in the chapter above quoted, farther says, in speaking of the _De
Imitatione Christi_:

"The style is pretty much like that of the other devotional books of
Thomas a Kempis. Nevertheless, in his lifetime it was attributed to St.
Bernard and Gerson. The latter was most commonly esteemed the author of
it in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Afterwards some MSS. of it
were found in Italy, where it is attributed to one Gerson or Gessen, to
whom is given the title of _abbot_. Perhaps Gersen or Gessen are only
corruptions of the name of Gerson. Notwithstanding, there are two
things which will hardly let us believe that this was Gerson's book;
one, that the author calls himself a monk, the other, that the style is
very different from that of the Chancellor of Paris. All this makes it
difficult to decide to which of these three authors it belongs. We must
leave Thomas a Kempis in possession of what is attributed to him,
without deciding positively in his favour."

J. W. THOMAS.

Dewsbury.

This saying is quoted twice, as follows, in _The Chronicle of Battel Abbey
from 1066 to 1177_, translated by Mr. Lower, 8vo., London, 1851:

"Thus, '_Man proposes, but God disposes_,' for he was not permitted to
carry that resolution into effect."--P. 27.

"But, as the Scripture saith, '_Man proposes, but God disposes_,' so
Christ suffered not His Church to want its ancient and rightful
privileges."--P. 83.

Mr. Lower says in his Preface, p. x.:

"Of the identity of the author nothing certain can be inferred, beyond
the bare fact of his having been a monk of Battel. A few passages would
almost incline one to believe that Abbot Odo, who was living at the
date of the last events narrated in the work, and who is known to have
been a literary character of some eminence, was the writer of at least
some portions of the volume."

It is stated at the beginning to be in part derived from early document and
traditional statements.

E. J. M.

Hastings.

* * * * *

NAPOLEON'S SPELLING.

(Vol. viii., pp. 386. 502.)

The question as to Napoleon's spelling may seem, at first sight, to be one
of little importance; and yet, if we will look at it aright, we shall find
that it involves many points of interest for the philosopher and the
historian. During a residence of some years in France, I had heard it
remark