Doth change himself into a swaine;
While dos the youthful shepherd show him
His Muridellaes answer to him."

This notice of these elegies cannot fail to be highly interesting to
your correspondent on Basse and his works, and others of your readers
who feel an interest in recovering the lost works of our early poets.

W.H. GUNNER

Winchester, March 16. 1850.

* * * * *

FOLK LORE.

_Something else about "Salting."_--On the first occasion, after birth,
of any children being taken into a neighbour's house, the mistress
of the house always presents the babe with an egg, a little flour,
and some salt; and the nurse, to ensure good luck, gives the child
a taste of the pudding, which is forthwith compounded out of these
ingredients. This little "mystery" has occurred too often to be merely
accidental; indeed, all my poorer neighbours are familiarly acquainted
with the custom; and they tell me that money is often given in
addition at the houses of the rich.

What is the derivation of _cum grano salis_ as a hint of caution? Can
it come from the M.D.'s prescription; or is it the grain of Attic salt
or wit for which allowance has to be made in every well-told story?