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which they appear. We know, too, that the author did not go to the East until 1849 when he received the appointment of Her Majesty to be Consul in Canton.
Now it is entirely possible that Bowring saw an illustration of the church somewhere. Mr. David Keir, author of THE BOWRING STORY (The Bodley Head, Ltd., London, 1962) to whom I submitted this problem, informs me that Bowring visited Portugal in 1815, and may have run across one there. But it is also possible that he had to go no farther than London. "At the Hispano Portuguese Library in Belgrave Square," Keir writes, "there is an illustration of the church." It "is a high pagoda-like building, rising above many steps, with a Cross at its peak. As most churches have a cross on the roof somewhere, it is still inconclusive whether this was the church he had in mind.” “It is also possible (for instance)," Mr. Keir continues, "that he might have been inspired to write the hymn following his visit to the Pena Convent in Portugal - an experience which seems to have impressed him very much, for he writes in his Autobiographical Recollections:
'I also went to the Pena Convent, which towers [note the use of this word] over the highest of the precipices. The rude path, which leads to it, winds round the rugged steep, and if ever there was a spot fitted for those who would withdraw from the world, it is this. Here might misanthropy revel in perfect abstraction for scarcely could any earthly idea enter into that secluded and weather-beaten temple....'
Can any reader of the Journal offer any better hypothesis? Columbia University, 1969.
L. CARRINGTON GOODRICH
BOOKS FROM THE VICTORIA LIBRARY
As a kind of postscript to "Notes on Hong Kong Libraries in the Nineteenth Century," which appeared in the last volume of this Journal between pp. 56-66, it may be of interest to record that two titles formerly the property of the Victoria Library and Reading Rooms (1848-1871) have come to light.
The first was bought by Mr. James Hayes, our Hon. Editor, from a 'fly-by-night' bookstall in Causeway Bay. This is:
152
NOTES AND QUERIES
which they appear. We know, too, that the author did not go to the East until 1849 when he received the appointment of Her Majesty to be Consul in Canton.
Now it is entirely possible that Bowring saw an illustration of the church somewhere. Mr. David Keir, author of THE BOWR- ING STORY (The Bodley Head, Ltd., London, 1962) to whom I submitted this problem, informs me that Bowring visited Por- tugal in 1815, and may have run across one there. But it is also possible that he had to go no farther than London. "At the His- pano Portuguese Library in Belgrave Square," Keir writes, "there is an illustration of the church." It "is a high pagoda-like building, rising above many steps, with a Cross at its peak. As most churches have a cross on the roof somewhere, it is still inconclusive whether this was the church he had in mind.” “It is also possible (for instance)," Mr. Keir continues, "that he might have been inspired to write the hymn following his visit to the Pena Convent in Portugal - an experience which seems to have impressed him very much, for he writes in his Autobiographical Recollections:
'I also went to the Pena Convent, which towers [note the use of this word] over the highest of the precipices. The rude path, which leads to it, winds round the rugged steep, and if ever there was a spot fitted for those who would withdraw from the world, it is this. Here might misan- thropy revel in perfect abstraction for scarcely could any earthly idea enter into that secluded and weather-beaten temple....'
Can any reader of the Journal offer any better hypothesis? Columbia University, 1969.
L. CARRINGTON GOODRICH
BOOKS FROM THE VICTORIA LIBRARY
As a kind of postscript to "Notes on Hong Kong Libraries in the Nineteenth Century," which appeared in the last volume of this Journal between pp. 56-66, it may be of interest to record that two titles formerly the property of the Victoria Library and Read- ing Rooms (1848-1871) have come to light.
The first was bought by Mr. James Hayes, our Hon. Editor, from a 'fly-by-night' bookstall in Causeway Bay. This is:
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