As lazy as Ludlum’s Dog (No. 24. p. 382.).—­This proverb is repeated somewhat differently in The Doctor, &c., “As lazy as Ludlum’s dog, as leaned his head against a wall to bark.”  I venture to suggest that this is simply one of the large class of alliterative proverbs so common in every language, and often without meaning.  In Devonshire they say as “Busy as Batty,” but no one knows who “Batty” was.  As I have mentioned The Doctor, &c., I may was well jot down two more odd sayings from the same old curiosity-shop:—­“As proud as old COLE’s dog which took the wall of a dung-CART, and got CRUSHED by the wheel.”  And, “As queer as Dick’s hat-band, that went nine times round his hat and was fastened by a rush at last.”

J.M.B.

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St. Winifreda (No. 24. p. 384.).—­Your Querist will find some information in Warton’s Hist.  Eng.  Poetry, vol. i. p. 14., note, 1824.

J.M.B.

Totnes, April 18. 1850.

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“Vert Vert” (No. 23. p. 366.)—­It may be of some assistance to your Querist “ROBERT SNOW,” in his endeavour to trace illustrations from Gresset’s “Vert Vert,” to know that the mark of RAUX, who is said to have painted these subjects, was composed of ten small ciphers; seven of which were placed in a circle:  the other three formed a tail,
       o o
      o o
thus, o o something like the Roman capital Q. This artist,
        o o o o
between the years 1750 and 1800, was employed in the decoration of the Sevres porcelain:  his usual subjects were bouquets or groups of flowers; and his mark will be found underneath the double L, interlaced, inclosing some capital letter or letters denoting the year such ware was manufactured.

W.C.  Jun.

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“Esquire” and “Gentleman.”—­The amusing article in No. 27., on the title of “Esquire,” recalled to my memory the resolution passed by the corporation of Stratford-on-Avon, when they presented the freedom of that town to Garrick.  It runs something like this:—­

“Through love and regard to the memory of the immortal Mr. William Shakspeare, and being fully sensible of the extraordinary merits of his most judicious representative, David Garrick, Esquire.”

Had David a better right to the title than the great poet?  Shakespeare, in the latter part of his life, was no doubt Master Shakspeare, a title so common as even to be bestowed upon the geometer of Alexandria.  In Bayford’s collection is preserved a Catalogue advertising “Master Euclid’s Elements of Plain Geometry.”

J.O.  HALLIWELL.

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