current conversation of the day, as to require but his putting it in print
to establish it in its new sense so long as the language shall be spoken or
written.

BALLIOLENSIS.

_Handbook to the Library of the British Museum_ (Vol. viii., p.
511.).--Neither Lord Seymour, nor MR. BOLTON CORNEY, nor Mr. Richard Sims,
can with justice claim originality in the suggestion carried out by the
latter gentleman in the publication of his _Handbook to the Library of the
British Museum_.

In my own collection is a book entitled,--

"A Critical and Historical Account of all the celebrated Libraries in
Foreign Countries, as well ancient as modern, with general Reflections
on the choice of Books," &c.... "A work of great use to all men of
letters. By a Gentleman of the Temple. London, printed for J. Jolliffe,
in St James's Street, MDCCXXXIX."

In the preface to which work the author says:

"It will be highly useful to such noblemen and gentlemen as visit
foreign countries, _by instructing them in the manner of perusing
whatever is curious in the Vatican and other famous libraries_."

And in which he promises that--

"If it should meet with the approbation of the public, he (the author)
will proceed with the _libraries of these kingdoms_," &c.

F. SEYMOUR HADEN.

Chelsea.

_The Arms of Richard, King of the Romans_ (Vol. viii., pp. 265. 454.). With
every respect for such heraldic authorities as MR. GOUGH and MR. LOVER, I
think the question as to whether the so-called bezants in the arms of
Richard, King of the Romans, referred to his earldom of Poictou or of
Cornwall, inclines in favour of the former: for instance, in 1253 he
granted to the {654} monks of Okebury a release of suit and service within
his manor of Wallingford, which charter has a seal appended bearing an
impress of the earl armed on horseback, with a _lion rampant crowned_ on
his surcoat, inscribed "Sigillum Richardi Comitis Cornubiae." Now this
inscription seems to identify the lion as pertaining to the earldom of
Cornwall; surely, if the bezants represented this earldom, they would not
have been omitted on his seal as _Comes Cornubiae_.

Again, a very high heraldic authority, one of deep research, Mr. J. R.
Planche, gives this opinion on the subject:

"The border bezantee, or talentee, of Richard, King of the Romans, is
no representation of coins but of peas (_poix_), being the arms of
Poitiers or Poict