Kitabı oku: «Notes and Queries, Number 65, January 25, 1851», sayfa 6
Legends referring to the origin of different animals are common. Mrs. Jamieson (Canada) has a very beautiful Chippewa story of the first robin.
It is believed in Devonshire that moles begin to work with the flow, and leave off with the ebb of the tide. The same thing is asserted of the beaver.
Pillgarlick (Vol. ii., p. 393.; Vol. iii., p. 42.).—The word is given by Todd, in his edition of Johnson, under the forms Pilgarlick and Pilled-garlick. The same orthography is adopted by other lexicographers. The spelling, concerning which your querist desires information, is, however, the least important point. I trust that the question will elicit information of a valuable kind as to the origin of the term, by which I have I myself been sorely puzzled, and which, I think, has not been satisfactorily cleared up by any of those who have attempted it. Following the authority of Skinner, our philologists are satisfied with assuring us, that pilled means bald (French, pelé) and about this there can be no dispute. Thus Chaucer (Reve's Tale) says:—
Round was his face, and camuse was his nose,
And pilled as an ape was his skull."
Shakspeare also has:—
"Pieled priest! doost thou command me to be shut out?"
for "shaven priest." But pilled, in other cases as might be shown by quotations, which for the sake of brevity I omit, means pillaged, robbed, and also peeled, of which last sense the quotations above given seem only to be a figurative application. The difficulties which arise from these explanations are, first, if bald be the true meaning, why must we, with Todd, limit it to baldness, resulting from disease, or more especially (as Grose will have it) from a disgraceful disease?
Secondly, if peeled be taken as the equivalent to pilled, why is peeled garlick a more perfect type of misery than any other peeled root or fruit?
Thirdly, if pillage is an essential ingredient in the true meaning of the term "pilled garlick," what has the stolen garlick to do with wretchedness? And,
Lastly, how will any one, or all of these explanations together, tally with the following passage from Skelton:—
"Wyll, Wyll, Wyll, Wyll, Wyll
He ruleth always styll.
Good reason and good skyll,
They may garlyck pyll,
Cary sackes to the myll,
Or pescoddes they may shyll,
Or elles go rost a stone?"
Why come ye not to Courte? 103-109.
Without further elucidation of this pilling, the existing definitions are pills which defy deglutition of
F.S.Q.
A Recent Novel (Vol. i., pp. 231, 285.).—May I be permitted to correct an error in a communication from one of your correspondents? ADOLPHUS (p. 231.) puts a Query respecting the title of a recent novel; and J.S. (p. 285) informs him that the title is Le Morne au Diable, by Eugène Sue. The fact is, that "La Morne au Diable" is the principal scene of the events described, and nothing more. The title is L'Aventurier, ou la Barbe-bleue; and an English translation, styled the Female Blue Beard, or the Adventurer, was published in 1845 by W. Strange, 21. Paternoster Row.
HENRY H. BREEN.
St. Lucia, W.I., Nov. 1850
Tablet to Napoleon (Vol. i., p. 461.).—The form and punctuation given to this inscription by C. suggest its true meaning. Napoleon is called the Egyptian, the Italian, for reasons similar to those for which Publius Cornelius Scipio obtained the name of "Africanus." There is, however, another sense in which the epithet "bis Italicus" is applicable to Napoleon: he was an Italian by birth as well as by conquest. It is in this sense that Voltaire has applied to Henri Quatre the second line of the following couplet:—
"Je chante ce héros qui régna sur la France
Et par droit de conquête, et par droit de naissance."
As to the "lingual purity" of the inscription, there is not much to be said about it, one way or the other. It is on a level with most modern inscriptions and epitaphs in the Latin language; neither so elegant as the Latinity of Dr. Johnson, or Walter Savage Landor, nor yet so hackneyed as our "Latin de cuisine."
HENRY H. BREEN.
St. Lucia, W.I., Nov. 1850.
