aried with looking over the pages of a
modern album, and to the mind sick of the endless but monotonous
repetition of imaginary ruins, love sonnets, and moss roses.

CEYREP.

_Gesmas and Desmas_ (Vol. vii., p. 238.).--For the information of your
correspondent A. B. R., I copy the passage referred to by you in the
disputed Gospel of Nicodemus, formerly called the Acts of Pontius
Pilate. The extract is from an English version, printed for William
Hone, Ludgate Hill, 1820:

"But one of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus,
whose name was _Gestas_, said to Jesus, If thou art the
Christ, deliver thyself and us."--vii. 10.

"But the thief who was crucified on his right hand, whose name
was _Dimas_, answering, rebuked him, and said, Dost not thou
fear God, who art condemned to this punishment? We indeed
receive rightly and justly the demerit of our actions; but
this Jesus, what evil hath he done?"--vi. 11.

"After this, groaning, he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me
when Thou comest into Thy kingdom."--vi. 12.

It thus appears the names have been differently received: here they
appear GESTAS the _im_penitent, and DIMAS the penitent.

I have a fine old engraving, nineteen inches by fourteen, bearing date
"Greg. Huret, Lugd. inv. et sculp. 1664;" published in Paris, _cum priv.
Regis_.

The three crosses, with their inscriptions (each in Hebrew, Greek, and
Latin), appear.

The Latin on the cross of the thief on the right hand of our Lord (and,
from the expression of countenance, confessed the penitent) is
_DISMAS_ LATRO: the other is _GESTAS_ LATRO.

W. C. H.

Chelsea.

"_Quod fuit esse_" (Vol. vii., p. 235.).--Allow me to suggest the
following meaning of the epitaph in Lavenham churchyard, which is the
subject of A. B. R.'s Query. The word _est_ has evidently been omitted
in the third line: with this restored, the lines will read as a couple
of hexameters:

"Quod fuit esse, quod est; quod non fuit esse, quod esse;
Esse quod (est), non esse; quod est, non est, erit, esse."

And the literal meaning, will be: "What was existence, is that which
lies here; that which was not existence, is that which is existence; to
be what is now, is not to be; that which is now, is not existence, but
will be hereafter."

This, perhaps, is as enigmatical as the original: but the following
lines will render the meaning plainer, though it is difficult to
prese