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Minor Notes
Origin of Harlequins.—In a note to his translation of Priscus' "History of the Embassy sent to Attila by Theodosius the Younger" (Hist. Civiliz. app. iii. vol. ii. p. 430., Bogue's edit. European Library), M. Guizot remarks, alluding to the appearance of Zercho, a Moor, at Attila's feast:
"Is it not singular to find an harlequin at the court of Attila? Yet such is the origin of these buffoons. The colour of the black slaves, the strangeness of their face and manners, caused them to be sought after as excellent ministers of mirth; to complete the singularity, Zercho asks his wife at the hands of Attila, closely paralleling Harlequin demanding Columbine."
Is this account of the origin of Harlequins generally acquiesced in? I should be obliged by any early notice of the character of Harlequin, and his introduction on the English or any foreign stage.
E. L. N.
Monosyllables.—Among the many correspondents who have sent you specimens of monosyllabic poetry, I have seen no one who has quoted this very singular passage from Phineas Fletcher's Purple Island. It is far more striking than anything you have yet inserted on this subject.
Canto I. Stanza 7.
"New light new love, new love new life hath bred;
A life that lives by love, and loves by light;
A love to Him to whom all loves are wed;
A light to whom the sun is darkest night:
Eye's light, heart's love, soul's only life He is;
Life, soul, love, heart, light, eye, and all are His;
He eye, light, heart, love, soul; He all my joy and bliss."
In seventy words only one of more than a syllable; the alliteration in the second line is likewise noticeable.
H. A. B.
Trin. Col., Cambridge.
The Breeches, or Geneva Bible (Vol. iii, p. 17.).—I have before me a copy of Christopher Barkar's edition of the "Breeches" Bible, 1576, small folio, in which, on the fly-leaf, is the following interesting note in the handwriting of the late Francis Douce:—
"It is generally conceived that the peculiarity, 'and they sewed fig tree leaves together, and made themselves breeches,' belongs exclusively to this Bible, but it is a mistake. The Saxon version of Ælfric has, 'and sewed fig-leaves, and worked them WEED-BREECH, or cloaths for the breech.' Wicliffe also translates 'and maden hem breechis;' and it is singular that Littleton, in his excellent Dictionary, explains perizomata, the word used in the Vulgate, by breeches. In the manuscript French translation of Petrus Comestor's Commentary on the Bible, made by Guiars des Moulins in the 13th century, we have 'Couvertures tout autres-sint comme unnes petites braies.'"
Edward F. Rimbault.
Etymology of Mushroom.—In the sixteenth century this word appears generally to have been spelt Mushrump. Nares, in his valuable Glossary, gives an instance from Marlow's play of Edward the Second, 1598; but there is an earlier example in Robert Southwell's Spirituall Poems, 1595:
"He that high growth on cedars did bestow,
Gave also lowly mushrumps leave to growe."
It is also spelt Mushrump in Cockeram's Dictionary, 1632. These instances may possibly lead to a correct etymology of the word.
Edward F. Rimbault.
Curious Fact in Natural History.—There is in the Brazils a popular superstition to this effect. There is a tree called Japécarga, which is said to grow out of the body of the insect called Cigara. This is a very large tree, and the Cigara is an insect which makes an incessant chirping on the tree, and, as the saying goes, chirps till it bursts. When the insect dies, the tree is said to grow out of it, the roots growing down the legs. My explanation is this: The insect feeds on the seeds of the Japécarga, and occasionally, under advantageous circumstances, some of the seeds germinate, and cause the death of the insect, the tree shooting up through the softest part, the back, and the rootlets making their way down the only outlets, the legs. I wish to know whether any similar fact in Natural History has been noticed, and if not, how is it accounted for, since I can vouch for the skin of the insect having been found with the tree growing out of its back, and the roots growing down through the legs.
John Manley.
Pernambuco.
Hudibras in 1710.—On the back of the oldest register of the parish of Syston, Leicestershire, is the following memorandum:—
"July 19th, 1710. Borrow'd then of Mr. Hesketh Hudibrass in 3 parts, wch I promise to return upon demand; witness my hand, John Kilby."
A pretty strong proof of the value and interest of this work about a century and a half ago.
Arun.
The Great Exhibition.—It is well known that the vineyards of Switzerland have been long protected from hail by means of upright poles having copper wire attached to them, termed "paragrêles," distant from each other from 60 to 100 feet. The formation of hail is an effect of which electricity is the cause, and the cloud being deprived of this agent by the conductors, descends in the shape of rain. Mr. John Murray, F.S.A., F.L.S., &c., in his work on Switzerland, speaks very decidedly of their utility. Has then this ingenious contrivance been considered with reference to the protection of the Great Exhibition and its valuable, or rather invaluable, contents? or why is it deemed inapplicable to the purpose?
