Replies to Minor Queries.

Derivation of the Word "Island" (Vol. viii., p. 49.).—I have received through the kindness of Hensleigh Wedgwood, Esq., a copy of the Philological Journal for Feb. 21, 1851, in which my late observations on the etymology of the word island are shown to be almost identical with his own, published more than two years ago, even the minutest particulars. His own surprise on seeing my remarks must have been at least as great as my own, on learning how singularly I had been anticipated; and those of your readers who will refer to the number of the journal in question, will be doubtless as much surprised as either of us.

This coincidence suggests two things: first, the truth of the etymology in question, secondly, the excellency of that spirit which (as in this instance) "thinketh no evil;" and, in so close a resemblance of ideas as that before us, rather than at once start a charge of plagiarism, will believe that it is possible for two persons, with similar habits of thought, to arrive at the same end, and that, too, by singularly identical means, when engaged on one and the same subject.

H. C. K.

—— Rectory, Hereford.

"Pætus and Arria" (Vol. viii., p. 219.).—As I have not observed a reply to the Query respecting the author of Pætus and Arria, a tragedy, I beg to state that the work was not written by a gentleman of the University of Cambridge, but by Mr. Nicholson, son of Mr. Nicholson, a well-known and highly respectable bookseller in Cambridge, in the early part of the present century. The young man, who, besides being unfailing in his attention to business, had a literary turn, and was attached to the fine arts, died in the prime of life. After his death, the poor father, with tears in his eyes, presented me with a copy of the tragedy. I am glad to record this testimony to the character of persons well known to me during several years.

Μάρτυς Πιστός.

"That Swinney" (Vol. viii, p. 213.).—I am well pleased with the manner in which T. S. J. has unearthed "that Swinney," if indeed, as is very probable, Sidney Swinney really was the man who interfered with the great unknown. It may not be impertinent to state that Sidney Swinney, who was of Clare Hall, Cambridge, became B.A. in 1744, M.A. in 1749, and D.D. (per saltum) in 1763. It may also be worth noting that a George Swinney, of the same college, became B.A. in 1767, and M.A. in 1770. This George Swinney may have been Sidney Swinney's son, or his near relation; and may have been the man who went to Lord G. Sackville in July, 1769; but I think this not likely. I will only observe farther that, in the "Graduati Cantabrigienses,"

the names are spelled Swiney; but changes of this kind, by the parties themselves, are by no means uncommon.

The question, whether Swinney had ever before spoken to Lord G. Sackville, remains unanswered, although Junius most probably made a mistake in that matter.

Valentine Weston.

The Six Gates of Troy (Vol. viii., p. 288.).—The passage of Dares relative to the gates of Troy describes the deeds of Priam on succeeding to the throne:

"Priamus ut Ilium venit, minime moram fecit, ampliora mœnia exstruxit, et civitatem munitissimam reddidit.... Regiam quoque ædificavit, et ibi Jovi Statori aram consecravit. Hectorem in Pæoniam misit, Ilio portas fecit, quarum hæc sunt nomina: Antenorea, Dardania, Ilia, Scæa, Thymbræa, Trojana. Deinde, postquam Ilium stabilitum vidit, tempus expectavit."—Chap. 4.

It will be observed that these six names correspond with the six names in Shakspeare, except that Shakspeare, following some ignorant transcriber, substitutes Chetas for Scæan.

The work, consisting of forty-four short chapters, which has come down to us under the title of De Excidio Trojæ Historia, by Dares Phrygius, is a pseudonymous production, which cannot be placed earlier than the fifth or sixth century. See the preface to the edition of Dederick, Bonnæ, 1835; or the article "Dares," by Dr. Schmitz, in Dr. Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography. Other writers spoke of four gates of Troy. (See Heyne, Exc. XIV. ad Æn. II.)

Milton's Widow (Vol. vii., p. 596.; Vol. viii., pp. 12. 134. 200.).—Having noticed several Queries and Replies in your pages concerning the family of the poet Milton's third wife, I beg to give the following extracts from a pamphlet printed by Pullan of Chester so recently as 1851, entitled Historical Facts connected with Nantwich and its Neighbourhood:

"In that same year (1662), Milton was received at Stoke Hall as the husband of Elizabeth Minshull, the grand-daughter of Geoffrey Minshull."—P. 50. "Not far from the Hall, where Milton was once a welcome visitor, stands the Yew Tree House."

There can be little doubt the author of the pamphlet referred to derived the information on which those statements were made from an authentic source; and if so, it seems pretty clear, the Elizabeth Minshull whom Milton married was grand-daughter of Geoffrey Minshull of Stoke Hall.