North Sides of Churchyards (Vol. ii., pp. 55. &c.)—In a chapter on the custom of burying on the south side of churches, in Thompson's History of Swine, published 1824, I find the following mention of the north side being appropriated to felons:
"The writer hereof remembers, that between fifty and sixty years ago, a man who was executed at Lincoln, was brought to Swine, and buried on the north side of the church, as the proper place in which to bury a felon."
I have heard it stated by several inhabitants of the parish, that it is only within a few years that burials began to be made irrespectively on the north side. Whilst speaking of things in connection with this church, I may mention for the interest of antiquaries, that only a short time ago, the sexton discovered a very curious fresco of the Virgin on one of the pillars in the north aisle. There is an inscription beneath the figure, but so very indistinct, as not to admit of being deciphered.
R.W.E.
Hull.
Wisby (Vol. ii., p. 444.).—
"Wisby was fortified about 1200 against its country neighbours; and King Magnus, 1288, quieted another civil war, and allowed the citizens to restore their fallen walls."—Olaus Magnus, ii. 24.
"It was destroyed in 1361 (Koch) by Walderna, King of Denmark, who, taking advantage of the discords in Sweden, and having flattered the King Magnus till he made him a mere tool of his own, conquered or destroyed some valuable parts of the Swedish dominions, and among the rest Gothland."—Johannes Magnus, Rex Suev., xxi. 6.
and in 7.:
"… ob direptum insigne emporium Vis becense."
"As, therefore, it was not an individual event, probably it had not any individual cause, and that the pane of glass story is not true."—Olaus Magnus, x. 16
The same Olaus (ii. 24.) says, that pride and discord were its ruin; that its inhabitants scattered into the continental cities; and that in his time, 1545, there were splendid ruins, iron doors, brass or copper windows, once gilt or silvered.
C.B.
Singing of Swans (Vol. ii., p. 475.).—If your correspondent T.J. will turn to Erman's Travels in Siberia translated by Cooley, vol. ii. p. 43., he will find that the singing of swans is by no means so groundless a notion as Bp. Percy supposed. Erman says the notes of the Cygnus Olor are most beautifully clear and loud—"and that this bird, when wounded, pours forth its last breath in such notes, is now known for certain." There is more also to the same purpose.
A.C.M.
Dacre Monument at Herstmonceux (Vol. ii., p. 478.).—In answer to part of the third Query of your correspondent E.V., I beg to inform him that sable, a cross potent or, is the coat of Alleyn. Sable, a cross patonce or, belongs to Lascelles. Argent a fesse gules belongs to the Solers family. And barry of six argent and gules, with a canton ermine, is the coat of Apseley of Sussex.
H.C.K.
Herstmonceux Castle (Vol. ii., p. 477.).—The elucidation of your correspondent's second Query suggests several further questions; for instance—Was Juliana wife of William, the owner of the estate? If so, did she die in the lifetime of her husband? If so, did she leave issue? semble not, and assuming her to have no direct heirs, the estate would escheat. Was the King lord of the fee? Were William de Warburton and Ingelram de Monceaux relatives of the half blood of Juliana? If so, a re-grant to them, if claimants, would not, I imagine, have been unusual upon payment of a fine to the crown. It would almost seems as if a doubt existed as to the heirship, from the expression "whose next of kin they SAY they are." This note is conjectural only, and is therefore offered with much diffidence.
I.B.C.
Suem.—Ferling.—Grasson (Vol. iii., p. 7.).—It is obvious that your correspondent's extract from the Rotherfield court-roll is not accurately transcribed. The original most probably contains no such words as suem.
Ferling is a well-known word in old legal phraseology. As a term of superficial measure it denotes a quarter of an acre; of lineal measure, an eighth of a mile, or furlong.
Grassum is the term commonly used in the northern parts of the kingdom to signify the fine, or foregift in money, paid by a lessee for the renewal of his lease from a lay or ecclesiastical corporation. It is derived from the A.-S. Gærsum or Gærsame, a treasure; the root of which is still retained in the northern word Gear, goods or stuff.
Δ.
Jan. 10. 1851.