C. T.
Queries
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Everybody can see that the first commandment is directed against polytheism, and the second against idolatry; and most people know that the Church of Rome differs from the Church of England in joining these two into one commandment, and dividing the tenth into two commandments, so as to make up the full number, ten. This point of difference betwixt the two churches must necessarily have been the subject of much dispute. There must be plausible reasons on both sides for every commandment in the Anglican ritual being different from its correspondent on the Roman tables: and the settlement of this question must properly belong to the theologian, since holy scripture only mentions how many divine commandments there are (Exodus, xxxiv. 28.; Deuteronomy, iv. 13., x. 4.), without authoritatively separating them.
Will any one kindly inform me where this question may be found fully discussed; and where mention is made of the earliest known divisions of the law? Also, I should be glad to know how the Jews at the present day divide the commandments; and whether there is any record or tradition of there ever having been discussions in their church upon this very interesting and no less important matter?
Alfred Gatty.
Ecclesfield.
Minor Queries
Was Hugh Peters ever on the Stage?—In a pamphlet entitled Arbitrary Government displayed to the Life, in the illegal Transactions of the late Times under the tyrannick Usurpation of Oliver Cromwell, ed. 1690, p. 98., we are informed that Hugh Peters, after he had been expelled the University of Cambridge, went to London, and enrolled himself as player in Shakspeare's company, "in which he usually performed the part of Clown." Is there any other authority for this statement?
Edward F. Rimbault.
English Synonymes.—What are the books of best authority for the synonymes of the English language?
A Foreigner.
Christmas Day.—Which of the popes fixed dogmatically the 25th of December as the birthday of our Saviour? Was it not either Julius I. or II.? and what grounds had he for his decision?
J. C.
A Coggeshall Job.—"Saffron Walden, God help me."—Has the old saying of "A Coggeshall Job" occupied the attention of your readers? And why is it that many of the mendicants who ramble the county of Suffolk in search of relief, when asked where they come from, reply in a pitiful tone, "Saffron Walden, God help me."
J. C.
Easton.
T. Gilburt on Clandestine Marriages.—I have a MS. against the validity of clandestine marriages, dated from Oxford, June 23rd, 1682, signed T. Gilburt. It is a learned and argumentative treatise on this subject. It is entitled:
"An Argument against the Validitie of Clandestine Marriages in the Sight of God. Sent with a Letter to a person of Qualitie desiring my Judgment in ye case wherein he was too nearly concerned."
I am anxious to know who this T. Gilburt may have been.
W. F.
Father Hehl, and Cahagnet.—If any of your numerous readers can say where any account of Father Hehl, who in 1774 discovered animal magnetism, may be found; and whether such a person as M. L. Alph. Cahagnet is living in Paris or elsewhere, whether he is a doctor or pharmacien, what his age may be, and whether the persons whose letters are given in his book, Arcanes de la Vie future dévoilés, are real or imaginary beings, they will greatly comfort
Engastrimythus.
Roman Catholic Bishops in Ireland.—Can any of your readers refer me to any printed or manuscript account of the appointment of Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland by the Stuart family subsequent to the death of James II., containing names, dates, &c.?
Drumlethglas.
Derivation of the Word Fib.—Can any of your readers suggest a proper derivation of this word? Old Bailey, to whom a reference would occasionally save many doubts and inquiries, connects it with "fable." Johnson says nothing as to the etymology, but explains it as "a cant word among children;" while, at the same time, he inserts it on the authority of Pope and Arbuthnot.
In reading the works of that very learned and instructive author, Samuel Werenfels, I was struck with a passage in his Diatribe de Meteoris, p. 272. (Amstel. Wetstein, 1702), which seemed to furnish a probable solution of the question:—"Propter abusum nominis Phœbi evenit, ut omnes qui, altius in oratione, quam decet, se extollere volunt, Gallis hodiernis φοιβολογεῖν Phœbum loqui, Parler Phebus, dicantur." So far as the sound is concerned, this seems a nearer approximation to "fib" than the word "fable." The sense, too, is not very remote from the accepted one of "talking fibs." Query, as to this conjecture?
C. H. P.
Brighton, Feb. 10. 1851.