T. P. L.

Manchester.

Boom (Vol. vii., p. 620.; Vol. viii., p. 183.).—The Bittern is not an uncommon bird in some parts of Wales, where it is very expressively called Aderyn-y-Bwn (the Boom-bird), or Bwmp-y-Gors (Boom of the Fen): the w is pronounced as double o.

W. R. D. S.

"Nugget" not an American Term (Vol. vii. passim).—It is a mistake in our correspondent to suppose that the word "nugget" was used in California by American "diggers" to denominate a lump of gold. That word was never heard of in this country until after the discoveries in Australia. It is not used now in California, "lump" is the proper term; and when a miner accumulates a quantity, he boasts of his "pile," or rejoices in the possession of a "pocket full of rocks."

Philadelphia.

Soke Mill (Vol. viii., p. 272.).—Suit is not now enforced to the King's Mills in the manor of Wrexham, in the county of Denbigh, but the lessee of the manorial rights of the crown receives a payment at the rate of threepence per bushel for all the malt ground in hand-mills within the limits of the manor.

Taffy.

Binometrical Verse (Vol. viii., p. 292.).—This verse appeared in the Athenæum (Sept. 2, 1848, No. 1088, p. 883.), given by one correspondent as having been previously forwarded by another; but it does not appear to have been previously published.

Watch-paper Inscription (Vol. viii., p. 316.).—Twenty-five years ago this inscription was set to music, and was popular in private circles. The melody was moderately good, and the "monitory pulse-like beating" of course was acted, perhaps over-acted, in the accompaniment. I am not sure it was printed, but the fingers of young ladies produced a great many copies. Your correspondent's version is quite accurate, and I think he must have heard it sung, as well as read it. Segnius irritant, &c. is not true of what is read as opposed to what is heard with music.

Dotinchem (Vol. viii., p. 151.).—Dotinchem appears to be the place which is called Deutichem in the map of the Netherlands and Belgian, published by the Useful Knowledge Society in 1843, and Deutekom in the map of the kingdom of the Netherlands, published by the same society in 1830. Moreri spells the name Dotechem, Dotekom, and Dotekum. It is situated on the Yssel, south-east of Doesburg.

B. J.

Reversible Names and Words (Vol. viii., p. 244.).—I cannot call to mind any such propria mascula: but I think I can cast a doubt on your correspondent's crotchet. Surely our civic authorities (not even excepting the Mayor) are veritable males, though sometimes deserving the sobriquet of "old women." Surveyors, builders, carpenters,

and bricklayers are the only persons who use the level. On board ship, it is the males who professionally attend at the poop. Our foreign-looking friend rotator, at once suggestive of certain celebrated personages in the lower house, is by termination masculine; and such members, in times of political probation, never fail to show themselves evitative rather than plucky.

But some words are reversible in sense as well as in orthography. If a man draw "on" me, I should be to blame if at least I did not ward "off" the blow. Whom should we repel sooner than the leper? Who will live hereafter, if he be a doer of evil? We should always seek to deliver him who is being reviled. Even Shakspeare was aware of the fact, that it is a God who breeds magots in a dead dog (vide Hamlet). "Cum multis aliis." The art of composing palindromes is one, at least, as instructive as, and closely allied to, that of de-ciphering. If any one calls the compositions in question "trash," I cannot better answer than in palindrome, Trash? even interpret Nineveh's art! for the deciphering of the cuneiform character is both a respectable and a useful exercise of ingenuity. The English language, however, is not susceptible of any great amount of palindromic compositions. The Latin is, of all, the best adapted for that fancy. I append an inscription for a hospital, which is a paraphrase of a verse in the Psalms:

"Acide me malo, sed non desola me, medica."

I doubt whether such compositions should ever be characterised by the term sotadic. Sotadic verses were, I believe, restricted to indecent love-songs.

C. Mansfield Ingleby.

Birmingham.

Detached Church Towers (Vol. vii. passim; Vol. viii., p. 63.).—At Morpeth, in Northumberland, the old parish church stands on an eminence at the distance of a mile from the town. In the market-place is a square clock tower, the bells in which are used for ordinary parochial purposes.

At Kirkoswald, in Cumberland, where the church stands low, the belfry has been erected on an adjoining hill.

E. H. A.

Bishop Ferrar (Vol. viii., p. 103.).—Bishop Ferrar, martyred in Queen Mary's reign, was not of the same family with the Ferrers, Earl of Derby and Nottingham. Was your correspondent led to think so from the fact of the martyr having been originally a bishop of the Isle of Man?

