Wilkes called her a noble historian. Franklin, in a letter to the newspapers, speaks of "future Livys, Humes, Robertsons, and Macaulays, who may be inclined to furnish the world with that rara avis, a true history." Gray thought her book "the most sensible, unaffected, and best history of England that we have had yet." (Early History of C. J. Fox, p. 138.)

Politicians of another hue thought very differently of the "celebrated female historian." In 1763 Dr. Johnson supped with Mr. Boswell one evening, in a private room at the Turk's Head Coffee-house in the Strand. Amongst other topics of the Doctor's conversation that night Bowzy has recorded that he again insisted on the duty of maintaining subordination of rank. "Sir," said the Doctor, "I would no more deprive a nobleman of his respect, than of his money. I consider myself as acting a part in the great system of society, and I do to others as I would have them to do to me Sir, there is one

Mrs. Macaulay in this town, a great republican. One day when I was at her house, I put on a very grave countenance, and said to her, Madam, I am now become a convert to your way of thinking. I am convinced that all mankind are upon an equal footing; and to give you an unquestionable proof, Madam, that I am in earnest, here is a very sensible, civil, well-behaved fellow citizen, your footman; I desire that he may be allowed to sit down and dine with us.' I thus, Sir, shewed her the absurdity of the levelling doctrine. She has never liked me since." (Boswell's Johnson, Vol. I. p. 425.)

The stout old Tory was never tired of recounting how he had disconcerted the fair republican by this practical test of her opinions. He told the story to Wilkes the first time he met him at dinner at Mr. Dilly's house, the bookseller in the Poultry (Vol. III. p. 79). And when in 1765 the Doctor paid a visit to the University of Cambridge, with his friend Mr. Beauclerk, we are told that "several persons got into his company the last evening at Trinity, where, about twelve, he began to be very great; stripped poor Mrs. Macaulay to the very skin, then gave her for his toast, and drank her in two bumpers." (Vol. I. p. 465.)

As stated above Mrs. Macaulay's second husband-the moerens conjuxwho erected the monument to her memory in Binfield Church was a Mr. Graham. I have not been able to find out anything about him, except that he was the brother of Dr. Graham, the famous quack, who in the year 1782 appeared in London and opened a mansion in Pall Mall, which he called "The Temple of Health.” Here he delivered "Lectures on Health, &c.," at the extravagant rate of two guineas a lecture. And as a further attraction he hired a young female of beautiful figure to exhibit herself in poses plastiques as the "Goddess of Health." The lady who performed this singular part was afterwards well known as Emma, Lady Hamilton, for whom the great Lord Nelson subsequently formed an infatuated and discreditable attachment. (See Hone's Table Book, Vol. II. p. 562.)

I shall be very glad to hear from any correspondent further particulars of this celebrated female historian, Catherine Macaulay Graham. Is it known where she lived in Binfield? and are there any traditions of her stay in that village ?— C. W. PENNY, Wellington College.

SULHAMSTEAD.-I have been searching the Manor Deeds of Sulhamstead. In those of Banister I find a curious entry of a small yearly sum due to the Manor from the Manor of Bear. This accounts for the entry in our old lot books of the "Abbas of Bere" as having a strip of ground in the Common Field; the

most curious thing is that for the two centuries after the Dissolution the old name was retained through tradition.-E. E. THOYTS.

READING GRAMMAR SCHOOL.-In an obituary notice of General Charettie in the Field for January 20th, 1866, it is said, "On the goodness of his memory we have before remarked, and we will confirm it by stating that, for a bet, he learned the Morning Post of a particular day, and repeated every word of it, including advertisements."

