SUN-DIAL INSCRIPTIONS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIE,—I have been much interested by the letters in the Spectator of July 6th and 13th, relating to " The Book of. Sun-Dials," by my late mother, Mrs. Alfred Gatty. All the mottoes supplied by Mr. MacLeod (July 6th) bad already been recorded in the book, but the wording of the one mentioned.. by Mr. Bartlett (July 13th) is new to me,—" C'est l'heure de boire," on an auberge at Libourne. The same idea in different words—" Nunc hors bibendi "—is not uncommon in the neigh- bourhood of Abries. We have "C'est l'heure de bien faire" recorded from several places, the slight difference between the words of this and of the Libourne motto forming a striking change in the sense of the two inscriptions.
I am glad to be able to mention that in consequence of the interest roused by the new edition of the sun-dial book, a dial has just been erected by a friend at Halliford with the new and singularly apt quotation, " They also serve who only stand and wait." An old dial, also, on the south transept of York Minster, has been restored by the care of the Dean, who has added the motto, ." Lucem demonstrat umbra."—I am,, Sir, &c., HORATIA X. F. EDEN. . Orwell House, Rugby, July 17th.
Previous page
