Notes and Queries, Number 14, February 2, 1850

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN REPRINTS OF OLD BOOKS

Most people are aware of the great demand there is for English literature, and indeed for all literature in the United States: for some years the anxiety of persons in that part of the world to obtain copies of our early printed books, prose, poetry, and plays, has been well known to such as collect and sell them on this side of the water. Where American purchasers could not obtain original editions they have, in all possible cases, secured reprints, and they have made some themselves.

Not very long since a present of a most creditable and well-edited republication of "Four Old Plays" was sent to me from Cambridge, U.S., consisting of "Three Interludes: Thersytes, Jack Jugler, and Heywood's Pardoner and Frere; and Jocasta, a tragedy by Gascoigne and Kinwelmarsh." They are preceded by a very well written and intelligent, and at the same time modest, Introduction, signed F.J.C., the initials of Mr. Francis James Child; who in fact was kind enough to forward the volume to me, and who, if I am not mistaken, was formerly a correspondent of mine in a different part of the republic.

My particular reason for noticing the book is to impress upon editors in this country the necessity of accuracy, not only for the sake of readers and critics here, but for the sake of those abroad, because Mr. Child's work illustrates especially the disadvantage of the want of that accuracy. It so happens that two, if not three, of the pieces included in the Cambridge volume, are absolutely unique, and are now in the library of the Duke of Devonshire. They went through my hands some years ago, and as they had been previously reprinted in London (two of them for the Roxburghe Club), I took the opportunity of collating my copies of them. The third interlude, which was not reprinted for any society, but as a private speculation, "by George Smeeton, in St. Martin's Church-yard," is Heywood's Pardoner and Frere, the full title of which is "A mery playe betwene the pardoner, and the frere, the curate and neybour Pratte." The original copy has the following imprint: "Imprynted by Wyllyam Rastell the v. day of Apryll, the yere of our lorde, M. CCCCC. xxx III."

The reprint by Smeeton is in black letter, and it professes to be a fac-simile, or as nearly so as possible; and although it consists of only eight leaves, it contains no fewer than forty variations from the original, all more or less important, and one of them the total omission of a line, so that the preceding line is left without its corresponding rhyme, and the sense materially injured.

Unfortunately, Mr. Child reprinted in America from this defective reprint in England; but his sagacity prevented him from falling into some of the blunders, although it could not supply him with the wanting line; and his notes are extremely clear and pertinent. I shall not go over the thirty-nine other errors; but I shall just quote the passage as it stands in the (as far as I know) unique copy, now deposited at Devonshire House, and supply in italics the necessary line. It occurs in a speech by the Pardoner, near the end, where he is praising one of his relics:—

The line omitted is the more remarkable, because it contains an instance of the employment of a word very old in our language, and in use in the best periods of our prose and poetry: "apostata" is explained in the Promptorium, is found in Skelton and Heywood, and so down to the time of Massinger, who was especially fond of it.

How many copies were issued of Smeeton's reprint of The Pardoner and the Frere, I know not; but any of your readers, who chance to possess it, will do well to add the absent line in the margin, so that the mistake may be both rectified and recorded. I was not aware of Mr. Child's intention to re-publish the interlude in the United States, or I would long ago have sent him the correction, as indeed I did, a day or two after I received his volume. It was, nevertheless, somewhat ungracious to thank him for his book, and at the same time to point out an important error in it, for which, however, he was in no way responsible.

Kensington, Jan. 28. 1850.

CATACOMBS AND BONE-HOUSES

Without attempting to answer the queries of MR. GATTY, (No. 11. p. 171.) I venture to send a note on the subject. I believe it will generally be found that the local tradition makes such collections of bones to be "the grisly gleanings of some battlefield." One of the most noteworthy collections of this kind that I have seen is contained in the crypt of Hythe Church, Kent, where a vast quantity of bones are piled up with great regularity, and preserved with much care. According to a written statement suspended in the crypt, they are the relics of Britons and Saxons slain in a battle fought on the beach in the sixth century; the local tradition is nearly to the same effect, but of course is of little value, as it has most likely arisen from or been conformed to this "written chronicle;" both writing and tradition must indeed be regarded with distrust. It is affirmed in the neighbourhood that the bones were dug up from the beach; but I, at least, could hear of no tradition as to the period when they were exhumed. Perhaps some resident will ascertain whether any such exists.

The bones have all the appearance of considerable antiquity; yet they are in excellent preservation. The skulls are remarkably white and perfect, and are altogether a very curious collection, differing greatly in size, form, and thickness. The holes and fractures in many of them (made evidently during life) leave no doubt that they belonged to persons who met with a violent death.

I will not pretend to reply to the concluding queries of your correspondent, but I would just remark that, from what we know of the feeling of our ancestors respecting the remains of the dead, it appears probably that if from any cause a large quantity of human bones were found, or were from any cause obliged to be disturbed, some ecclesiastic or pious layman would take measures to have them removed to some consecrated spot where they might be safe from further molestation. They would hardly be treated in any such manner as Dr. Mantell states the bones removed by the railway engineers from the Priory ground at Lewes were treated. I remain, sir, your very obedient servant,

Syndenham, Jan. 21. 1850.