In Notes and Queries, 24th March, 1866, a correspondent wrote, “I have frequently heard my old friend, General Charettie, assert that, for a bet, he had once got by heart and repeated the Morning Post, including advertisements; but I feel myself bound to observe that whenever I pressed him to relate to me 'how, when and where' this marvellous wager originated, he invariably either checked my curiosity, hastily evaded the question, or let the subject drop. I suspect, therefore, that the Field newspaper will find some difficulty in verifying their statement, especially as Mrs. Charettie, the General's widow, and his brother, Captain Charettie (an octogenarian), have no recollection whatever of the General entering into any particulars connected with the wager in question. The General, without question, was gifted with an extraordinary memory, and quoted freely; and a trifling incident which happened to him when a boy at Dr. Valpy's school at Reading, may possibly have given rise to this marvellous, and as I conceive, fabulous story of his getting by heart and repeating the contents of one impression of the Morning Post. The incident alluded to occurred at a dinner given to some friends by Dr. Valpy, when the power of memory became the topic of conversation, and the host offered to bet that he had a boy in his school who, in an hour's time could get by heart and repeat one hundred lines from any part of Virgil. The wager was accepted, young Charette sent for, introduced to the company, and verified the Doctor's assertion by the accomplishment of the task."

I remember that during the election of Judge Talfourd as Member for Reading there was a similar story in circulation, namely that some one had read a newspaper through from memory; the Judge's name was associated with the feat, but I forget the particulars.—R. J. FYNMORE.

GUILD OF HOLY CROSS AT ABINGDON.-In an article by Mr. SparvalBayly, F.S.A., on the Parochial Guilds of Kent published in the Gravesend Journal of 25th July, 1891, I notice the following:

"In the Liber Niger, belonging to the Corporation of London, there is a description of the anniversary feast of the Guild of the Holy Cross at Abingdon, held on the 3rd May, 1445, when they had twelve priests to sing a dirge, for which they gave them four pence apiece. They had also twelve minstrels, who had 2s. 3d. besides their diet and horsemeat; while the provisions provided consisted of six calves, valued at 2/2 apiece, 16 lambs at 12d. apiece, 80 capons at 3d. apiece, 80 geese at 2d. apiece, 800 eggs costing 5d. the hundred, with many marrow bones and much cream and flour, besides what the servants and others brought in. After the feast there were pageants and plays to amuse and captivate the senses of the zealous beholders."-R. J. FYNMORE.

Queries.

What relation was Matthew Moreland, rector of Sulhamstead Banister, in 1574, to the father of Sir Samuel Morland, who was rector of Sulhamstead about 1630 ?-E. E. THOYTS.

Correspondence.

NOTES FROM WALLINGFORD.

Overthorpe House, Wallingford,
September 5th, 1891.

DEAR SIR,-As promised I now send you an account of finds of all kinds of antiques, &c., which have come into my hands the last three months. As to pre-historic implements, I have had brought me in this district within a threemile radius, 81 arrow heads barbed and leaf shaped, many very fine specimens, all with the exception of four are bleached quite white, the four coming from the lower grounds or valley between the hills and the Thames; also 117 scrapers, several hundred flakes, 10 flint and four stone celts or chisels, two from the Thames by dredging, one stone celt from the sewage and one iron axe, (Anglo-Saxon, no doubt), and a large number of stone and flint knives, borers, rot boilers, mealers, &c., &c., and an Echinus in iron pyrites, very rare.

In the coin way I have a small gold one, ancient British, found just outside the town, unfortunately pierced, of uninscribed type, see Evans Plate D, No. 3, weight 27 grains, a silver penny of Alfred the Great close to the town, with the head inscription AELFRED REX, reverse in two lines VVLFRED, eleven copper or bronze Roman three 2nd and eight 3rd brass; they call for no special mention except that they were found close to and in the town. Two of them are Constantine the Great and both of the London mint, also one silver denarius of Geta, A.D. 211, reverse is Felicitas Publica, found at the village of Brightwell, about two miles from Wallingford. Speaking of Roman coins found in Wallingford and the district of two miles radius, it has been said that the Romans did not reside here and that it was not a Roman station. What say you, when five to six thousand Roman coins have gone through my hands within the last 25 years, and are now in my possession; and how can you account for the finding of over 30 ancient British gold coins found in the same radius besides silver and copper of Eppillus, Comius, Vericus, Cunobeline, &c., and there is not a single instance of one being found at Silchester, which some folk claim as the Calleva (I doubt it), and coins are the greatest proof if found on the spot? I beg, dear Sir, to remain,

Faithfully yours,

W. R. DAVIES.

Rev. P. H. Ditchfield. P.S.-Within the previous three months over 80 arrow heads have been found near here, besides large quantities of flakes, scrapers, &c., and 2 polished celts or axes, a beautiful collection of Athelred 2nd silver penny of the Wallingford mint and many other coins, 2 ancient British, I gold and I copper and about 30 Roman, one extra fine 2nd brass of Claudius Cæsar, though of common reverse and a silver medalet (small) very interesting, obverse St. George and the Dragon, inscription-St. George Equitump Tru; reverse Christ in a vessel asleep and one figure trying to awake him and the other appears frightened with the storm raging, inscription-intempte securitas, and many other articles of the Roman and Saxon period.

