Notes and Queries, Number 18, March 2, 1850

Notes and Queries offers a window onto mid‑nineteenth‑century scholarly conversation, a printed forum where literary men, antiquarians and genealogists exchanged fragments of knowledge. Each issue compiles short notes, urgent queries and thoughtful replies, ranging from obscure manuscript discoveries to linguistic curiosities. The tone is conversational yet erudite, inviting listeners to feel part of a lively intellectual exchange.

In this particular edition the spotlight falls on an unpublished letter by Horace Walpole, unearthed among the papers of a Della Cruscan poet and dated July 1771, which reveals his candid thoughts on travel and family disputes. The surrounding pages host a potpourri of inquiries—about the identity of Junius, the new edition of Dr. Owen’s works, and the origins of the Jew’s‑harp—followed by expert replies that delve into medieval book‑of‑hours, Caesar’s wife, and even Arabic numerals. Listeners will enjoy the delightful blend of literary sleuthing, historical trivia and the occasional whimsical miss‑spelling that characterises this era’s scholarly camaraderie.