“Plutarch informs us,” says Rollin (Ancient History, vol. i. p. 65.), “that the god did not compose the verses of the oracle.  He inflamed the Pythia’s imagination, and kindled in her soul that living light which unveiled all futurity to her.  The words she uttered in the heat of her enthusiam, having neither method nor connection, and coming only by starts, to use that expression [Greek:  eggastrimuthos] from the bottom of her stomach, or rather from her belly, were collected {89} with care by the prophets, who gave them afterwards to the poets to be turned into verse.”

If the Pythian priestess was really a ventriloquist, to what extent was she conscious of the deception she practised?

J. SANSOM.

Statue of French King, Epigram on.—­Can any of your readers inform me who was the author of the following epigram, written on the occasion of an equestrian statue of a French king attended by the Virtues being erected in Paris:—­

  “O la belle statue!  O le beau Piedestal! 
  Les Vertus sont a pied, le Vice est a cheval!”

AUGUSTINE.

Lux Fiat.—­Who was the first Christian or Jewish writer by whom lux fiat was referred to the creation of the angels?

J. SANSOM.

Hiring of Servants.—­At Maureuil, in the environs of Abbeville, a practice has long existed of hiring servants in the market-place on festival days.  I have observed the same custom in various parts of England, and particularly in the midland counties.  Can any of your correspondents inform me of the origin of this?

W.J.

Havre.

Book of Homilies.—­Burnet, in his History of the Reformation in anno 1542, says,—­

“A Book of Homilies was printed, in which the Gospels and Epistles of all the Sundays and Holidays of the year were set down with a Homily to every one of these.  To these were also added Sermons upon several occasions, as for Weddings, Christenings, and Funerals.”

Can any learned clerk inform me where a copy of such Homilies can be seen?

B.

Collar of SS.—­Where can we find much about the SS. collar?  Is there any list extant of persons who were honoured with that badge?

B.

Rainbow.—­By what heathen poet is the rainbow spoken of as “risus plorantis Olympi?”

J. SAMSON.

Passage in Lucan.—­What parallel passages are there to that of Lucan:—­

  “Communis mundo superest rogus, ossibus astra
  Misturus?”

J. SAMSON.

William of Wykeham.—­Is there any better Life of William of Wykeham than the very insufficient one of Bishop Lowth?

What were the circumstances of the rise of William of Wykeham, respecting which Lowth is so very scanty and unsatisfactory?

Where did William of Wykeham get the wealth with which he built and endowed New College, Oxon, and St. Mary’s, Winchester; and rebuilt Winchester Cathedral?