signs of Lord Clarendon in which he was an "accomplice." Lord Clarendon's
exile took place in 1667; which hardly accords with the expression "some
years" after 1665. No person of the name of Vairasse is mentioned as having
accompanied Lord Clarendon in his banishment.

The first part of the _History of the Sevarambians_ was published in
English in 1675, two years before the French edition of the first part. The
second parts were published at London and Paris in the same year. Even if
Vairasse did not leave England with Lord Clarendon, he had left it before
the year in which the first part of this {6} work appeared in English: for
he is stated to have been with the French army in Holland in 1672. It is
therefore difficult to account for the publication of the English version
of the _History of the Sevarambians_ before its publication in France, upon
the assumption that Vairasse was the author. The writer of the life of
Vairasse (art. ALLAIS) in the _Biographical Dictionary of the Society of
Useful Knowledge_ thinks that he may have been only the translator: but the
facts collected by Marchand show that he claimed the authorship; and there
is no trace of its composition by any Englishman. Besides, its prior
publication in England is just as inexplicable upon the assumption of his
being the translator, as upon that of his being the author.

Query, Is Vairasse's residence in England mentioned by any English writer?
And can any light be thrown upon the authorship of the _History of the
Sevarambians_ from any English source?

L.

* * * * *

ORIGINS OF PRESENT PENNY POSTAGE.

Many of your readers have, I doubt not, perused with interest the vivid
sketch of the origin of the Penny Postage System, given by Miss Martineau
in her _History of England during the Thirty Years' Peace_, vol. ii. p.
425., and have seen in the incident of the shilling letter delivered to the
poor cottager, somewhere in the Lake district--refused by her from
professed inability to pay the postage--paid for by Mr. Rowland Hill, who
happened most opportunely to be passing that way--and, when opened, found
to be blank (this plan being preconcerted between the woman and her
correspondent, to know of each other's welfare without the expense of
postage). A remarkable instance of "how great events from little causes
spring," and have bestowed much admiration on the penetration of Mr. Hill's
mind, which "wakened up at once to a