able importance, I hope this note, eccentric in form, but earnest as
to its purpose, may invite the remarks of others more conversant with
architecture and physics--either in correction, or confirmation, or
extension, of its general principles and details.

BOLTON CORNEY.

The Terrace, Barnes, 28th April, 1854.

* * * * *

THE HOUSE OF RUSSELL, OR DU ROZEL.

At a time when the readers of "N. & Q.," and the world at large, have been
hearing of the gift of a bell to a village church in Normandy, so
pleasantly and readily made by the princely house of Russell, far exceeding
the modest solicitation of the cure for assistance by way of a
subscription, in remembrance of the Du Rozels having left their native
patrimony in France to share the fortunes of the Conqueror in Old England,
the following particulars may not be uninteresting.

Mr. Wiffen, when compiling his elaborate _Historical Memoirs of the House
of Russell, from the Time of the Norman Conquest_, had occasion to make
some inquiries respecting a statement put forth by a M. Richard Seguin, a
rich dealer in merceries and wooden shoes at Vire, in the department of
Calvados; who, it appears, had a mania for appropriating the literary
labours of others as his own, and, in fact, is stigmatised as a _voleur
litteraire_ by M. Querard, in his curious work entitled _Les Supercheries
Litteraires Devoilees_. Mr. Wiffen wished to ascertain M. Seguin's
authority for affirming in some work, the name of which is not given by M.
Querard, but which is probably the _Histoire du Pays d'Auge et des Eveques
Comtes de Lisieux_, Vire, 1832, that the Du Rozels were descended from
Bertrand de Briquebec. M. Seguin's reply is contained in the following
letter from M. Le Normand of Vire, to whom Mr. Wiffen had written,
requesting him to obtain M. Seguin's authority for his statement:

"J'ai vu M. Seguin, et je lui ai demande d'ou provenaient les
renseignements dont il s'etait servi pour dire dans son ouvrage que les
Du Rozel descendaient des Bertrand de Bricquebec. _Il m'a repondu qu'il
l'ignorait_; qu'il avait eu en sa possession une grande quantite de
Copies de Chartres et d'anciens titres qui lui avaient fourni les
materiaux de son histoire, _mais qu'il ne savait nullement d'ou elles
provenaient_."--_Historical Memoirs, &c._, vol. i. p. 5. n. 1.

The fact appears to be, that M. Seguin had obtained possession, through
marriage,