Has not [Greek:  ph]. suffered himself to be carried too far by his exultation in being “down” (the last-named Muse has kindly supplied me with the expression) upon a piece of verbal carelessness on the part of

K.I.P.B.T.?

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REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.

Concolinel (Vol. ii., pp. 217. 317.).—­As Calen O Custore me, after sorely puzzling the critics, was at length discovered to be an Irish air, or the burthen of an Irish song, is it not possible that the equally outlandish-looking “Concolinel” may be only a corruption of “Coolin”, that “far-famed melody,” as Mr. Bunting terms it in his last collection of The Ancient Music of Ireland (Dublin, 1840), where it may be found in a style “more Irish than that of the sets hitherto published?” And truly it is a “sweet air,” well fitted to “make passionate the sense of hearing,” and melt the soul of even Don Adriano de Armado.  The transmogrification of “Coolin” into “Concolinel”, is hardly more strange than that of “Cailin og astore mo” [chree] (=my dear young girl, my [heart’s] darling) into Callino castore me.

J.M.B.

DR. RIMBAULT’S communication is very interesting, but not quite satisfactory, not affording me any means of identifying the air.  It would under most circumstances, have given me much pleasure to have lent DR. R. the MS., for I know no one so likely to make good use of it; but the fact is, that without pretending to compete with DR. RIMBAULT in the knowledge of old music, I have also meditated a similar work on the ballads and music of Shakspeare, and my chief source is the volume which is said to contain the air of Concolinel.  It will be some time before I can execute the work alluded to, and I would prefer to see the Doctor’s work published first.  Whichever first appears will most likely anticipate much that is in the other, for, although Dr. R. says he has spent “many years” on the subject, the accidental possession of several MS. volumes has given me such singular advantages, I am unwilling to surrender my project.  I have the music to nearly twenty jigs, and two have some of the words, which are curious.

R.

Wife of the Poet Bilderdijk—­Schweickhardt the Artist (Vol. ii., pp. 309. 349.).—­JANUS DOUSA will find a very sufficient account of Southey’s visit to the Dutch poet Bilderdijk, in vol. v. of the Life and Correspondence of Southey, now publishing by his son.  To the special inquiry of JANUS DOUSA I can say nothing, but I would fain ask who was Katherine Wilhelmina Schweickhardt?  I have in my possession a series of eight etchings of studies of cattle, by H.W.  Schweickhardt, published in 1786, and dedicated to Benjamin West.  My father was very intimate with Schweickhardt, and I think acted in some sort as his executor.  I do not know when be died but it must be thirty years since I heard my father speak