Reviews Of New Books.

well known places ; Mr . Charnock has accumulated a large amount of grain , while he has carefully rejected all extraneous chaff . To give anything like a detailed account , of the contents of such a miscellaneous work is of course impossible ; we cau only , therefore , spare the necessary space for a few extracts by way of illustration ; and to the inhabitants of London we think that some quotations from Mr . Charnock may possess the charm of novelty .

Puffing linendrapers , for instance , who have their " all-rounders " and "Piccadilly collars"' to recommend to the notice of the London gent , little know , perhaps , how well founded is the designation of the latter garment . Of Piccadilly , Mr . Charnock says : — ' '' Where Sackville street was built stood Piccadilla Hall , where -piceatlillas or turnovers were sold , which gave name to the street . ' ( Pmtntmt . ) A turnover is the name of the broad flat white linen baud falling from

tlie neck over the jacket , which succeeded in Cromwell ' s time to the ruffs of the preceding reigns . ' A pickadil , ' says Blount , ' is that rouud hem or the several divisions set together about the skirt of a garment or other thing ; also a kind of stiff collar made in fashion of a band ; lieiioo , perhaps , the famous ordinary-near St . James ' s , called Pickaclilly , took denomination , because it was then the utmost or skirt house of the suburbs . ' Others say that' one Higgins , a tailor , who built it , got most of his estate by pickadilleswhich in the last age were much worn in

, England . ' ' The word picardill , ' says Cunningham , ' occurs in Ben Jonson and several of our old dramatic writers . ' According to Gilford , it is a dim . of picea ( Sp . and It . ) a spearhead , and was given to this article of foppery from a fancied resemblance of its stiffened plaits to the bristled points of a spear . "

Lamb ' s Conduit-street , anil Lothbury , commend themselves to our notice from different points of taste , savoury and unsavoury . A pastoral air pervades the former , and a cool breath of babbling founts and watercresscs . Our author says : — " The Old English Herbal , speaking of winter rocket or cresses , says , ' It groweth of its own accord in gardens and fields by the wayside in divers places , and particularly in the next pasture to the Conduit Head ,

behind Gray ' s Inn , that brings water to Mr . Lamb ' s conduit in Holborn . ' ' The fields around Lamb ' s Conduit formed a favourite promenade for the inhabitants of St . Andrew ' s Holborn aud St . Giles in the Fields . They were first curtailed in 1714 , by the formation of a new burying ground for the parish of St . George ' s , Bloomsbury , and again in 1739 , by the erection of the Foundling Hospital . The couduit was taken down iu 1746 . ' ( C ' tmninr / ham's London . ) At the north end of Lamb's Conduit-street is a tavern , which fonnerlv had for its sign a * lamb !'"

Lothbury , on the other hand ( delightful locality to those who have cheques to cash on the London and AVestminster Bank—and equally disagreeable to others who have small bills to take up at the same eomptoir ) , is not so favourably spoken of by our author ' s authorities .

' - ' Stow , speaking of one of the city wards , says ' of the antiquities to bo named therein are these : —First , the street of Lothberie , Lathberie , or Loadberie ( for by all these names have I read it ) took the name , as it seemeth , of bcrie . a court of old time there kept , but by whom is grown out of memory . This street is possessed for the most part by founders , that cast candlesticks , chafing-dishes , spice mortars , aud such like copper and laton works , and do afterwards turn them with the foot , and not with tho wheelto make them smooth and brightmaking a loathsome

, , noise , to the by-passers , that have not been used to the like , and therefore by them disdainfully called Lothberie , ' Lothbury may have been originally called Latonbnry . The word latone , now lat / ett , was a term used in the middle ages for a fine kind of brass , or copper very much resembling brass , used for making crosses , candlesticks , & e . ; from Fr . Ictnn or 1 aiton , I ) . latoe . ii , Arm . laton . "

Leaving our native country with all its eccentricities oi topographical nomenclature ( most of which are well worth inquiring into ) , wc proceed under the guidance of our local etymologist to explore the secret of the appellations of some of those lands and cities with which the course of events has made us familiar of late . Balaklava is a name that few Englishmen can think of without shuddering , and hereupon wc thinkis an observation which has

