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"Though thy grey Muse grew up with elder times,
And our deceased Grandsires lisp'd thy rhymes,
Yet we can sing thee too."
 

From these lines, therefore, written nearly 50 years after the publication of his former works in 1602, when we may reasonably suppose he could not have been under 20, it is certain that Basse was then well stricken in years; and the probability is, that he died very shortly afterwards, and that this was the reason of the non-publication of his poems. It is possible that a search into the registers at Thame or that neighbourhood, or in the court at Oxford, might settle this point, and also furnish some further information concerning his family and connections. Cole mentions that a person of both his names was admitted a sizar in Emanuel College, Cambridge, in 1629, of Suffolk, and took his degree of B.A. in 1632 and M.A. in 1636. But this was too modern a date for our poet, and might possibly be his son.

I have been informed that in Winchester College library, in a 4to. volume, there are some poems by Mr. William Basse; but the title of the volume I have not been able to obtain.

Mr. Collier concludes his remarks, with a supposition that Basse "was a musical composer, as well as writer of verses." I believe Mr. C. to be right in this notion, from a passage which I find in the commencement of the 2nd Part of "The Youth in the Boat," where, alluding to "sweete Calliope," he remarks:—

 
"A Muse to whom in former dayes
I was extremely bound,
When I did sing in Musiques prayse,
And Voyces heau'nly sound."
 

And from the circumstance also of one of the Ballads in the Roxburghe Collection, "Wit's never good till 'tis bought," being sung to the tune of "Basse's Carreere." Mr. Collier has reprinted this in his elegant Book of Roxburghe Ballads, 4to. 1847, p. 264., and says:—

"The tune to which is sung, 'Basse's Carreere,' means of course, the tune mentioned in Walton's Angler, 'The Hunter in his Career,' composed, as he states by William Basse."

I have a distant recollection of having seen other pieces in some of our early musical works, composed by Basse. Sir Harris Nicolas, also, in the "Life of Walton," prefixed to his edition of The Complete Angler, p. cxx., says:—

"He (Walton) appears to have been fond of poetry and music.... and was intimate with Basse, an eminent composer, in whose science he took great interest."

I fear that these notices of William Basse, thus collected together from scattered sources, will not afford much information to Mr. Collier, beyond what he is already possessed of; but they may possibly interest others, who may not be quite so conversant with our early writers as that gentleman is known to be. I shall feel much gratified and obliged if he or any other of your correspondents will add any further notices or communications respecting one who may possibly have been personally known to Shakspeare, but whose name, at all events, will be handed down to posterity in connection with that of our immortal bard.

THOMAS CORSER,

Stand Rectory, Feb. 22. 1850.

JOHN STOWE

In the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. vii., new series, p. 48., is a clever notice of the life and works of the venerable John Stowe. It says:—

"The biographers have affirmed that he quitted his trade; but there is nothing to authorize that assertion in what he says himself upon the subject."

In the preface to an edition of the Summarie for the Year 1575, now in my possession, Stowe says:—

"It is nowe x yeres, since I (seeing the confuse order of our late englishe Chronicles, and the ignorant handling of aunciet affaires) leaning myne own peculiar gains, coscerated my selfe to the searche of our famous antiquities."

Stowe was born in 1525; he was then 40 years of age when he gave up his "peculiar gains," and devoted himself entirely to antiquarian labours. There had already appeared his edition of Chaucer in 1561, also the commencement of the Summaries; but his greater works, the Annals, Survey of London, &c., were not published till several years after.

In his old age he was reduced to poverty, or rather to actual beggary; for shortly before his death, when fourscore years old, he was permitted, by royal letters patent, to become a mendicant. This curious document is printed in Mr. Bolton Corney's Curiosities of Literature Illustrated, and sets forth, that

"Whereas our louing Subject, John Stowe, this fine & forty yeers hath to his great charge, & with neglect of his ordinary meanes of maintenance (for the generall good as well of posteritie, as of the present age) compiled and published diuerse necessary bookes & Chronicles; and therefore we, in recompense of these his painfull laboures, & for the encouragement to the like, haue in our royall inclination ben pleased to graunt our Letters Patents &c. &c.; thereby authorizing him and his deputies to collect amongst our louing subjects, theyr voluntary contributions & kinde gratuities."

The whole preface to this edition of the Summarie is curious, and is followed by a List of "Authors out of whom this Summary is collected."

In Hearne's Robert of Gloster, preface, p. lxi., allusion is made to these Summaries. He says:—

"I have not yet met with a copy of this Summary in which we have an account of his authors."

After a panegyric on Stowe's incredible industry he says:—

"Sir Roger Lestrange, talking some years before his death with a very ingenious and learned Gentleman about our Historians, was pleased to say, that it was always a wonder to him, that the very best that had penn'd our History in English should be a poor Taylour, honest John Stowe. Sir Roger said a Taylour, because Stowe, as is reported, was bred a cap-maker. The trade of Cap-making was then much in fashion, Hats being not at that time much in request."

