Kitabı oku: «Notes and Queries, Number 54, November 9, 1850», sayfa 5

"ANTIQUITAS SÆCULI JUVENTUS MUNDI."

(Vol. ii., pp. 218. 350.)

T. J. and his Dublin friend (Vol. ii., p. 350.), appear to refer, one to the Latin version, the other to the original English text of Lord Bacon's Instauration; and, oddly enough, the inference to which either points, as a reason for disbelieving in the previous existence of the phrase "Antiquitas" &c., extends not to the authority consulted by the other. Thus, the circumstance of "ordine retrogrado" being printed also in Italics, is true only in respect of the English text; while, on the other hand, "ut vere dicamus" is an expression to be found only in the Latin.

But it may be doubted whether the originality of the phrase "Antiquitas sæculi juventus mundi" is, after all, worth speculating upon. In the sense in which Lord Bacon used it, it is rather a naked truism than a wise aphorism. It does not even necessarily convey the intended meaning; nor, if unaccompanied by an explanation, would it be safe from a widely different interpretation. A previous correspondent of "Notes and Queries" had termed it "this fine aphoristic expression;" and yet, when Lord Bacon himself expands the thought into an aphorism, he does so without recurring to the phrase in question, which is a tolerably fair proof that he did not look upon it as a peculiarly happy one. (Novum Organum, lib. 1., Aphorismus LXXXIV.)

T. J. infers that if the phrase were a quotation it would have been preceded by "ut dictum est" rather than by "ut dicamus"—but even if it had been introduced by the first of these forms, it does not appear that it would thereby have been proved to be a quotation; because there are instances wherein Lord Bacon directly refers to the source from which he professes to quote, and yet prefers to give the purport in his own words rather than in those of his author. Thus, in citing one of the most exquisite and familiar passages of Lucretius, he introduces it by the prefix, "Poeta elegantissime dixit." And yet what follows, although printed in italics with every appearance of strict quotation, is not the language of Lucretius, but a commonplace prose version of its substance. (Sermones Fideles, De Veritate.)

With reference to Lord Bacon's works, there are two Queries which I wish to ask.

T. J.'s friend mentions a rare translation into English by Gilbert Wats, Oxford, as existing in Primate Marsh's library. Query, Of what is it a translation?

In Lord Bacon's life, by William Rawley, it is stated that his lordship was born in a house "infra plateam dictum Le Strand juxta Londinum."

Query, Was the Strand ever known as Le Strand, similarly to Adwick-le-street in Yorkshire?

A. E. B.

Replies to Minor Queries

Sir Gammer Vans (Vol. ii., pp 89. 280.).—The story related by S. G. is the same that I inquired after, and I admire the accuracy of his memory, for his version is, for the greater part, literally the same that I heard in Ireland sixty years ago. A few passages, as that about hipper switches, I do not recollect; and one or two that I remember are wanting—the one, that the narrator was received in "a little oak parlour" of, I forget what, different character; the other, that Sir Gammer's "mother," or "aunt, was a justice of peace, and his sister a captain of horse." I find that Goldsmith's allusion is to this last passage, with some variation. Tony Lumpkin tells Marlow that Hardcastle will endeavour to persuade him that "his mother was an alderman and his aunt a justice of peace." (She Stoops to Conquer, A. i. sub fine.) I have not been able to find the allusion in Swift; nor can I see how it could have been a political satire. It seems rather to be a mere tissue of incongruities and contradictions—of Irish bulls, in short, woven into a narrative to make folks laugh; and it is much of the same character as many other pieces of ingenious nonsense with which Swift and Sheridan used to amuse each other.

C.

Sir Gammer Vans.—This worthy is mentioned in that curious little chap-book, A Strange and Wonderful Relation of the Old Woman that was drowned at Ratcliff Highway, in two parts. I now quote the passage from a copy of the genuine Aldermary churchyard edition:—

"At last I arrived at Sir John Vang's house. 'Tis a little house entirely alone, encompassed about with forty or fifty houses, having a brick wall made of flint stone round about it. So knocking at the door, Gammer Vangs, said I, is Sir John Vangs within? Walk in, said she, and you shall see him in the little, great, round, three square parlour. This Gammer Vangs had a little old woman her son. Her mother was a churchwarden of a large troop of horse, and her grandmother was a Justice of the Peace; but when I came into the said great, little, square, round, three corner'd parlour, I could not see Sir John Vangs, for he was a giant. But I espied abundance of nice wicker bottles. And just as I was going out he called to me and asked me what I would have? So looking back I espied him just creeping out of a wicker bottle. It seems by his profession he was a wicker bottle maker. And after he had made them, he crept out at the stopper holes."

There are two notes worth recording with respect to this curious medley, which is obviously a modern version of a much older composition. Query, is any older edition known?

1. That the wood-cut on the title page, which has been re-engraved for Mr. Halliwell's Notices of Fugitive Tracts and Chap-books, printed for the Percy Society, is one of the few representations we have of the old Ducking Stool.

2. That it is said that the Rev. Thomas Kerrich, the well-known librarian of the University of Cambridge, could repeat by heart the whole of the eight and forty pages of this strange gallimawfrey.

W. J. Thoms.

Hipperswitches (Vol. ii., p. 280.).—I saw a story which was copied into the Examiner of Oct. 5. from "Notes and Queries," entitled "Sir Gammer Vans." The correspondent who has furnished you with the tale says that he is ignorant of the meaning of "hipper switches." Now hipper is a word applied in this part of the country to a description of osiers used in coarse basket making, and which were very likely things to be bound up into switches. A field in which they grow, near the water side, is called a "hipper-holm." There is a station on the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, which takes its name from such a meadow. My nurse, a Cornwall woman, tells me hipper withies fetch a higher price than common withies in her country.