LINES ATTRIBUTED TO HUDIBRAS

Perhaps the following extract from a volume entitled The Relics of Literature, published by Boys and Co., Ludgate Hill, 1820, may prove interesting, as further illustrating the so frequently disputed passage which forms the subject matter of your first article in No. 12.:—

"Few popular quotations have more engaged the pens of critics than the following:—

"These lines are almost universally supposed to form a part of Hudibras; and, so confident have even scholars been on the subject, that in 1784 a wager was made at Bootle's, of twenty to one, that they were to be found in that inimitable poem. Dodsley was referred to as the arbitrator, when he ridiculed the idea of consulting him on the subject, saying, 'Every fool knows they are in Hudibras.' George Selwyn, who was present, said to Dodsley, 'Pray, sir, will you be good enough, then, to inform an old fool, who is at the same time your wise worship's very humble servant, in what canto they are to be found?' Dodsley took down the volume, but he could not find the passage; the next day came, with no better success; and the sage bibliopole was obliged to confess, 'that a man might be ignorant of the author of this well-known couplet without being absolutely a fool.'"

I have also the following memorandum in a common-place book of mine, but I do not remember from what source I transcribed it many years past:—

"The couplet, thus erroneously ascribed to the author of Hudibras, occurs in a small volume of Miscellaneous Poems, by Sir John Mennis, written in the reign of Charles the Second, which has now become extremely scarce. The original of the couplet may, however, be traced to much higher authority, even to Demosthenes, who has the following expression:—

of which the lines are almost a literal translation."

While on the subject of quotations, let me ask whether any of your correspondents can tell me where the passage, "Providence tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," is to be found?

Among a few of the many floating quotable passages universally known, without any trace of the authors, among general readers and writers, are the following:—

DRYDEN's Conquest of Grenada.

DRYDEN's Cymon and Iphigenia.

DRYDEN's Absalom and Achitophel, st. i. I. 163.

SAVAGE.

NAT. LEE.

The real line in Lee is—

LEE's Alexander the Great.

I wish to ask a few questions, referring to these lines, if you do not think the subject already exhausted by Mr. Rimbault's curious and interesting communication.

1. Does not the entire quotation run somewhat thus:—

2. Are the two last lines in the Musarum Deliciæ?

3. May not the idea suggesting the two first lines be traced to some passage in one of the orations of Demosthenes, and, PAST him, to the "[Greek: Anaer ho pheugon kai palin machaesetai]" of some contemporary, if not still older writer?

4. Whose Apothegems [qy., those of Demosthenes?] are under consideration on folio 239., from which Mr. Rimbault quotes?

Queries 1, 2, 3 have long stood in MS. in my note-book, and I should much like to see them in print, while the subject to which they refer is still fresh in the minds of your readers.

The lines—

resemble the following quatrain in the Satyre Menippée, being one of the several verses appended to the tapestry on which was wrought the battle of Senlis:—

NOTES FROM FLY-LEAVES, No. 5

In the library of St. John's College are some hundreds of volumes bequeathed to it by Thomas Baker; most of these have little notices on the fly-leaves, some thirty or forty of which seem worth printing. One (Strype's Life of Parker) has marginal notes throughout the book, the value of which will be duly appreciated by those who have read Baker's notes on Burnet's Reformation. (See the British Magazine for the last year.)

Hereafter, if you do not object, I hope to send larger extracts from Baker's MSS.; at present I confine myself to a single specimen, taken from the fly-leaf of a copy of Noy's Compleat Lawyer, London, 1665. (St. John's Library, Class mark, I. 10. 49)

"Gul. Noye de S. Buriens. Com. Cornub. Armig. unus Magistrorum de Banco fieri fecit, 1626. On a window in Lincoln Inn's Chapell. See Stow's Survey, &c. vol. ii. lib. ii. p. 73.

"This book has a former edition, London, 1661; but not so fair a print, and without the Author's Life.

"See Fuller's Worthies in Cornwall, p. 200.

"See Mr. Gerard's Letter to Lord Strafford, dated Jan 3. 1634. Mr. Noy continues ill, & is retired to his house at Brentford: I saw him much fallen away in his Face & Body, but as yellow as Gold—with the Jaundice—his bloody waters continue with drain his Body.

"See Lloyd's State Worthies, p. 892, 893. &c.

"Aug. 9. [1634] Wm Noy Esquire the King's Attorney died at Brainford.—Mr. Ric. Smith's Obituary.

"See Wm Noy's Will (very remarkable) MS. vol. xxx. p. 309.

"16th Dec. 1631. Conc. Ornatissimo viro Gulielmo Noye, ut sit de Consilio Universitatis—et annuatim 40th recipiat, &c.—Regr. Acad Cant.

"See Howell's Letters, sect 6. pp. 30, 31.

"Rex 27. October. 1632 constituit Willielmum Noye Arm. Attornatum suum Generalem, durante beneplacito.—Rymer, tom. 19. p. 347.

"See his (W.N.) will, very pious except the last clause, which is next to impious. vol. xxxvi. MS. p. 379.