J.E.N.

TRANSPOSITION OF LETTERS

The only reason, I imagine, which can be given for the transposition of letters spoken of by Mr. Williams (No. 12. p. 184.), is that it was done on "phonetic" principles—for the sake of euphony:—the new way was felt or fancied to be easier to the organs of speech, or (which is nearly the same) pleasanter to those of hearing. Such alterations have at all times been made,—as is well known to those versed in the earlier stages of the language,—and often most arbitrarily. It is needless to say that "provincial and vulgar" usage throws much light on the changes in the forms of words; and perhaps a little attention to the manner in which words are altered by the peasantry would illustrate the point in question more than a learned comment.

No form of verbal corruption is more frequent throughout the rural districts of England than that produced by the transposition of letters, especially of consonants: such words as world, wasp, great, are, as every one knows, still ordinarily (though less frequently than a dozen years ago) pronounced wordle, waps, gurt. So with names of places: thus Cholsey (Berks.) is called Chosley.

The dropping of a letter is to be accounted for in a like manner. Probably the word was first pronounced short, and when the ear became accustomed to the shortened sound, the superfluous (or rather unpronounced) letter would be dropped in writing. In proper names, to which your correspondent particularly refers, we observe this going on extensively in the present day. Thus, in Caermarthen and Caernarvon, though the e is etymologically of importance, it is now very generally omitted—and that by "those in authority:" in the Ordnance Maps, Parliamentary "Blue Books," and Poor-law documents, those towns are always spelled Carnarvon, Carmarthen. A still more striking instance is that of a well-known village on the Thames, opposite Runnimede. Awhile back it was commonly spelled Wyrardisbury; now it appears on the time-tables of the South-Western Railway (and perhaps elsewhere) Wraysbury, which very nearly represents the local pronunciation.

It is, perhaps, worth while to remark that letters are sometimes added as well as dropped by the peasantry. Thus the Cockley, a little tributary of Wordsworth's Duddon, is by the natives of Donnerdale invariably called Cocklety beck; whether for the sake of euphony, your readers may decide.

And now, Sir, you will perhaps permit me to put a query. Tom Brown, in his Dialogues, p. 44. ed. 1704., has a well-known line:—

 
"Why was not he a rascal
Who refused to suffer the Children of Israel to go
into the Wilderness with their wives and families
to eat the Paschal?"
 

which he says he found on some "very ancient hangings in a country ale-house." I have never doubted that he was himself the author; but having heard it positively ascribed to a very different person, I should be glad to know whether any of your readers have met with it in an earlier writer; and if so, to whom is it to be ascribed?

J.T.

Pet-Names—"Jack."—Perhaps one of your many readers, erudite in etymologies, will kindly explain how "Jack" came to be used as the diminutive for John. Dr. Kennedy, in his recent interesting disquisition on pet-names (No. 16. p. 242.), supposes that Jaques was (by confusion) transmuted into "Jack;" a "metamorphosis," almost as violent as the celebrated one effected, some two centuries ago, by Sir John Harrington. "Poor John," from being so long "Jack among his familiars," has been most scurvily treated, being employed to form sundry very derogatory compounds, such as, Jackass, Jackpudding, Jack-a-dandy, Jackanapes, Jack-a-lent, Jack o' oaks (knave of clubs), Jack-o' th' Lantern, &c. &c. Might not "Jack" have been derived from John, somewhat after the following fashion:—Johan—Joan—Jan—Janchen or Jankin.

 
"Ho! jolly Jenkin,
I spy a knave in drinkin."
 

Jankin = little John. Jank—Jak. This etymology has, I confess, a very great resemblance to the Millerian mode of educing Cucumber from Jeremiah King; but it is the most plausible which occurs at present to

L. Kennaquhair.

John—Pisan.—I will thank you to inform your correspondent "C." (No. 15 p. 234.), that we must look to the East for the "original word" of John. In the Waldensian MSS. of the Gospels of the 12th Century, we find Ioanes, showing its derivation from the Greek Iohannaes. The word Pisan occurs in the 33rd vol. of the Archæologia, p. 131.

I have considered it was a contraction for pavoisine, a small shield; and I believe this was the late Dr. Meyrick's opinion.

B.W. Feb. 25.

Sir,—If the signature to the article in No. 16., "on Pet Names," had not been Scottish, I should have been less surprised at the author's passing over the name of Jock, universally used in Scotland for John. The termination ick or ck is often employed, as marking a diminutive object, or object of endearment. May not the English term Jack, if not directly borrowed from the Scottish Jock, have been formed through the primary Jock—John—Jock—Jack?

