i.

I could much extend this reply, by showing the antiquity of this device,
which by a long process of investigation I have traced as connected with
the legendary songs of the troubadours; but I think I have said sufficient
for the present, in reply to SENEX.

In addition to the above, I may mention a seal of a somewhat similar
character to that of D'Albini, representing a knight on horseback, with his
sword in his hand, and his shield of arms, which are also on the housings
of the horse, under whose feet is the dragon: on the reverse is the {553}
combat of the knight with the lion. The knight is holding his shield in
front, and holding his sword in his left hand. This seal is that of Roger
de Quincy, earl of Winchester, and appended to a deed "M.CC. Quadrigresimo
Quinto." It occurs in Harl. MSS. 6079. p. 127.

E. G. BALLARD.

[Footnote 3: I say _modern_, for the ancient arms of France were Azure,
semee of fleurs-de-lis, as they are represented in old glass, when
quartered with those of England by our Henries and Edwards.]

Pray request SENEX to withdraw every word he has said about me. I do not
recollect that I ever said or wrote a word about the Seal of William
D'Albini; and I cannot find that my name occurs in Dr. Barrett's volume.

EDW. HAWKINS.

* * * * *

"WILL" AND "SHALL."

(Vol. vii., p. 356.)

The difficulty as to the proper use of the auxiliaries _shall_ and _will_,
will be found to arise from the fact, that while these particles
respectively convey a different idea in the _first_ person singular and
plural, from that which they imply in the _second_ and _third_ persons
singular and plural, the distinction has been lost sight of in the
amalgamation of _both_; as if they were interchangeable, in _one_ tense,
according to the old grammatical formula _I shall_ or _will_. With a view
of giving my own views on the subject, and attempting to supply what
appears to me a grammatical deficiency, I shall proceed to make a few
remarks; from which I trust your Hong Kong correspondent W. T. M. may be
able to form "a clear and definite rule," and students of English assisted
in their attempts to overcome this formidable conversational "shibboleth."

The fact is simply thus:--_Will_ is _volitive_ in the _first_ persons
singular and plural; and simply _declarative_ or _promissory_ in the
_second_ and _third_ persons singular and plural. _Shall_, on the other
hand, is _declarator