gly curious to the lovers of our popular sports and
pastimes. The engravings are by William Pass, C. Blon, &c., and among them
are representations of Kiss in the Ring, the game of Forfeits, rolling
Snow-balls, the Interior of a Barber's Shop, with citherns and lutes
hanging against the wall, for the use of the customers, &c.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

_North Sides of Churchyards_ (Vol. ii., p. 93.).--In an appendix to our
registers I find the following entry, where I conceive the _backside_ means
the northside. Though now the whole of our churchyard is so full that we
have much difficulty in finding any new ground, what we do find, however,
is on the north side.

"1750, Oct. 23. One Mary Davies, of Pentrobin, single woman, though
excommunicated with the _Greater Excommunication_, was on this day,
_within night_, on account of some particular circumstances alleged by
neighbours of credit in her favour (as to her resolving to come and
reconcile herself, and do penance if she recovered), indulged by being
interred on the _backside_ the church, but no service or tolling
allowed."

From this I conclude that _here_ at least there was no part of the
churchyard left unconsecrated for the burial of persons excommunicate, as
one of your correspondents suggests; or burial in such place would have
been no indulgence, as evidently it was regarded in this case. It would be
interesting to ascertain from accredited instances _how late_ this power of
excommunication has been _exercised_, and thereby how long it has really
been in abeyance. I expect the period would not be found so great as is
generally imagined.

WALDEGRAVE BREWSTER.

_Antiquitas Saeculi Juventus Mundi_ (Vol. ii., p. 466.).--Dugald Stewart, in
his Dissertation prefixed to the _Encyclopaedia Britannica_, ed. 7., p. 30.,
points out two passages of writers anterior to Lord Bacon, in which this
thought occurs. The first is in his namesake, Roger Bacon, who died in
1292:

"Quanto juniores tanto perspicaciores, quia juniores posteriores
successione temporum ingrediuntor labores priorum."--_Opus Majus_, p.
9. ed. Jebb.

The _Opus Majus_ of Roger Bacon was not, however, printed until the last
century, and could not have been known to Lord Bacon unless he had read it
in manuscript.

The second is from Ludovicus Vives, _De Caus. Corrupt. Art._, lib. i., of
which Mr. Stewart gives the following version:--

"The similitude which m