EMDEE.

Origin of the Change of "Mary" into "Polly" (No. 14. p. 215.).—This change, like many others in diminutives, is progressive. By a natural affinity between the liquids r and l, Mary becomes Molly, as Sarah, Sally, Dorothea, Dora, Dolly, &c. It is not so easy to trace the affinity between the initials M. and P., though the case is not singular; thus, Margaret, Madge, Meggy, Meg, Peggy, Peg—Martha, Matty, Patty—and Mary, Molly, Polly and Poll; in which last abbreviation not one single letter of the original word remains: the natural affinity between the two letters, as medials, is evident, as in the following examples, all of which, with one exception, are Latin derivatives: empty, peremptory, sumptuous, presumptuous, exemption, redemption, and sempstress and again, in the words tempt, attempt, contempt, exempt, prompt, accompt, comptroller (vid. Walker's Prin. of Eng. Pron. pp. 42, 43.); in all which instances however, the p is mute, so that "Mary" is avenged for its being the accomplice in the desecration of her gentle name into "Polly." Many names of the other sex lose their initials in the diminutive; as,

Richard      Dick

Robert       Bob

William      Bill

Edward       Ned

Christopher  Kit

Roger        Hodge,

and probably many others; but I have no list before me, and these are all that occur.

Philologos. Deanery of Gloucester, Shrove Tuesday, 1850.

PARALLEL PASSAGES OR PLAGIARISMS IN CHILDE HAROLD

Permit me to add two further plagiarisms or parallel passages on the subject of Childe Harold to those already contributed by your valuable correspondent "Melanion."

Mrs. Radcliffe (who I am informed was never out of England) is describing in her Mysteries of Udolpho, Chap. xvi. the appearance of Venice. "Its terraces, crowded with airy, yet majestic fabrics touched as they now were with the splendour of the setting sun, appeared as if they had been called up from the Ocean by the wand of an enchanter."

In the 1st stanza of the 4th canto of Childe Harold we have the well known lines—

 
"I stood in Venice on the bridge of sighs,
A palace and a prison on each hand:
I saw from out the wave her structures rise
As from the stroke of the enchanter's wand."
 

In one of his letters Lord Byron tells us of his fondness for the above novel.

Again in Kirke White's Christiad—

 
"The lyre which I in early days have strung,
And now my spirits faint, and I have hung
The shell that solaced me in saddest hour
On the dark cypress—"
 

May be compared with the last stanza but one of the 4th canto.

T.R.M.

INEDITED LINES BY ROBERT BURNS

The following lines by Robert Burns have never appeared in any collection of his works. They were given to me some time ago at Chatham Barracks by Lieut. Colonel Fergusson, R.M., formerly of Dumfriesshire, by whom they were copied from the tumbler upon which they were originally written.

Shortly before the death of Alan Cunningham I sent these verses to him, as well as two Epigrams of Burns, "On Howlet Face," and "On the Mayor of Carlisle's impounding his Horse," which were not included in his edition of Burns' works. In a letter which I received from Alan Cunningham, and which now lies before me, he says:—

"The pieces you were so good as to send me are by Burns, and the Epigrams are old acquaintances of mine. I know not how I came to omit them. I shall print them in the next edition, and say it was you who reminded me of them."

I believe that one or both of the Epigrams were printed in the 8vo. edition of the works in one volume, but my name is not mentioned as the contributor, which I regret; for, as an enthusiastic admirer of Burns, and a collector for many years of his fugitive pieces, it would have been gratifying to me to have been thus noticed. Perhaps Cunningham did not superintend that edition.

The verses I now send you, and which may, perhaps, be worth preserving in your valuable miscellany, originated thus:—On occasion of a social meeting at Brownhill inn, in the parish of Closeburn, near Dumfries, which was, according to Alan Cunningham, "a favourite resting-place of Burns," the poet, who was one of the party, was not a little delighted by the unexpected appearance of his friend William Stewart. He seized a tumbler, and in the fulness of his heart, wrote the following lines on it with a diamond. The tumbler is carefully preserved, and was shown some years since by a relative of Mr. Stewart, at his cottage at Closeburn, to Colonel Fergusson, who transcribed the lines, and gave them to me with the assurance that they had never been printed.

The first verse is an adaptation of a well known Jacobite lyric.

 
"You're welcome Willie Stewart!
You're welcome Willie Stewart!
There's no a flower that blooms in May
That's half so welcome as thou art!
 
 
Come bumper high, express your joy!
The bowl—ye maun renew it—
The tappit-hen—gae fetch her ben,
To welcome Willie Stewart!
 
 
May faes be strong—may friends be slack—
May he ilk action rue it—
May woman on him turn her back
Wad wrang thee Willie Stewart!"
 

J. Reynell Wreford.