this work. I will therefore anticipate criticism by a remark or two, premising that I am too thoroughly imbued with the spirit of antiquarianism to make innovations without good and sufficient reason. The words to which I allude are _antient_, _lyon_, _escocheon_, and, particularly, _heraldric_. The first three cannot be regarded as innovations, as they were in use centuries ago. For 'an_t_ient,' apology is scarcely necessary, as many standard writers have used it; and it must be admitted to be quite as much like the low Latin _antianus_ as _ancient_ is. 'Lyon' looks _picturesque_, and seems to be in better keeping with the form in which the monarch of the forest is pourtrayed in heraldry than the modern spelling: an antiquarian predilection is all that I can urge in its defence. I would never employ it except in heraldry. 'Escocheon' is used by many modern writers on heraldry in preference to _escutcheon_, not only as a more elegant orthography, but as a closer approximation to the French _écusson_, from which it is derived. For 'HERALDRIC' more lengthened arguments may be deemed necessary, as I am not aware that it occurs in any English dictionary. This adjective is _almost_ invariably spelt without the R--heraldic; and that orthography, though sometimes correct, is still oftener false. I contend that two spellings are necessary, because _two totally different words_ are required in different senses,--to wit, I. Heraldic, belonging to a herald; and II. Heraldric, belonging to heraldry. I will illustrate the distinction by an example or two. (I) "The office of Garter is the 'ne plus ultra' of _heraldic_ ambition," i. e., it is the height of the herald's ambition ultimately to arrive at that honour. The word here has no relation whatever to proficiency in the science of coat-armour or heraldry, since it is possible that a herald or pursuivant may entertain the desire of gaining the post, _causâ honoris_, without any particular predilection for the study. Again, "Queen Elizabeth was a staunch defender of _heraldic_ prerogatives;" in other words, she defended the rights and privileges of her _officers_ of arms; not the prerogatives of _coats_ of arms, for to what prerogatives can painted ensigns lay claim? (II) "A. B. is engaged in _heraldric_ pursuits;" that is, in the study of armorial bearings; not in the pursuits of a herald, which consist in the proclamation of peace or war, the attendance on state ceremonials, the _granting_ of arms, &c. To say that A. B., who has no official connexion with the College of Arms, is a herald, would be an obvious misnomer, although he may be quite equal in _heraldrical_ skill to any gentleman of the tabard.