Replies to Minor Queries.
Erroneous Forms of Speech: Mangel Wurzel (Vol. vii., p. 329.).—Against the dictum of E. G. R., I beg insertion of the following quotation from the Agricultural Gazette, March 4, 1848, p. 166.:
"Mangold wurzel is simply the German of beet-root. 'Mangel wurzel,' on the other hand, is one founded on an idea, which, though absurd, did not the less effectually answer the object of those who introduced the plant. 'Scarcity root,' or 'Famine root,' made a good heading to an advertisement."
And Rham, Dictionary of the Farm, p. 62.:
"The German name is 'Mangold wurzel,' or 'Mangold root;' but it is sometimes pronounced 'Mangel wurzel,' which means scarcity root; and, by a strange translation, it is called in French racine d'abondance, as well as racine de disette. The name of field-beet is much more appropriate."
I hope E. G. R. will, however, not insist on classing those who say and write "mangold" with those who would write "reddishes, sparrowgrass, and cowcumbers." I should be sorry to be suspected of any one of the three last; but "mangold" I will say and write till the authority of the best German scholars decrees otherwise.
Geo. E. Frere.
The Whetstone (Vol. vii., pp. 208. 319.).—Herbert, in his Typographical Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 1144., cites a book entitled, Fower great Liers striving who shall win the Silver Whetstone. Also a Resolution to the Countreyman, proving it utterly unlawful to buy or use our yearely Prognostications, by W. P.: 8vo., printed by R. Waldegrave; no date.
H. C.
Charade (Vol. vi., p. 604.).—
"By mystic sign and symbol known,
To Daniel, wise and meek, alone,
Was Persia's coming wo foreshown.
"And in great Cæsar's proudest day,
The Gospel held a mightier sway,
And man shone forth with purest ray.
"But when, in Babylonia chain'd,
Man of his deepening wo complain'd,
A woman conquering both, in faithful Esther reign'd."
Sophronia Sphynx.
Parochial Libraries (Vol. vi., p. 432. &c.; Vol. vii., p. 392.).—Totnes may be added to the list of places containing parochial libraries. The books are placed in presses in the vestry room of the church, and so preserved from loss and damage to which they were formerly subjected. The collection is principally composed of works of divinity published in the seventeenth century, the age of profound theological literature. I noticed amongst the goodly array of weighty folios, the works of St. Augustine, the Homilies of St. Chrysostom, works of St. Ambrose, St. Gregory, &c., the works of the high and mighty King James, Birckbek's Protestant Evidence, and Walton's Polyglott. Nothing is known of the history and formation of this library. Inside the cover of one of the volumes is the following inscription:
"Totnes Library. The guift of Mr. Thomas Southcott, July 10. 1656."
I found the following incorrect and antiquated piece of information respecting this library in a flimsy work, published in 1850, entitled, A Graphic and Historical Sketch of the Antiquities of Totnes, by William Cotton, F.S.A., note, p. 38.:
"I know not what the library contains. I believe nothing more than theological lumber. It is always locked up, and made no use of by those who keep it, and it is inaccessible to those who would wish to examine it. I was once there by accident, and looked into some books, which were all on Divinity."
J. M. B.
Tunbridge Wells.
Judge Smith (Vol. vii., p. 13.).—Judge Smith lived towards the close of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and was noted for severity against witches. His monument is in Chesterfield Church. He belonged to the ancient family seated at Dunston Hall, near that town, which I believe has lately ended in co-heiresses. The late Sir J. E. Smith was of the same family: his father, a considerable merchant of Norwich, married a Kindersley descended from Geoffrey,—who was queried in Vol. vi., p. 603., and is ancestor of the present Vice-Chancellor.
Z. E. R.
Church Catechism (Vol. vii., p. 190.).—B. H. C. will confer a favour by printing the Latin original of the Catechism.
Z. E. R.
Charade attributed to Sheridan (Vol. vii., p. 379.).—Several years ago, I think in 1818 or 1819, a friend gave me some verses nearly similar to those communicated by your correspondent Balliolensis, and requested me to ascertain if they were Mrs. Piozzi's, as my friend had been told that they were written by that lady. Soon afterwards I asked Mrs. Piozzi if she ever wrote a riddle on a gaming-table. She replied, "Yes, a very long time ago." She immediately repeated a line or two, and, after some consideration, recited the following, which, she assured me, were her original composition. These lines, it will be observed, differ somewhat from those attributed to Sheridan, but they were probably the basis of those, and also of other versions of the riddle, which, I believe, are in existence. This statement so thoroughly removes all uncertainty about the
author of the original, that I trust you will deem it worthy of insertion in your journal.
"A place I here describe, how gay the scene!
Fresh, bright, and vivid with perpetual green,
Verdure attractive to the ravish'd sight,
Perennial joys, and ever new delight,
Charming at noon, more charming still at night.
Fair pools where fish in forms pellucid play;
Smooth lies the lawn, swift glide the hours away.
No mean dependence here on summer skies,
This spot rough winter's roughest blast defies.
Yet here the government is curs'd with change,
Knaves openly on either party range,
Assault their monarch, and avow the deed,
While honour fails, and tricks alone succeed;
For bold decemvirs here usurp the sway;
Now all some single demagogue obey,
False lights prefer, and hate the intruding day.