E. C. G.

Lancaster.

Cat and Bagpipes (Vol. ii., p. 266.).—A public-house of considerable notoriety, with this sign, existed long at the corner of Downing Street, next to King Street. It was also used as a chop-house, and frequented by many of those connected with the public offices in the neighbourhood.

An old friend told me that many years ago he met George Rose,—so well known in after life as the friend of Pitt, clerk of the Parliament, secretary of the Treasury, &c., and executor of the Earl of Marchmont,—then a bashful young man, at the Cat and Bagpipes.

I may mention that George Rose was one of the few instances which I have met with, where a Scotsman had freed himself from the peculiarities of the speech of his country. Sir William Grant was another. Frank Homer was a third. I never knew another.

R.

Forlot, Firlot, or Furlet (Vol. i., p. 371.).—It may be interesting to your correspondent J. S. to be informed that there is a measure of capacity in universal use in this part of India called a fara or fura, which is identical in shape, and, as nearly as can be judged by the eye, in size, with the Scottish furlet. The fura is divided into sixteen pilys, a small measure in universal use here; in like manner as the furlet is divided into sixteen lipys, which measure was, and I presume still is, in general use throughout Scotland. A friend informs me that, in the west of Scotland, the common pronunciation of the word furlet is exactly the same as that of the word fura here by the Mahrattas. It is unnecessary to point out the numerous instances in which such changes as that from pily to lipy take place per metathesem.

Now, an interesting subject of investigation, supposing the coincidence above noticed not to be an accidental one, would be to trace the links of connexion between these words; and in this, some of your German readers may be enabled to afford valuable aid.

As an illustration of the same article being in use in widely distant localities, I may mention that on returning to England from a voyage to China, I brought with me a Chinese abacus or swanpan, the instrument in general use among the Chinese for performing the ordinary computations of addition, subtraction, &c., thinking it a grand article of curiosity, particularly in a remote seaport town on the east coast, with which to astonish the natives. But what was my chagrin when I was informed by an honest Baltic skipper, that to him, at least the instrument was no rarity at all; that he had seen them used hundreds of times for the same purposes at various ports in the Baltic; and that, moreover, he had one of them in his home at that very time, which he forthwith produced.

J. Sh.

Bombay.

Sitting during the Lessons (Vol. ii., p. 246.).—The rubric directing the people to stand while the Gospel is read in the Communion service, was first inserted in the Scotch Common Prayer Book, A. D. 1637. The ancient and more reverential practice of standing whenever any portion of God's word is read, had not fallen into entire disuse as late as 1686, as will appear from the following extract from The Life of Bishop Wilson, by Cruttwell, prefixed to the folio edition of his works. It occurs (p. 4.) under certain heads of advice given to that holy bishop, at the time he was ordained deacon, by his much-esteemed friend, Archdeacon Hewetson:—

"Never to miss the church's public devotions twice a day, when unavoidable business, or want of health, or of a church (as in travelling), does not hinder. In church to behave himself also very reverently; nor ever turn his back upon the altar in service time, nor on the minister, when it can be avoided; to stand at the lessons and epistle as well as at the gospel, and especially when a psalm is sung: to bow reverently at the name of Jesus whenever it is mentioned in any of the church's offices; to turn towards the east when the Gloria Patri and the creeds are rehearsing; and to make obeisance at coming into, and going out of the church, and at going up to, and coming down from, the altar; are all ancient, commendable, and devout usages, and which thousands of good people of our Church practise at this day, and amongst them, if he deserves to be reckoned amongst them, Thomas Wilson's dear friend."

J. Y.

Hoxton.

Engelmann's Bibliotheca Auctor. Class. (Vol. ii., pp. 296. 312. 328.).—"I hereby attest that the English titles to my Bibliotheca Scriptorum Classicorum were not printed without my knowledge or wish, but by myself, for my customers in England. … W. Engelmann."

Leipzig, Oct. 25. 1850.

I also enclose the original, for the benefit of Mr. de Morgan, if he is not satisfied.

Another Foreign Bookseller.

News (Vol. ii., p. 81.).—Much wit and ingenuity have been wasted on this word. It seems clear, however, that its origin is Dutch or German, and probably Flemish, like the "NEW'S BOOK," so frequently occurring in the correspondence of the seventeenth century.

Look into that valuable German, French, and Latin dictionary of the Elzeviers, Amst. 1664, where you will find "Newe, F. une novelle; Lat. nova, novorum." Then follow "Etwas newes, quelque chose de nouveau; Aliquid novi;" and "Was newes, quelles nouvelles;" or, more accurately, "Quid novi; quoi de nouveau?" The inference is forced upon us that, during the Flemish wars, in which the Sidneys and a long catalogue of noble English volunteers distinguished themselves, the thing and the term were imported hither.

Agreeably to so natural a presumption, the Hollandish "Nieuws" occurs, as a neuter substantive, in the sense of "niewe tijding," or "nouvelles," and, of course, the English "news," as perfect as can be wished. It is true that the "Nieuws-Boek" now circulates under the modest name of "Nieuws-Papieren," or of "Nieuws-Verteller:" but, to convince readers wise enough not to expect in such matters as these a geometrical demonstration, what is here humbly stated might suffice.

G. M.

Guernsey.

Derivation of Orchard.—What is the derivation of orchard? Is the last syllable "yard," as in vineyard, rickyard? If so, what is "orch?" By the way, is the provincial word "hag-gard" hay-yard?

H. A. B.

[Orchard is from the Anglo-Saxon ort geard, or wyrt geard; the final syllable gard or yard, in the words cited by our correspondent, being the modern form of the A.-S. geard.]