times.

Coleridge relates the story himself, in one of his "conversations," of
which memoranda are preserved in the interesting volumes published by Moxon
in 1836 (ii. 114.). "One day,"

"when I had not a shilling to spare, I was passing by a cottage at
_Keswick_ where a carter was demanding _a shilling_ for a letter, which
the woman of the house appeared unwilling to give, and at last declined
to take. I paid the postage, and when the man was out of sight, she
told me that the letter was from her son, who took that means of
letting her know that he was well. The letter was not to be paid for.
It was then opened and _found to be blank_."

Now, while so many copies of "NOTES AND QUERIES" pass through the
Post-office, it is to be hoped one at least may remain there, and be the
means of inducing Mr. Hill to inform us whether Miss Martineau had any
authority for fathering this story upon him; and whether the Post-office
Reform is really indebted to any such trivial incident for its original
idea.

E. VENABLES.

* * * * *

RED BOOK OF THE IRISH EXCHEQUER.

On one of the vellum leaves of which the Red Book of the Irish Exchequer is
composed, there is depicted a pen and ink sketch of that court. In the
centre of the picture is the table, which is covered (as it is at this day)