Thomas May, the Author of the Supplement to Lucan.—Who was this Thomas May? To an Elzevir edition of Lucan, 1658, Amsterdam, "accuranto Cornelio Schrevelio," there is added "Supplementum Lucani Libri Septem; authore Thoma Maio, Anglo." In the preface it is stated, "Supplementum Lucani ab Anglo quodam antehâc seorsim editum, et huic materiæ aptissimum adjunximus, ne quid esset quod hic desideraretur." In the fourth book of this Supplement, Cato is represented as soliloquising before his death as follows:—
"Quam diversa, inquit, restant post funera sortes!
Credo equidem, divine Plato, te dogmata vera
Hæc ipsum docuisse Deum. Deus ipse sequendam
(Aut Natura homines ratioque innata fefellit)
Proposuit virtutem, et præmia debita justis
Hæc quonian justos injusta potentia fraudat
Sæpius in terris, et gens humana rebellat
Solvere post mortem justissimus ipse tenetur."
The famous soliloquy in Addison's Cato seems to resemble this, in its general tone of thought. In a former passage occur these lines:—
"Solatia sola hæc,
Quod meliore frui post mortem lumine sperat.
Immortalem animam spes hæc probat."
The idea is similar to that contained in—
"Else whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire,
This longing after immortality?"
Addison seems to me to have had May's description of Cato's death in his mind, when he wrote the soliloquy.
J. H. L.
Bunting's Irish Melodies.—This admirable musical scholar many years since promised a new edition of the first two volumes of his Irish Airs. Is there any hope of this being soon accomplished?
George Stephens.
Stockholm.
Rudbeck, Campi Elysii.—A copy of this work is said to exist in Sherard's6 Collection, in the Botanical Garden, Oxford. It must have been acquired before 1797. (See Bibliotheca Banksiana, iii. 67.)
Vol. I.—The title and some following leaves are written. Does any note exist as to who copied these leaves, or when, or where?
Is any name of any former owner written on the book-back, title, or elsewhere; or is it known when it was purchased, or at what price?
Does any library-mark, auction-number, or other identifying signature occur?
Is it quite complete at the end, or is anything missing after page 224.?
Does the whole consist of figures, or have some leaves an introduction, text, or corrections, &c.?
Vol. II.—Does anything in this volume illustrate any of the above questions?
A Swedish Bibliognost.
Stockholm.
Prince of Wales' Motto (Vol. iii., p. 106.).—The Query of Effessa is one of great interest to us "Taffies," but I wish to add the following to it. Is there any foundation for the idea, which we so strenuously maintain, that "Ich Dien" is a misspelled edition of "Eich Dyn," "Behold the man:" and that the motto was bestowed on Edward of Carnarvon in consequence of his royal father having learned these two Welsh words, and made use of them when he presented his infant to the assembled tribes as a prince who could "speak no word of English?"
Seleucus.
Borrow's Danish Ballads.—The singular author of Lavengro, Mr. Geo. Borrow, some years ago published certain translations of Danish or other northern ballads, with which I have never been able to meet. Can you or any of your readers furnish me with the title of the book and publisher's name?
My curiosity respecting it has again been aroused somewhat strongly by the account in Lavengro of the way in which he began to study Danish. It might afford a good lesson to all young "philologers."
I presume that, at the mature age of "Notes and Queries," commonplace compliments as to its usefulness and high general value, begin to be very stale; but I cannot close without a hearty "God speed" to you in your labours.
Bruno.
Head of the Saviour.—Can any of your readers give me some information about an engraving of our Saviour, which may just now be seen in many of the London print-shops? It represents the side-face, and is said to be a fac-simile of a likeness engraved on an emerald by order of some Roman Emperor, and which served as the ransom of some other famous person (who, I quite forget). Is this really the truth?
P. M. M.
Lines on English History.—The Sword Flamberg.—I shall be greatly obliged to any of your correspondents who can inform me where I can procure a copy of some lines on English history, commencing:
"William the Norman conquers England's state—
In his own forest Rufus meets his fate," &c.
They are said to be written by a Roman Catholic gentleman named Chaloner.
I also wish to know something about the old German sword called the "Flamberg." I have seen it represented as twisted like a column of flame, and should like to know its history, and whether there was any allusion in it to the flaming sword that kept the gate of Paradise.
Mention is made of it by Körner in his poem, "Männer und Buben:"
"Stosst mit an
Mann für Mann
Wer den Flamberg schwingen kann."
Can your correspondents tell me, also, whether there is such a phrase, expressive of the place where four roads met, as a "four warnt way," and whence its origin, and how properly spelt?
An English Mother.
Denarius Philosophorum.—Can you inform me what the inscription "Denarius Philosophorum" means, on Bishop Thornborough's monument in Worcester Cathedral?
D. Y.
"Sees Good in everything."—Where does the line,
"Sees good in everything, and God in all."
