and the moment the candle burned down to the mark, the lot put up was knocked down to the highest bidder; and, at some sales, a common candle was burned during the sale.

J. S. A.

Old Broad Street.

Minor Queries Answered.

Derivation of Æra.

—Will any of your correspondents inform me of the derivation of the word æra, as, if derived from the Latin word æra, no classical authority that I know of can be adduced. In Ainsworth I find æra signifies a kind of weed amongst corn; a mark upon money to show the value; a remarkable period of time.

J. N. G. G.

[In Andrews' Latin-English Lexicon our correspondent will find the following as the second definition of Æra, "ÆRA, Æ, f. (from Æra, the plural of Æs), a word belonging to Later Latin. 1. In Mathem. The given number, according to which a calculation is to be made. Vitruvius (Vetrubius) Rufus in Salmas. Exerc. I. p. 483. 2. The item of an account for which in the class. per æra, as plur. of æs, came into use. Ruf. Fest. in Breviar. in. The passage of Lucil. cited by Nonius, 2, 42., æra perversa, is prob. also plur. 3. The era or epoch from which time is reckoned."]

Tudur Aled.

—Can any of your Cambrian correspondents inform me when Tudur Aled, a Welsh poet, flourished; and in what collection his works are to be found?

A STUDENT.

[Tudur Aled, so called on account of his residence on the banks of the Aled, in the county of Denbigh, flourished about the year 1490, and was a friar of the Order of St. Francis. He wrote a poetical account of the miracles reported to have been performed at St. Winifred's Well, in the town of Holywell, as well as the life of that saint. He was also one of the followers of Sir Rhys ab Thomas, of Dinevor in Carmarthenshire, and wrote several poems in praise of his great achievements. Some of our Cambrian readers can probably state where his pieces are to be found.]

Tonges of Tonge.

—Can any of your Lancashire correspondents furnish me with information respecting the genealogy and family history of the Tonges of Tonge, near Middleton in that county? This family appears to have been of some consideration at an early period, and to have become extinct at the commencement of the last century.

J. B. (Manchester.)

[Some notices of this family will be found in Baines's History of Lancaster, vol. iii. p. 86.]

Robert Hues on the Use of Globes.

—Is there any edition of this book in English or Latin as early as 1595?

J. O. M.

[The Bodleian contains a copy printed in 1594:—"Robertus Hues, Tractatus de globis et eorum usu, accommodatus iis qui Londini editi sunt anno 1593, sumptibus Gul. Sandersoni. 8vo. Lond. in æd Thomæ Dawson, 1594." Also another copy, "8vo. typ. G. Voegelini, s.a."]

Replies.

THE CAXTON MEMORIAL.
(Vol. iv., p. 283.)

In forming a literary project, whether extensive or otherwise, it is advisable to keep in view the humble science of arithmetic. Without that precaution, it may become a source of vexation both to its projector and its promoters; and, in some cases, the non-completion of it may be a real injury to literature.

When I proposed a typographic memorial of William Caxton, in preference to an architectural memorial, and intimated that it might be compressed into an octavo volume, and produced at a very moderate price, I flattered myself with having made a more correct estimate than is commonly made by designers and architects—Paxton, Cubitt, and Fox, always excepted—and I venture to announce, on more mature reflection, the same decided opinion.

With thanks to MR. BOTFIELD for his enumeration of the translated works of Caxton, I must remind him that the proposal was a collection of his original compositions, with specimens of his translations. To reprint the entire works which proceeded from his press was never my project. I could not have entertained such an idea for one moment; nor should I think the realisation of it desirable, even if it could be effected by magic. I readily admit, however, that I have a liking for Fayts of armes and chyvalrye—that Thystorye of Reynard the foxe is very attractive—and that the Boke for travellers would be a choice morçeau philologique.

The publications of Caxton are about sixty in number, and I am sure that more than six pages would seldom be required for any one work, and that many articles might be properly treated in less than two pages each. A short memoir of Caxton, a glossary of obsolete words and phrases, an appendix of documents, and an index, are the only additions which I should consider as essential to the completeness of the design. All this might be comprised in an octavo volume of moderate extent.

The Typographical antiquities of Ames, as augmented by Dibdin, being the accredited source of information on Caxton, and having misled some superior writers, I shall presume to deliver my opinion of the first volume of that work—not having much acquaintance with the subsequent volumes. Dibdin had formed, at the very outset, a most injudicious resolution. Caxton was his hero; and he resolved, as he tells us in his autobiography, to "devote the first volume entirely to the productions of his press." In order to carry out this plan, he was led to introduce much extraneous and useless matter. We have endless repetitions of what Lewis says, and what Ames says, and what Herbert says, and even what the dreamer Bagford says, instead of such information as should have been derived from an examination of the books themselves. Moreover, he is very deficient in the logic of history, in point of method, and in point of accuracy; and the extracts, being in modern orthography, are to philological students UTTERLY WORTHLESS.

This, and perhaps more than this, I may hereafter have occasion to prove; and should it seem to others that I express myself harshly, due consideration shall be given to their objections.

I must now assure MR. BOTFIELD that it gives me satisfaction to observe him somewhat disposed to view my project with favour, and that I am not less disposed to make such modifications of the conditions of publication as may meet the wishes of himself and the other contributors toward The Caxton Testimonial. Two modes of union suggest themselves, which I submit to his consideration in the form of queries.

1. If the preparation and impression of the intended volume should be undertaken by a certain literary society, honourably distinguished by the substantial character of the works which have been edited under its sanction, would the committee of The Caxton Testimonial engage to take a certain number of copies, in case the council of the society alluded to should assent to such a deviation from its usual course?

2. If this arrangement should be objected to on either side, would the committee of The Caxton Testimonial undertake to produce a literary