A Lineal Descendant of the Martyr.

Cambridge.

"They shot him by the nine stone rig" (Vol. viii., p. 78.).—This fragmentary ballad is to be found in the Border Minstrelsy. It was contributed by R. Surtees of Mainsforth, co. Durham, and described by him as having been taken down from the recitation of Anne Douglas, an old woman who weeded in his garden. It is however most likely that it is altogether factitious, and Mr. Surtees' own production, Anne Douglas being a pure invention.

The ballad called "The Fray of Haltwhistle," a portion of which, "How the Thirlwalls and the Ridleys a'," &c., is interwoven with the text in the first canto of Marmion, is generally understood to have been composed by Mr. Surtees. He, however, succeeded in palming it upon Scott as a genuine old ballad; and states that he had it from the recitation of an ancient dame, mother of one of the miners of Alston Moor. Scott's taste for old legends and ballads was certainly not too discriminating, or he would never have swallowed "The Fray of Haltwhistle." Perhaps he suspected its authenticity, for he says of it:

"Scantily Lord Marmion's ear could brook

The harper's barbarous lay."

T. D. Ridley.

Punning Devices (Vol. viii., p. 270.).—In the 4th volume of Surtees' History of Durham, p. 48., there is an account of the Orchard Chamber in Sledwish Hall:

"In the centre is a shield of the arms of Clopton; being two coats quarterly, a lion rampant and a cross pattée fitchée; over all, a crescent for difference.[^[1]] On two other shields, impressed from one mould, are the initials E. C., the date 1584, and a tun with a rose clapt on."[^[2]]

Old Grumbleum.

[a/]Footnote 1:[(return)]

This note says the arms are reversed, being impressed from a mould.

"The crest of Clopton is a falcon clapping his wings, and rising from a tun; and I verily believe the rose clapt on to be the miserable quibble intended."

Ashman's Park—Wingfield's Portrait (Vol. viii., p. 299.).-Could any correspondent in Suffolk inform me if Ashman's Park has been sold; and if the pictures are anywhere to be found, especially that of Sir Anthony Wingfield? The communication of H. C. K. relative to the above subject is very interesting.

"Crowns have their compass," &c. (Vol. iv., p. 428.).—In the well-known lines attributed to Shakspeare, and quoted in the above volume, the third stands thus:

"Of more than earth can earth make none partaker."

I find that Quarles has borrowed this in his Emblems, book i. Emblem vi.:

"Of more than earth can earth make none possest."

Henry H. Breen.

St. Lucia.

Ampers & (Vol. ii., pp.230. 284.; Vol. viii., pp. 173. 223. 284.).—Allow me to thank both Φ. and Mr. Henry Walter for their replies to my Query; but I am unhappily no wiser than Mr. Lower was after Φ.'s first response. What on earth "et-per-se" or "and-per-se-and" can mean, I am at a loss to imagine. Why should et be called "et by itself?" Until this Query is answered, I am as much in the dark as ever. While I am upon the matter, I would farther ask this mysterious Ampers and, "who gave thee that name?" May it find a proxy to answer for it!

C. Mansfield Ingleby.

Birmingham.

The origin of this expression is, explained in Vol. ii., p. 318. With regard to the orthography of the word, it seems to me that, if the etymon be followed, it ought to be written and-per-se-and; if the pronunciation, ampussy and.

Throwing Old Shoes for Luck (Vol. vii., p. 411.).—There is an old rhyme still extant, which gives an early date to this singular custom:

"When Britons bold,

Wedded of old,

Sandals were backward thrown,

The pair to tell,

That, ill or well

The act was all their own."

An octogenarian of my acquaintance informs me that he heard himself thus anathematised when, leaving his native village with his bride, he refused to comply with the extortionate demands of an Irish beggar:

"Then it's bad luck goes wid yer,

For my shoe I toss,

An ye niver come back,

'Twill be no great loss."

Charles Reed.

Ennui (Vol. vii., p. 478.).—It is a curious fact that in English, properly so called, we have no word to express this certainly un-English sensation, which we are obliged to borrow from our friends across the channel. They repay themselves with "comfortable," which is quite as characteristically wanting in their vocabulary: so they lose nothing by the exchange. Were we disposed to supply the gaps in our language, by using our own native words (which is much to be desired), we might find a sufficient (and I believe the only) synonyme in the Bedfordshire folk-word unked: at any rate, it is near enough for us, for we neither require the word nor the feeling it is meant to designate.

E. S. Taylor.