, been a little too hastily incorporated . "Balaklava ( Crimea ) . The Genoese founded the little town at the bottom of the haven , and built the fort on the adjoining cliff . The name is corrupted from . 'It . bella chiare , beautiful quay : an appellation which it well deserves . "

Of the famed Malakoff , an agreeable story is quoted from a French source : — ' ¦ 'Some ten years ago , a sailor and ropemaker , named Alexander Ivanovitch Malakoff , lived in Sebastopol , and by his good humour , jovial habits , and entertaining qualities , became the centre of a select circle of admiring companions . Like many great conversationalists and wits , Malakoff contracted most intimate relations with Bacchus , and , under

the influence of the latter , he participated , in 188 ] , in some riots which broke out in the town , and which had one result—that of the dismissal of Malakoff from the dockyard in which he was employed . Being

incapable of turning himself to any more reputable trade , he opened a low wine-shed on a hill outside of the town , aud introduced into practice the theoretical notions which he had acquired by a long and zealous study of the nature of beer houses and wine shops . His trade prospered , his old admirers crowded round him , and in their enthusiasm christened thf > wine shed—which soon expanded into a decent public-house—and ihf hill on which it was built , by the name of the popular host . In time a village grew around the public-houseand was likewise called

bthe-, y name of Malakoff . But the entertaining and imaginati ve founder of th .-place , in his deepest cups , could never have dreamt that one clay his name would be in the mouths of all men , and that one of the heroes of a great war would esteem it as an inestimable title , of honour . '" AA e are tempted to linger further over this very agreeable , valuable , and suggestive volume , but our space is limited , and we must draw our remarks to a close . The work is not perfect

( what scientific treatise is ?) but it will be studied with profit and pleasure , and laid down by the student without fatigue , and with a feeling 0 f regret that there is not more of it ; and in saying this lvc have paid the author no unmerited compliment—for we speak from experience—wc have ourselves derived refreshment , amusement , and information from these pages . Quaintness occasionally predominates too much in the quotations given from authorities

, to the prejudice of more substantial facts—there are other minor defects which seem to indicate something of haste in the compilation of the work ; but still wc are glad to welcome Mr . Charnock as an able and agreeable contributor to our stock of archaeological knowledge , and w-e trust that the success of his present work may bo such as to induce him to give to the world , the fruit of his more mature thought and labour . I ) ,

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ Tire EDITOR does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained by Correspondents , ] " THE OBSERVER PARTY . " TO THE EDITOR OP THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AXD BROTHER—As an active member of the Craft

, I have been asked by several brethren whether I belonged to the so-called " Observer Party , " and if not , why not ? My reply has expressed convictions shared by very many hard working but silent bees in the hive of Masonry , and therefore 1 venture to repeat the reasons in your columns : 1 st . Because all parties or cliques of Masons arc unconstitutionaland properly so .

, 2 ndly . Because as an impartial witness as regards questions at issue between the " Observer Party , " and the constituted authorities , I have noticed that some great Masonic principle has been violated by that " party" in every step it has taken . ordly . Because the "party" is disunited in itself , and some Ilerodian member is continually complaining of being out Heroded by another member .

Ithly . Because if the " party" were to obtain for the Craft all the advantages it pretends to contend for , those benefits would be counterbalanced by the evil example shewn b j' its leaders in malignity , discontent , recklessness of manner and argument , and unmanly insinuation . A variety of circumstances renders it impossible for me ever 1 o take office in Grand Lodge , even if I" were known to the

authorities there , which is not the case ; but I am equally certain that I would rather be a doorkeeper there than the president of so pernicious a combination as that which takes the Observer for its name . I implore every Brother who loves Masomy to stand aloof from these oppositionists , and remain , Bear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , 0 . P . ' ft .

The Grand Officers.

THE GRAND OFFICERS .

TO 'HIE EDITOR OP THE PBEEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR Axn B ROTHER , —As I have the interests of our Order very sincerely at heart , and consequently feel deeply the inconsistency and absurdity of too main' of the appointments to Grand office which we have lately witnessed , I have read with much interest another letter from " P . M . " which appeared in the last number of your Magar . ine , and agree with him in the cx-