Portrait of Archbishop Williams (Vol. iii., p. 8.).—Your correspondent Y.Y. desires to be informed of the "locus" of the portraits of several bishops, among them of John Williams, Archbishop of York. There is a full-length in the hall of this college, which I shall have great pleasure in showing to him should he ever find it convenient to pay Cambridge a visit.
P.J.F. GANTILLON.
St. John's College.
Swans hatched during Thunder (Vol. ii., p. 510.).—Some years ago I purchased a pair of swans, and, during the first breeding season after I procured them, they made a nest in which they deposited seven eggs. After they had been sitting about six weeks, I observed to my servant, who had charge of them and the other water-fowl, that it was about the time for the swans to hatch. He immediately said, that it was no use expecting it till there had been a rattling peal of thunder to crack the egg-shells, as they were so hard and thick that it was impossible for the cygnets to break them without some such assistance. Perhaps this is the reason why swans are said to be hatched during a thunder-storm. I need only say, that this is a popular fallacy, as swans regularly hatch after sitting six weeks, whether there happens to be a thunder-storm or not.
HENRY E.
Etymology of Apricot (Vol. ii., p. 420.).—I cannot agree in the opinion expressed by your correspondent E.C.H., that this word is derived from the Latin præcox, signifying "early-ripening,"—that the words προκοκκια and πρεκοκκια are Græcised Latin,—and that the Arabs themselves, adopting the word with a slight variation, made it al-bercoy.
The fact of the fruit itself being of Asiatic origin, renders it in the highest degree improbable that the Orientals would borrow a name for it from the Latin.
My own opinion is, that the reverse is the case—that the Latin is merely a corruption of the Arabic; and that the Latins, in adopting the word, naturally gave it the slight alteration which rendered the Arabic word, to them unmeaning, appropriately significant of the nature of the fruit.
I find that in various languages the word strolls thus in the Latin of the middle age, avercoccius—in the modern Greek, βερυκοκκιον—in the Italian, albercocco, albicocca—in the Spanish, albaricoque—and all these various words, undeducible from the Latin præcox, are readily derivable from the Arabic word, the prefix al, which is merely the article, being in some cases dropped, and in others retained.
I may add, as a curious fact, that, in the south of Italy, of which I am a native, the common people call the apricot verricocca, and the peach precucco, although the former ripen earlier than the latter.
A.P. DI PIO, Italo-Græcos.
Carlisle.
"Plurima gemma latet cæcâ tellure sepulta" (Vol. ii., p.133.).—In the course of my reading, some time back, I met with a passage which was given as quotation from Bishop Hall. I transcribe it, as it appears to me to approach nearer to the above hexameter than even Gray's lines:
"There is many a rich stone laid up, in the bowels of the earth; many a fair pearl in the bosom of the sea, that never was seen, nor ever shall be."
Time when Herodotus wrote (Vol. ii., p. 405.).—The passage in Herodotus which shows that he was still employed on his history when he was seventy-five, is in his first book. But A.W.H. thinks, that, as it is a general introduction, showing why he mentioned all places, small or great, it must have been written at the beginning. I should infer the contrary; that he would give an account why he had done so after he had done it, and not while it rested merely in intention.
But perhaps it may be said, that ην is in the former part of the sentence, and therefore might have been repeated in the latter part, which is the converse of it, though it might not be exactly the proper tense.
However, F. Clinton puts down his birth B.C. 484; 452 or 456 as the years in which he read his history at the Olympic Games; and 408 as a year in which he was still adding to it.
However, if he wrote the passage when he was thirty, that would justify the past tense, which perhaps, too, we have a right to construe have been, for that verb has no perfect preterite.
C.B.
Lucy and Colin (Vol. iii., p. 7.).—The ballad adverted to, which is the one translated by Vincent Bourne, is by Tickel, and will be found in any collection of his works. Notwithstanding Southeys epithet "wretched!" it will always be admired, both in the original and the translation.
JAMES CROSSLEY.
Manchester, Jan. 18. 1851.
Translations of Apuleius, &c. (Vol. ii., p. 464.).—In answer to your correspondent, G.P.I., concerning a translation of the Golden Ass of Apuleius, I beg you will insert the following particulars.