The Quarterly Journal

OF THE

Berks Archæological and Architectural Society.

Excursion of the Society to Maidenhead.

IN Wednesday, October 28th, 1891, the members of the Berks Archæological and Architectural Society, to the number of about 30, travelled to Maidenhead, where a paper on "The History and Antiquities of Maidenhead and the Neighbourhood" was read in the Town Hall by Mr. J. RUTLAND, F.G.S., Hon. Secretary of the Thames Valley Antiquarian Society. The excursion, the last of the present season, was made at the invitation of the Maidenhead Field Club, who after the lecture kindly entertained the visitors to tea. The chair was taken by Dr. PLAYNE, President of the Maidenhead Field Club, who briefly introduced the lecturer.

Mr. RUTLAND commenced his lecture by remarking that Maidenhead itself could not boast of much archæological interest, but was in that respect the child of Taplow. As regards its geology, it was situated on the Thames Gravel, which extended from above Maidenhead down to the sea, interspersed with deposits of sand, clay, &c. In what was known as the "drift gravel" in those parts, had been found mammoth molars, with molluscan and saurian remains. One of the most interesting "finds" in the neighbourhood had been the fossilised remains of fruits, one specimen of the palm fruit having been discovered at Bray. In the bed of the Thames several bone

G

instruments had recently been found, and also on the Maidenhead Court estate and the fishery estate. A human skull (female) and a deer bone had also been taken from the bed of the river, and two skulls had been dredged up at Bray a short time ago. In rebuilding Hambleden Lock the skeletons of a deer and a horse had been found, together with a fossilised tree, probably an ash. The peat deposits on the neighbouring hills contained also the teeth and bones of deer. The drift gravel found under the Thames pointed to the fact that its bed had once been dry ground, covered with trees, while bison and oxen roamed on the neighbouring hills. A wide lagoon must have extended from Castle Hill to the Taplow hills, about six miles across, covered in places with the "stake dwellings" of primitive man. "Pit dwellings," or rude holes dug in the ground had also been discovered near Maidenhead Thicket, and at the G.W.R. extension works, close by, had been discovered cinerary urns, drinking and food vessels. Mr. Woodhouse, of Bray, possessed a fine bronze sickle which had been dug up in the neighbourhood; and a bronze rapier, a knife, and a sheath were the most important of the antiquarian discoveries in the same locality. An iron sword, 34 inches in length, with a bronze scabbard, was another recentlydiscovered memento of past ages. Three years ago several similar swords had been found at Maidenhead Bridge, which appeared to have been hammered out from flat iron bars. Bray, from its position, must have been originally a place of refuge in the woods. Not far from it ran the old Roman road between Bray Wick and Cockmarsh. In fact, part of this ancient causeway could be still traced near Taplow, passing by the present church of St. Luke. It eventually met the Cookham Road, where it disappeared. About 440 yards due east of this Roman road, remains of ancient earthworks had been discovered, with ditches and vallums connected with the road, which must have formed an important military outpost. Close by was a well, two feet in diameter, doubtless of the same period. While it was being dredged, the labourers came across a bronze fragment, probably part of a boat. In a ditch near the earthworks had been found flints, knives, pottery, and a coin of Antoninus. At Waltham Cutting, about 334 miles from Maidenhead station, on November 3rd last year, had been found the remains of three Roman wells; one of them was 3ft. 2in. in diameter, and contained quantities of broken pottery, bones of domestic animals, tiles marked with the print of a sandal and dogs' feet, and a human skeleton. The second well also contained pottery, and the bones of boars, horses