NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
303
ANTHROPOLOGY.
Supplementary Note on Ancient Water-pipes.1—As
a further piece of negative evidence in support of the compara-
tively late introduction of wooden water-pipes in England, I
submit the following item from Leland's Itinerary (c. 1540):—
" Mr. Gostewik beyng borne in Willingtoun boute this Lordeship of the Duke
of Northfolk now lyving, and hath made a sumptuus new Building of Brike and
Tymbre a fundamentis in it, with a conduct of water derived in Leade Pipes."
(Leland's Itinerary 1745, Edn., i., 112.)
—A. Morley Davies.
Proposed Dam across the Lea Valley.—In the Times of
September 15th is reprinted a passage from the issue of
September 15th, 1803, of a project which recalls Alfred's opera-
tions against the Danes. . Amongst the preparations, in dread of
French Invasion, was the following :—
" For the further security of the metropolis, a measure (which was some time
since mentioned as intended) is now adopted, and even begun to be put in
execution, which will effectually protect it, on the eastern side, for an extent of
nearly twenty miles. A dam is to be constructed on the Lea River, which will
enable Government, on the shortest notice of the landing of the enemy, to over-
flow the whole valley from near Ware to the Thames. The Surveyors were
employed upon the business on Tuesday last, and the workmen are expected
immediately to commence their operations."
This work was probably never actually begun. As other outcomes
of the invasion scare, the Martello Towers were built round the
coast at a prodigious cost, and then abandoned !
Sacred Fire.—The paragraph in the Standard for
April 4th, 1904, is an interesting record of a survival. It
illustrates the familiar quotation from Schiller :—
" Time doth consecrate,
And what is grey with age becomes religion."
" Fire and water were blessed with full ritual at the Westminster Cathedral
on Saturday, in the presence of a large congregation. Outside the Cathedral lire
was struck from a flint, and charcoal was lighted with it. Then Father Brown,
as celebrant, blessed the new fire at the entrance to the church with five grains of
incense, which were afterwards put into the Paschal candle. All the lights in the
church were put out, to be relighted from the blessed fire. Following this
ceremony was the blessing of the font, Monsignor Moyes reciting the prayer,
"Oh God, whose spirit in the very beginning of the world moved over
the waters," divided the water in the form of a cross, and flung some of it to the
four quarters of the compass. Then, breathing thrice upon the water, he as many
times lowered the Paschal candle into it. The ceremony concluded with the
baptism of a new-born babe. Afterwards the bells, which had been silent since
Maundy Thursday, were rung at the Gloria in excelsis."
1 See Essex Nat., xiii., 117-118.