There is a copy in the British Museum (Press Mark, case 21. b.) of a translation by Adlington. The title is as follows—"The XI. Bookes of the Golden Asse, conteining the Metamorphosie of Lucius Apuleius, enterlaced with an excellent Narration of the Marriage of Cupido and Psiches, set out in the iiii. v. and vi. Bookes. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by William Adlington. Imprinted at London, in Fleet streate, and the sign of the Oliphante, by Henry Wykes. Anno 1566." This work is of extreme rarity. At the end of the Dedicatory Epistle there is a MS. note, which I transcribe:—"This translation and its author has escaped ye notice of the Industrious Oxford Antiquary11, for I find not his name in the Athen. Oxon., nor is the book menconed (mentioned) in Mr. Ames's Typographical Antiquities, both which omissions add a singular rareness to this scarce book. R.E.W." The pagination of the book is only on one side, and contains 127 folios, including the table of contents. Ritson (vide note on fly-leaf) does not notice this edition (1566), nor the second in 1571, but quotes that of 1596.
KENNETH MACKENZIE.
Taylor's translation of Apuleius's Golden Ass, Lond. 1822, 2 vols., is said by Lowndes to be an esteemed version.
The French translations of the same work, according to De Bure (see Manuel du Libraire) are very inferior.
C.I.R.
Etymology of "Grasson" (Vol. iii., p. 8.).—Grasson appears to be derived front "grassor," "to assail." Livy somewhere has the following—"Grassor in possessionem agri"—which would be rendered, "To enter upon it by force;" it being only by the payment of the fine (Grasson) that the entry, "Grassor," or alienation of copyhold lands, could be warded off: hence the act of the lord of the manor (Grassor) became the name for the fine paid by this tenant, "Grasson."
BLOWER.
Lynch Law (Vol. iii., p. 24.).—Webster's American Dictionary (1848) explains this phrase thus—
"The practice of punishing men for crimes and offences by private unauthorized persons, without a legal trial. The term is said to be derived from a Virginian farmer, named Lynch, who thus took the law into his own hands." (U.S.)
Webster is considered the highest authority in America, or I should not offer the above.
G.H.B.
"Talk not of Love" (Vol. iii., p. 7.).—The song quoted by your Querist, A. M., was written by Mrs. MacLehose, the "Clarinda" of Burns, and is to be found in most of the lives of the Scottish poet.
[J.H., JR., says it is printed in Chambers's Journal, No. 1. New Series. DANIEL FERGUSON points them out at p. 212. of a Collection of Songs of England and Scotland, published by Cochrane, of Waterloo Place; and in vol. ii. of Johnson's Scots Musical Museum; and G.T. also refers to the last-named collection.]
The Butcher Duke (Vol. iii., p. 8.).—The song referred to by MEZZOTINTO is to be found in most of the collections of Scotch songs, under the name of "Bonnie Laddie, Highland Laddie," for which old air it was written; or, when only partially printed, by the commencing line of one of its stanzas:—
"Geordie sits in Charlie's chair."
It is one of the numerous Jacobite songs composed either about 1715, by some one "out in the Fifteen," or later by a poet of "the Forty-five." The author's name is unknown. In the collection of Scottish songs, published by Robert Chambers in 1829, the song, consisting of no less than twenty-two stanzas, will be found at p. 367.
[L.M.M.R. has also kindly transcribed the song from the Scots Musical Museum; and DR. C., of Newcastle, who says "it is well known in the remoter districts of Northumberland," obligingly offers to furnish MEZZOTINTO with a copy, if he should desire it.]
Curfew (Vol. ii., p. 103.).—The Curfew is rung at Handsworth, near Sheffield.
H.J.
Robertson Struan (Vol. iii., p. 40.).—As one of those who quarter the coat of Robertson Struan, I may perhaps be able to afford C.R.M. some slight information. My maternal grandfather was a son of William Robertson, of Richmond, one of whose daughters married Sir David Dundas, Bart. The arms borne by him were, Gules, three wolves' heads erased, langued, azure. A selvage man in chains hanging beneath the shield. Crest, a bare cubit, supporting a regal Crown. Motto, "Virtutis Gloriæ Merces."
