titio
loci_ marks the site: 'The church,' it says, 'was swallowed up
by an earthquake, together with the Jean la Cairne of Stonyhill;
but on Christmas eve every one, since that time, on bending his
ear to the ground, may distinguish clearly its bells pealing
most merrily.'"

BROCTUNA.

Bury, Lancashire.

_Spontaneous Combustion_ (Vol. vii., p. 286.).--I presume H. A. B.'s
question refers to the human body only, because the possibility of
spontaneous combustion in several other substances is, I believe, not
disputed. On that of the human body Taylor says:

"The hypothesis of those who advocate _spontaneous_ combustion,
is, it appears to me, perfectly untenable. So far as I have been
able to examine this subject, there is not a single
well-authenticated instance of such an event occurring: in the
cases reported which are worthy of any credit, a candle or some
other ignited body has been at hand, and the accidental ignition
of the clothes was highly probable, if not absolutely certain."

He admits that, under certain circumstances, the human body, though in
general "highly difficult of combustion," may acquire increased
combustible properties. But this is another question {392} from that of
the possibility of its purely spontaneous combustion. (See Taylor's
_Medical Jurisprudence_, pages 424-7. edit. 1846.)

W. W. T.

_Muffs worn by Gentlemen_ (Vol. vi., _passim_; Vol. vii., p. 320.).--The
writer of a series of papers in the _New Monthly Magazine_, entitled
"Parr in his later Years," thus (vol. xvi. p. 482.) describes the
appearance of that learned Theban:

"He had on his dressing-gown, which I think was flannel, or
cotton, and the skirts dangled round his ankles. Over this he
had drawn his great-coat, buttoned close; and his hands, for he
had been attacked with erysipelas not long before, were kept
warm in a _silk muff_, not much larger than the poll of a common
hat."

In an anonymous poetical pamphlet (_Thoughts in Verse concerning
Feasting and Dancing_, 12mo. London, 1800), is a little poem, entitled
"The Muff," in the course of which the following lines occur:

"A time there was (that time is now no more,
At least in England 'tis not now observ'd!)
When muffs were worn by _beaux_ as well as belles.
Scarce has a century of time elaps'd,
Since such an article was much in vogue;
Which, when it was not o