The inscription would seem to be but an adaptation of Horace’s maxim.

C.B.B.

Political Maxim—­when first used.

The political maxim, or phrase, inquired after by C. is Burke’s.  It occurs in his celebrated Thoughts on the Cause of the present Discontent, published in 1770, in the course of his defence of party, a few pages from the end.  A short extract will show the connection in which it is introduced:—­

“No man, who is not inflamed by vain-glory into enthusiasm, can flatter himself that his single, unsupported, desultory, unsystematic endeavours are of power to defeat the subtle designs and united cabals of ambitious citizens.  When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice, in a contemptible struggle.”

I have some suspicion that the maxim may be found, with probably a slight variation of expression, repeated in one of Burke’s later tracts.  But this is certainly its first appearance.

G.L.C.

Old Brompton, Dec. 8. 1849.

Annus Trabeationis.

Sir Harris Nicholas, in his Chronology of History, p. 4, gives “annus Trabeationis” as one way in which the year of our Lord is designated in ancient documents.  Would any of your readers favour me with the meaning of the word Trabeatio?

G.P.

[Our correspondent will find, on referring to Mr. Hampson’s useful work, Medii AEvi Kalendarium, vol. ii. s. v.  Annus Trabentionis, “According to Du Cange, this is the year of the crucifixion—­’Annus Trabeationis Christi (annus quo Christus trabi affixus est);’ but according to L’Art de verifier les Dates, it is the same as the year of the Incarnation.”  Mr. Hampson adds, “the import of the word is the year of the Crucifixion, and cannot well be reconciled with that of the Incarnation.”  But, upon referring to Du Cange, s. v. Trabeatio, our correspondent will find that Du Cange regards it as the year of the Incarnation—­“Trabeatio autem, non a trabe, qua Crux intelligi posset, sed a trabea togae species, deducitur”—­quoting, as his authority for this interpretation, a sermon of St. Fulgentius on St. Stephen, in which he says, “Heri enim Rex noster Trabea carnis indutus.”]

Betterton’s Duties of a Player.

Sir,—­Betterton’s Instructions on the Art of Playing and Public Speaking, queried in your 5th Number, were published by the well-known dramatic critic, Charles Gildon, and form a portion of his Life of Betterton.  As this work is little known, I shall quote the title at length:—­“The Life of Mr. Thomas Betterton, the late eminent Tragedian, wherein the Action and Utterance of the Stage, Bar, and Pulpit, are distinctly considered; with the judgment of the late ingenious Monsieur de St. Evremond, upon the Italian and French Music and Operas, in a Letter