W.J. BERNHARD SMITH.
Temple.
MISCELLANEOUS
NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC
The landing of Charles Edward Stuart, and the "Seven Men of Moidart," on the memorable 25th July, 1745, was the opening of the last, and, in many respects, the most brilliant and stirring chapter in the Romance of English History. That Mr. Murray has therefore done wisely in the publication, in a separate form, of The Forty-Five: by Lord Mahon, being the Narrative of the Insurrection of 1745, extracted from Lord Mahon's History of England, there can be little doubt. The memory of that eventful period is so kept alive among us, by snatches of Jacobite ballads, and recitals of the strange incidents in which it was so rich, that this separate publication of so much of Lord Mahon's History of England from the Peace of Utrecht (1713) to the Peace of Paris (1763) as relates to its "moving accidents by flood and field," will be a great boon to those numerous readers who have neither means, time, nor opportunity to peruse Lord Mahon's interesting narrative in that valuable contribution to our national history for which it was originally written.
Some time since the British Museum purchased for about 120l. a volume containing no less than sixty-four early French Farces and Moralities, printed between the year 1542 and 1548, of which a very large proportion was entirely unknown. How important a collection of materials for the early history of the Drama, especially in France, is contained in this precious volume, we learn from a work which has reached us, "pas destiné au commerce," under the title of Description Bibliographique et Analyse d'un Livre unique qui se trouve au Musée Britannique, which contains a short but able analysis of the various pieces which formed the volume thus fortunately secured for our national library. Though the name of the editor is stated, on the title-page, to be Tridace-Nafe-Théobrome, Gentilhomme Breton, we strongly suspect that no such gentleman is to be found; and that we are really indebted for this highly curious and interesting book to a gentleman who has already laid the world of letters under great obligation, M. Delpierre, the accomplished Secretary of Legation of the Belgian Embassy.
Literature, Science, and the Arts have sustained a heavy loss in the death of that accomplished patron of them—that most amiable nobleman the Marquess of Northampton. His noble simplicity and single-mindedness of character, and his unaffected kindliness of manner, endeared him to all who had the good fortune to be honoured with his acquaintance, and by all of whom his death will be long and most deeply regretted.
Mr. Sandys, F.S.A., of Canterbury, has issued a Prospectus for the immediate publication, by Subscription, of the Consuetudines Kanciæ: a History of Gavelkind and other remarkable Customs in the County of Kent.
Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson will sell on Monday next, and four following days, a very select and valuable Library, the property of a gentleman deceased, including among other choice lots, two early MSS. of the Divina Comedia, and an extensive, rare, and interesting series of early editions of Dante.
Books Received.—Clark's Introduction to Heraldry (London, Washbourne), fourteenth edition, which contains a chapter and plates, which are entirely new, on Heraldry in conjunction with Architecture;—Hints and Queries intended to promote the Preservation of Antiquities and the Collection and Arrangement of Information on the Subject of Local History and Tradition—a most useful little tract, highly creditable to the Kilkenny Archæological Society, by whose order it has been printed for circulation;—The Peril of the Papal Aggression; or, the Case as it stands between the Queen and the Pope, by Anglicanus. London, Bosworth.
Catalogues Received.—Charles Skeet's (21. King William Street, Charing Cross) Catalogue No. 1. for 1851, of a Miscellaneous Collection of Books, New and Second-hand; John Petheram's (94. High Holborn) Catalogue, Part CXX. (No. 1. for 1851) of Old and New Books; Edward Stibbs' (331. Strand) Catalogue, Part II., of a valuable Collection of Books, including an extensive purchase of Italian, French, and Spanish Literature; Bernard Quaritch's (16. Castle Street, Leicester Square) Catalogue No. 23. of European and Oriental Philology and General Literature; John Miller's (43. Chandos Street) Catalogue No. XVII. of Books Old and New.
