ffor Richard Bingh[=a], Esq., at
Bingham's Malcombe, to be left at
the post-house in St. Andrew's,
Milborne, Dorsett.

* * * * *

Minor Notes.

_Lines on the Institution of the Order of the Garter._--I send you the
following, which may be worth a corner in "N. & Q." The only account I can
give of them is that I found them in MS. among other poetical extracts,
without date or author's name:--

"When Salisbury's famed Countess was dancing with glee,
Her stocking's security fell from her knee.
Allusions and hints, sneers and whispers went round;
The trifle was scouted, and left on the ground.
When Edward the Brave, with true soldier-like spirit,
Cried, 'The garter is mine; 'tis the order of merit;
The first knight in my court shall be happy to wear,
Proud distinction! the garter that fell from the fair:
While in letters of gold--'tis your monarch's high will--
Shall there be inscribed, "Ill to him that thinks ill."'"

TEE BEE.

{54}

_Old Ship._--It may be of interest to some of your readers to learn that
the ship which conveyed General Wolfe on his expedition to Quebec is still
afloat under the name of the "William and Ann."

She was built in 1759 for a bomb-ketch, and was in dock in the Thames a few
days since, sound and likely to endure for many years yet: she is mostly
now engaged in the Honduras and African timber trades, which is in itself a
proof of her great strength.

A. O. H.

Blackheath.

_The Letter "h" in "humble."_--I was always taught in my childhood to sink
the _h_ in this word, and was confirmed in this habit by the usage of all
the well-educated people that I met in those days, as also by the authority
of every pronouncing dictionary in the English language: and to this day
hear many people quite as well educated, and of as high station in all but
literary society, as Mr. Dickens, use the same pronunciation; but this
eminent writer has thought fit of late to proscribe this practice as far as
in him lies, by making it the Shibboleth of two of the meanest and vilest
characters in his works. I should like to know whether the aspiration of
this letter is due to Mr. D.'s London birth and residence, or whether it
has become of late the general usage of good society. If the latter, it is
clear that a new edition of _Walker_ is required for the benefit of such as
have no wish to be confounded with the "Heeps."

Your late Numb