As a new and splendid edition of Walton's Angler is in the press, which will contain an original memoir of Izaak Walton, our readers are particularly solicited to favour the Editor with the loan of any letters or other MSS relating to that person, or with a notice of any fact hitherto unpublished, concerning him, his family, or friends, which they may possess, directed to the care of Mr. Pickering, bookseller, Chancerylane: such communications will be deemed a great favour, and will be properly acknowledged. Walton makes the hunter, in the second chapter, propose that they shall sing "Old Rose," which is presumed to refer to the ballad, "Sing, old Rose, and burn the bellows," of which every one has heard, but much trouble has been taken in vain to find a copy of it. Can any one of our readers refer to it?

We should be obliged to be informed whether the last report (between two and three months ago) of the death of that singular man, the Rev. C. C. Colton, was really correct. On receiving a confirmation of it, we shall publish in our Obituary such particulars as we can collect respecting him.

Our Correspondent W. H. will find his query (see Mag. for Feb. 124, 125) satisfactorily resolved in Dugdale's Warwickshire, pp. 615, 742, &c. ed. 1656, from authentic records.

A "RECLUSE" is informed, that the three Hundreds of Desborough, Stoke, and Burnham, in Bucks, are called the Chiltern Hundreds, and take their name from the Chalk Hills which run through Bucks and the neighbouring counties. The property of these Hundreds remaining in the Crown, a Steward is appointed at a salary of 20s. and all fees, which nominal office is accepted by any Member of Parliament who wishes to vacate his seat. See our General Index, vol. 111. p. 83.-Castor oil is the product of the plant Ricinus Americanus, or Palma Christi; but Oil of Castor is from the Castoreum or bag of the Beaver.-Copper is considered a better conductor for preserving buildings from lightning than iron, and is not so liable to rust.

J. S. of Hull, observes, "The manner in which Ascension-day, commonly called Holy Thursday, is celebrated in this country, has often been a subject of my consideration. Scarcely any outward respect is paid to it: true, our Cathedrals have appropriate services and sermons on this day; but how do the great mass of the people celebrate it? The answer is obvious,-not at all. On Good Friday, and Christmas-day, the shops are closed, and business suspended; indeed, those days can scarcely be distinguished from Sundays, only the Society of Friends will not comply with the general astom. Now, in my opinion, the day on

'ch the Ascension of our Redeemer is

celebrated, when he left this world of sin and misery to enter the eternal abodes of bliss, after accomplishing the salvation of mankind, ought to be observed with equal respect as those to which I have adverted."

J. S. B. remarks, "I see, by Graves's Cleveland, that in the first page of the Register of the Parish of Yarm, is the following extract from Ritual Rom. p. 409: Si infans non fuerit ex legitimo matrimonio natus, scribatur nomen, &c. (omnis tamen infamiæ vitetur occasio.)' This is no doubt a part of the directions of the Church for the Baptism of Infants, and is to be found in some of the Rituals; if any of your readers can refer me to the particular edition I shall be obliged."

A SUBSCRIBER remarks, "In Walpole's Correspondence, he frequently alludes to 'Bootikins.' What were they? I should have conjectured they were easy boots for gouty feet, but that Walpole speaks of the bootikins being applied to the breast as well as the feet."

A CORRESPONDENT says, "In a hamlet bearing the common name of Ridgway, and in the line of an ancient British trackway, which was afterwards adopted as a road by the Romans, there is a ford over a brook, which has uniformly borne the appellation of PisBridge; and in the same neighbourhood is a road called Hoo-Lane. Can any of your readers tell the derivation and meaning of these terms?"

J. T. remarks, that the celebrated Locke is called the countryman of Professor Stewart, in pages 115 and 116. The fact is, Locke was born at Wrington, near Bristol, in 1632, and died at the seat of Sir Francis Masham, at Oates, in Essex, 28th October, 1704, and his remains are interred in the church-yard of that village.

J. S. says, "in the official accounts of ceremonials observed at the Coronation of George the Fourth, and of others of our English Kings, the Prebendaries of Westminster Abbey are described as wearing 'rich copes. Now, I must plead ignorance respecting these rich copes,' and shall be obliged by a description of their make, colour, &c. and if they in any way resemble those at present worn by the Roman Catholic Clergy?"

M. F. would feel obliged by any information relative to the family of Miss Whitfield, who married Archibald Earl of Islay (afterwards 3d Duke of Argyle), and died at Kensington, Sept. 1, 1723. She is said to have been the daughter of a Major W. formerly Paymaster of Marines. Her sister is supposed to have been mistress to John the great Duke of Argyle, and to have had by him a daughter named Campbell, who married Butler, esq. Secretary to the Earl of Burlington.