n vain, strive against hope; yet in this _fallacious_
and _unholding_ sieve I still pour in the waters of my love, and fail
not to lose still."

When we speak of a _captious_ person, do we mean one _capable of taking or
receiving_? Then how much more absurd would it be to take it in that
impossible sense, when figuratively applied in the passage before us!
Bertram shows himself _incapable of receiving_ Helena's love: he is truly
_captious_ in that respect.

In French the word _captieux_, according to the Academy, is only applied to
language, though we may say _un homme captieux_ to signify a man who has
the art of _deceiving_ or leading into error by captious language.

It is not impossible that the poet may have had in his mind the fruitless
labour imposed upon the Danaides as a punishment, for it has been thus
moralised:

"These virgins, who in the flower of their age pour water into pierced
vessels which they can never fill, what is it but to be always
bestowing over love and benefits upon the ungrateful."

S. W. SINGER.

Mickleham, Oct. 4. 1850.

* * * * *

ORATORIES OF THE NONJURORS.

As the nooks and corners of London in olden times are now engaging the
quiet musings of most of the topographical brotherhood, perhaps you can
spare a nook or a corner of your valuable periodical for a few notes on the
Oratories of those good men and true--the Nonjurors. "These were honourable
men in their generation," and were made of most unbending materials.

{355} On the Feast of St. Matthias, Feb. 24, 1693, the consecrations of Dr.
George Hickes and Thomas Wagstaffe were solemnly performed according to the
rites of the Church of England, by Dr. William Lloyd, bishop of Norwich;
Dr. Francis Turner, bishop of Ely; and Dr. Thomas White, bishop of
Peterborough, at the Bishop of Peterborough's lodgings, at the Rev. William
Giffard's house at Southgate in Middlesex: Dr. Ken, bishop of Bath and
Wells, giving his consent.

Henry Hall was consecrated bishop in the oratory of the Rev. Father in
Christ, John B---- [Blackburne?], in Gray's Inn, on the festival of St.
Barnabas, June 11, 1725.

Hilkiah Bedford was consecrated in the oratory of the Rev. R---- R----
[Richard Rawlinson], in Gray's Inn, on the festival of St. Paul, Jan. 25,
1720. Ralph Taylor was also consecrated at the same time and place.

Henry Gandy was consecrated at his oratory in the parish of St. Andrew's,