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Your Correspondent T. K.'s notice of Queen Elizabeth's ring, said to
have been given to the Earl of Essex, ("Current Notes," for December
last, p. 95), reminds me of another ring, that of Mary Queen of Scots,
for using which she was censured on her Murder-trial, in consequence of
its having the Arms of England impaled with those of Scotland. I possess
a _facsimile_ of that signet ring, procured from a seal engraved in
Edinburgh. I should feel particularly obliged if any of your Antiquarian
friends can inform me, where the original now is. I was told that it was
in the British Museum, and had inquiry made there, but to no purpose. I
rather think paste facsimiles may be had at Mr. Wilson's, formerly
Tassie's, in Leicester Square. Mine is an engraving on Amethyst, and I
shall seal this letter with it.
Respectfully yours,
R. B.
A TRAVELLING NAME.--The anecdote told by your Correspondent "J." in
the last number of your "Current Notes," p. 7, is somewhat differently
related in the Memoir of Mr. James Smith, prefixed to his "Comic
Miscellanies," where it is stated: "The following incident occurred
to James Smith in a Brighton coach. An old lady struck with his
extraordinary familiarity with things and people, at length burst forth,
'And pray, Sir, you who seem to know every body--pray may I ask who you
are?' 'James Smith, Madam.' This evidently conveying nothing to her
mind, a fellow passenger added, 'One of the authors of the _Rejected
Addresses_.' The old lady stared at them by turns, and then quietly
said, 'I never heard of the Gentleman or the book before.'"