Notes and Queries, Number 167, January 8, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

In Short

This issue of a weekly nineteenth-century periodical presents a miscellany of queries, historical notes, and scholarly replies submitted by correspondents across Great Britain. Readers trade details on royal genealogies, obscure etymologies, parliamentary sermons from the Commonwealth, Shakespearean text revisions, and the practical chemistry of early photography. The text has lasted as a vivid snapshot of Victorian intellectual life, showing how amateur historians, clergymen, and scientists built a collaborative network to preserve fragile historical facts and solve literary mysteries together.

The Story

The volume opens with a collection of brief historical essays and notes submitted by readers. Sir Frederic Madden highlights an authentic autograph of Edward of Lancaster, while another contributor unearths old accounts detailing the purchase of Cremona violins for King Charles II. Political insights emerge through extracts of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s writings that forecast political upheavals in France, alongside historical records of tea prices from 1734 and satirical quotes from seventeenth-century parliamentary sermons.

The publication then transitions into its query section, where contributors post specific requests for information. Readers ask about Roman burial inscriptions, the origin of the term "Chapel Plaster," lost portraits of Martha Blount and Lord Lechmere, and the whereabouts of rare manuscript letters written by David Garrick. Others present queries on ancient land tenures like "drengage," regional naming customs, and obscure literary quotations, inviting the wider reading community to supply missing evidence.

Replies to previous queries form the core of the issue's intellectual exchange. A detailed genealogical investigation traces Queen Victoria’s descent from John of Gaunt through Joan Beaufort and the Neville family, correcting erroneous dates in previous histories. Textual critics debate emendations to Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale and Henry IV, proposing definitions for archaic terms like "clamour." Legal and local history questions are clarified, addressing the burial places of Judge Jeffreys, the meaning of Border dialect words such as "sike," and the history of English subjects reduced to slavery.

A dedicated section on photographic technology highlights contemporary innovation. Correspondents debate whether Gustave Le Grey or Frederick Scott Archer first applied collodion to glass plates, while others exchange recipes for iodizing paper and request designs for portable outdoor cameras. The issue concludes with editorial notices, lists of wanted books, and advertisements for photographic materials, estate sales, and agricultural journals, completing a full cycle of Victorian intellectual and practical exchange.

How It Unfolds

A mosaic of historical notes The issue opens with historical discoveries, presenting royal autographs, Charles II's violin purchases, and historical tea prices. Contributors offer political commentary alongside extracts from Commonwealth sermons that lampoon both clergy and laity.

Questions sent into the void A diverse list of queries asks for help tracing rare portraits, obscure land titles, and forgotten books. Correspondents seek the origins of place names, regional terms, and lost letters from figures like David Garrick.

Debates and corrections Scrutiny turns to history and literature as contributors offer detailed replies. Historical errors regarding the death of Robert Ferrers and the burial of Judge Jeffreys are corrected using original land grants and parish records.

The frontier of photography Letters focus on the practical science of photography, debating the invention of the collodion process. Readers exchange technical advice on camera designs and paper solutions for field use.

Commercial and editorial notices The issue closes with editor notes regarding submission backlogs and advertisements for books, photographic paper, and periodicals. These notices capture the everyday trade supporting the intellectual community.

The People

Sir Frederic Madden An antiquary who seeks to establish precise historical documentation by analyzing original manuscripts. He introduces a rare autograph of Edward of Lancaster to clarify royal records.

George Daniel A literary contributor who shares personal notes and historical records regarding the poet Robert Bloomfield. He aims to preserve literary history through accurate biographical details.

Lambert B. Larking A topographer focused on local history and architectural origins. He investigates ancient site names, including the history behind "Chapel Plaster."

R. C. Warde A collector of rare ecclesiastical writings who examines political sermons from the Protectorate. He highlights the absurdities and fierce rhetoric of seventeenth-century parliamentary chaplains.

W. Hardy A meticulous genealogist who traces royal lineages through medieval patents and public records. He corrects public misconceptions regarding the Queen's descent from John of Gaunt.

Thomas Keightley A literary critic who analyzes obscure passages in Shakespeare’s plays. He proposes precise textual emendations based on archaic word roots and foreign language comparisons.

Gustave Le Grey A photographic pioneer whose written claims to the invention of the collodion process are cited by correspondents. His methods for applying collodion to glass and paper spark active debate among amateur photographers.

In Its Own Voice

"By the oxen wee are to vnderstand the laborious Clergie; by the asses, that were feeding beside them, wee may vnderstande the Laity."

This comparison from a 1644 sermon illustrates the satirical tone found in Commonwealth ecclesiastical speeches.

"He, however, would be a rash man who should write or help to write a Dictionary of the English language (a desideratum at present) without turning over the indices of the 'N. & Q.'"

A correspondent stresses the magazine's role as an essential archive for English etymology and word histories.

"The knowledge of such a task having been undertaken and completed, caused some alarm among the booksellers, who had expended a considerable sum of money upon the reprint of Shakspeare..."

A collector describes the tense negotiations over a manuscript detailing hundreds of typographical errors in a Shakespeare reprint.

What It's Really About

The volume explores how knowledge is gathered, preserved, and verified through public collaboration. Rather than relying on a single authority, it demonstrates how a community of curious readers can solve complex historical and literary problems together. The text examines how local traditions, rare documents, and obscure dialect terms contribute to national history. By placing technological advances in photography alongside medieval heraldry and Shakespearean criticism, it shows how nineteenth-century intellectuals integrated scientific innovation with traditional antiquarian study.

Why Read It Today

This issue offers a compelling look at Victorian intellectual culture, operating much like a nineteenth-century internet forum. Readers interested in historiography, etymology, or the early days of photography will appreciate watching historical debates unfold without the benefit of modern search engines. The prose is clear, scholarly, and occasionally sharp, reflecting the genuine passion of amateur researchers who care deeply about precise details.

The text presents few obstacles, though readers unfamiliar with Latin legal terminology, archaic English spellings, or specialized genealogical terms may need to slow down. The fragmented structure means topics shift rapidly from paragraph to paragraph, but this varied pacing keeps the content engaging. What stays with you is the sheer enthusiasm of these writers—whether they are debating a line in Twelfth Night, tracking down a lost violin record from 1662, or refining chemical formulas for field photography.