Oh, shun the tempting shore, the dangerous coast,
Youth, fame, and fortune, stranded here, are lost!"
J. S. S.
Bath.
Gesmas and Desmas (Vol. vii., pp. 238. 342.).—The names of the two thieves crucified with our blessed Saviour are variously written. In the verses quoted by A. B. R. (p. 238.) they are written Gesmas and Desmas. In the edition of the Gospel of Nicodemus, quoted by W. C. H. (p. 342.), i.e. the edition of "William Hone, Ludgate Hill, 1820," the names are written Gestas and Dimas. He also gives an authority for the spelling "Dismas and Gestas." I find them written in the edition I have of the Gospel of Nicodemus, i. e. "Hutman's, London, 1818," Dismas and Gesmas (pp. 87, 88.). Elsewhere I have met with them written as in the following verse, Gistas and Dismas:
"Gistas damnatur, Dismas ad astra levatur,"
which I have ventured to translate:
"Gistas to hell—with Dismas all goes well;"
or perhaps better thus:
"Gistas goes down, Dismas receives a crown."
The names of these two men in early life is said to have been Titus and Dumachus: see the Evangelium Infantiæ, quoted by Hutman (p. 13.).
Ceyrep.
Lode (Vol. v., pp. 345. 350.).—There is in Gloucester a church and parish called Saint Mary de Lode, touching which Mr. Fosbroke (History of City of Gloucester, p. 341.) observes:
"This parish is said to have derived the adjunct of Lode from the Severn formerly running near it; and this may have been the fact, but it is not easy to give a satisfactory explanation of the term."
I would remark, that as the term Lode may be considered a general name for any navigable river, that if it be a fact that the river Severn did formerly run near the parish in question, it appears to me not difficult to give a satisfactory explanation of the term by which such parish is distinguished from St. Mary de Crypt and St. Mary de Grace.
C. H. Cooper.
Cambridge.
Epitaphs imprecatory (Vol. vii., p. 256).—I have no doubt that the churchyards of Scotland will furnish many examples of the embittered feelings which religious persecution produced, during the latter half of the seventeenth century; and as a specimen I forward the following, which is found in the churchyard of Dalgarnock, in Dumfriesshire. The Duke of York alluded to was afterwards James II.; and the descendants of Mr. Harkness are still most respectable inhabitants of the parish of Closeburn, which has been united to Dalgarnock:
"Here Lyes the body of James Harkness, in Locherben, who died 6th Dec. 1723, aged 72 years.
"Belo this stone his dust doth ly,
Who indured 28 years
Persecution by tirrany
Did him pursue with echo and cry
Though many a lonesome place,
At last by Clavers he was taen
Sentenced for to dy;
But God, who for his soul took care,
Did him from prison bring,
Because no other Cause they had
But that he ould not give up
With Christ his Glorious King.
And swear allegence to that beast,
The duke of York I mean.
In spite of all there hellish rage
A natural death he died
In full assurance of his rest
With Christ ieternalie."
The following may be given as an example of a punning epitaph. It is found in St. Anne's churchyard, in the Isle of Man, and is said to have been written by Sir Wadsworth Busk, who was for many years attorney-general of the island:
"Here, Friend, is little Daniel's Tomb,
To Joseph's age he did arrive;
Sloth killing thousands in their bloom,
While labour kept poor Dan alive.
Though strange yet true, full seventy years
Was his wife happy in her Tears.
Daniel Tear died December 9th, 1787, aged 110 years."
C. T. R.
Straw-bail (Vol. vii., pp. 85. 342.).—The origin of the expression "a man of straw" may be traced to those mannikins or effigies representing the human figure, which are (or used to be) paraded in the streets during the Carnival in most continental countries. These mannikins were
generally stuffed with straw; and hence, in legal phraseology, "a man of straw" denotes the semblance of a man—a person of neither substance nor responsibility, who is put forward to screen a real delinquent, or bear the brunt of a prosecution. Such, at least, is the origin commonly assigned by the French to their "homme de paille," the prototype of our "man of straw."
Henry H. Breen.
St. Lucia.
How to stain Deal (Vol. vii., p. 356).—If C. will apply by letter or otherwise to Mr. Henry Stevens, 54. Stamford Street, Blackfriars Road, he will learn every particular, and be furnished with samples of its effect on common deal, as now very extensively used in churches, school-rooms, &c.
Detached Belfry Towers (Vol. vii., pp. 333. 416.).—Add to the list, Marston Morteyne in Bedfordshire, not far from Ampthill, and Gunwalloe, in Cornwall, about five miles south of Helston. Gunwalloe tower appears to be much older than the church, and faces the south-west angle of the nave, from which it is distant about fourteen feet.
J. M. B.
Tunbridge Wells.
Cambrensis has forgotten that the cloich teachs (bell-houses), or round belfries, peculiar to Ireland, and which have become famous as "round towers," are almost always separate from the churches.
James Graves.
Kilkenny.
To your instances of detached belfries in England add Magdalene College and New College in Oxford, and Woburn in Bedfordshire.
H. C.
Thurles.
Detached church-towers exist at Beccles, Suffolk, and at East Dereham, Norfolk.
G. J. C.
Oxford.