"Young Noy, the dissipanding Noy, is kill'd in France in a Duell, by a Brother of St. John Biron; so now the younger Brother is Heir and Ward to the King.—A Letter to Lord Deputy Wentworth, vol. ii. p. 2 dat. Apr. 5. 1636."

It may be as well to add, that the references to vols. xxx. and xxxvi. of MS. are to two different copies of the will in two volumes of Baker's MSS., in the University library. The word "dissipanding," in the last quotation, doubtless is an allusion to "dissipanda" in the will itself. I once had occasion to take a copy of this will, and found the variations between the two copies trifling.

[We shall be obliged by our correspondent forwarding, at his convenience, the proposed copies of Baker's MS. notes.]

THE PURSUITS OF LITERATURE

Many years ago, the satirical poem, entitled The Pursuits of Literature, engaged public attention for a very considerable time; the author concealed his name; and from 1796 at least to 1800, the world continued guessing at who could be the author. Amongst the names to which the poem was ascribed were those of Anstey, Colman, Jun., Coombe, Cumberland, Harry Dampier, Goodall, Hudderford, Knapp, MATHIAS, Mansell, Wrangham, Stephen Weston, and many others, chiefly Etonians. George Steevens, it is believed, fixed upon the real author at an early period: at least in the St. James's Chronicle, from Tuesday, May 1. to Thursday, May 3. 1798, we find—

I am, &c., your humble servant,

BARRYANA

The inquiries of "DRAMATICUS," and others in your number for Nov. 10., prompt me to say that should any of your correspondents happen to possess information answering the following queries, or any of them, I shall be thankful to share it.

1. What became of the natural child of Elizabeth Barry, the actress, who died 1713; and whether the Earl of Rochester, its father, was really Wilmot (as Galt assumes) or Hyde, on whom that title was conferred at Wilmot's death? The former mentions a natural daughter in his last will; but he names it "Elizabeth Clerke," and does not allude to its mother. Mrs. Barry's will mentions no kindred whatever. But Galt describes her as daughter of Edward Barry, Esq., a barrister of Charles I.'s reign.—Who was he? Spranger Barry, the actor of fifty years later, Sir William Betham and myself have succeeded in connecting satisfactorily, and legitimately, with the noble house of Barry, Lord Santry; but I cannot as yet show that Mrs. E. Barry inherited her theatrical talent from an identical source.

2. Of what family was Mr. Barry, the Secretary to the Equivalent Company, who died about 1738? I possess immense collections on the name of Barry, but I cannot identify any London will or administration as this individual's.

3. Whether Sir Robert Walpole's Secret Government Lists of the Pretender's adherents, agents, and emissaries in London (who were supposed to be under the evil-eye of Jonathan Wild) still exist, and are accessible?

Coatham, Yorkshire, Jan. 1849-50.

NINE QUERIES

1. Book-plate.—Whose was the book-plate with the following device:—An eagle or vulture feeding with a snake another bird nearly as large as herself; a landscape, with the sea, &c. in the distance: very meanly engraved, in an oval, compassed with the motto, "Pietas homini tutissima virtus"?

2. Addison's Books.—I have two or three volumes, bound apparently at the beginning of the last century, with a stamp on the cover, consisting of J.A., in a cursive character, within a small circle. Was this the book-stamp of Joseph Addison?

3. Viridis Vallis.—Where was the monastery of "Viridis Vallis," and what is its vernacular name?

4. Cosmopoli.—Has Cosmopoli been ever appropriated to any known locality? Archdeacon Cotton mentions it among the pseudonymes in his Typographical Gazetteer. The work whose real locality I wish to ascertain is, Sandii Paradox. iv. Evang. 1670. 1 vol. 8vo.

5. Seriopoli.—The same information is wanting respecting "Seriopoli; apud Entrapelios Impensis Catonis Uticensis:" which occurs in the title-page of "Seria de Jocis," one of the tracts connected with the Bollandist controversy.

6. Early Edition of the Vulgate.—Where is there any critical notice of a very beautiful edition of the Vultage, small 4to., entitled "Sacra Biblia, cum studiis ac diligentia emendata;" in the colophon, "Venetiis, apud Jolitos, 1588"? The preface is by "Johannes Jolitus de Ferrarüs." The book is full of curious wood-cuts. This is not the book mentioned in Masch's Le Long (part ii, p. 229), though that was also printed by the Gioliti in 1588; as the title of the latter book is "Biblia ad vetustissima Exemplaria castigata," and the preface is by Hentenius.

7. Identity of Anonymous Annotators.—Can any of the correspondents of "NOTES AND QUERIES" point out to a literary Backwoodsman, like myself, any royal road towards assigning to the proper authors the handwriting of anonymous annotations in fly-leaves and margins? I have many of these, which I should be glad to ascertain.

8. Complutensian Polyglot.—In what review or periodical did there appear, some time ago, a notice of the supposed discovery (or of conjectures as to the existence) of the MSS. from which the "Complutensian Polyglot" was compiled, involving, of course, the repudiation of the common story of the rocket maker of Alcala? Has any further light been thrown on this subject?