UMBRELLAS.
Although Dr. Rimbault's Query (Vol. i., p. 415.) as to the first introduction of umbrellas into England, is to a certain extent answered in the following number (p. 436.) by a quotation from Mr. Cunningham's Handbook, a few additional remarks may, perhaps, be deemed admissible. Hanway is there stated to have been "the first man who ventured to walk the streets of London with one over his head," and that after continuing its use nearly thirty years, he saw them come into general use. As Hanway died in 1786, we may thus infer that the introduction of umbrellas may be placed at about 1750. But it is, I think, probable that their use must have been at least partially known in London long before that period, judging from the following extract from Gay's Trivia, or Art of Walking the Streets of London, published 1712:—
"Good housewives all the winter's rage despise,
Defended by the ridinghood's disguise;
Or, underneath th' umbrella's oily shade,
Safe through the wet on clinking pattens tread.
Let Persian dames the umbrella's ribs display,
To guard their beauties from the sunny ray;
Or sweating slaves support the shady load,
When Eastern monarchs show their state abroad;
Britain in winter only knows its aid,
To guard from chilly showers the walking maid."
Book i. lines 209-218.
That it was, perhaps, an article of curiosity rather than use in the middle of the seventeenth century, is evident in the fact of its being mentioned in the "Musæum Tradescantianum, or Collection of Rarities, preserved at South Lambeth near London, by John Tradescant." 12mo. 1656. It occurs under the head of "Utensils," and is simply mentioned as "An Umbrella."
E.B. Price.
[Mr. St. Croix has also referred Dr. Rimbault to Gay's Trivia.]
Jonas Hanway the philanthropist is reputed first to have used an "umbrella" in England. I am the more inclined to think it may be so, as my own father, who was born in 1744, and lived to ninety-two years of age, has told me the same thing, and he lived in the same parish as Mr. Hanway, who resided in Red Lion Square.
Mr. Hanway was born in 1712.
J.W.
The introduction of this article of general convenience is attributed, and I believe accurately so, to Jonas Hanway, the Eastern traveller, who on his return to his native land rendered himself justly celebrated by his practical benevolence. In a little book with a long title, published in 1787, written by "John Pugh," I find many curious anecdotes related of Hanway, and apropos of umbrellas, in describing his dress Mr. Pugh says,—"When it rained, a small parapluie defended his face and wig; thus he was always prepared to enter into any company without impropriety, or the appearance of neglect. And he (Hanway) was the first man who ventured to walk the streets of London with an umbrella over his head: after carrying one near thirty years, he saw them come into general use." Hanway died 1786.
J.F.
As far as I remember, there is a portrait of Hanway with an umbrella as a frontispiece to the book of Travels published by him about 1753, in four vols. 4to.; and I have no doubt that he had used one in his travels through Greece, Turkey, &c.
T.G.L.
In the hall of my father's house, at Stamford in Lincolnshire, there was, when I was a child, the wreck of a very large green silk umbrella, apparently of Chinese manufacture, brought by my father from Holland, somewhere between 1770 and 1780, and as I have often heard, the first umbrella seen at Stamford. I well remember also an amusing description given by the late Mr. Warry, so many years consul at Smyrna, of the astonishment and envy of his mother's neighbours at Sawbridgeworth, in Herts, where his father had a country-house, when he ran home and came back with an umbrella, which he had just brought from Leghorn, to shelter them from a pelting shower which detained them in the church-porch, after the service, on one summer Sunday. From Mr. Warry's age at the time he mentioned this, and other circumstances in his history, I conjecture that it occurred not later than 1775 or 1776. As Sawbridgeworth is so near London, it is evident that even there umbrellas were at that time almost unknown.
If I have "spun too long a yarn," the dates, at least, will not be unacceptable to others like myself.
G.C. Renouard.
Swanscombe Rectory, May 1.
Dr. Jamieson was the first who introduced umbrellas to Glasgow in the year 1782; he bought his in Paris. I remember very well when this took place. At this time the umbrella was made of heavy wax cloth, with cane ribs, and was a ponderous article.
R.R.
EMANCIPATION OF THE JEWS.
(Vol. i, pp. 474, 475.)
From a scarce collection of pamphlets concerning the naturalisation of the Jews in England, published in 1753, by Dean Tucker and others, I beg to send the following extracts, which may be of some use in replying to the inquiry (Vol. i., p. 401.) respecting the Jews during the Commonwealth.
Dean Tucker, in his Second Letter to a Friend concerning Naturalisation, says (p. 29.):—
"The Jews having departed out of the realm in the year 1290, or being expelled by the authority of parliament (it matters not which), made no efforts to return till the Protectorship of Oliver Cromwell; but this negotiation is known to have proved unsuccessful. However, the affair was not dropped, for the next application was to King Charles himself, then in his exile at Bruges, as appears by a copy of a commission dated the 24th of September, 1656, granted to Lt.-Gen. Middleton, to treat with the Jews of Amsterdam:—'That whereas the Lt.-Gen. had represented to his Majesty their good affection to him, and disowned the application lately made to Cromwell in their behalf by some persons of their nation, as absolutely without their consent, the king empowers the Lt.-Gen. to treat with them. That if in that conjunction they shall assist his Majesty by any money, arms, or ammunition, they shall find, when God should restore him, that he would extend that protection to them which they could reasonably expect, and abate that rigour of the law which was against them in his several dominions, and repay them."
This paper, Dean Tucker says, was found among the original papers of Sir Edward Nicholas, Secretary of State to King Charles I. and II., and was communicated to him by a learned and worthy friend. The Dean goes on to remark, that the restoration of the royal family of the Stuarts was attended with the return of the Jews into Great Britain; and that Lord Chancellor Clarendon granted to many of them letters of denization under the great seal.
From another pamphlet in the same collection, entitled, An Answer to a Pamphlet entitled Considerations on the Bill to permit Persons professing the Jewish Religion to be naturalized, the following, is an extract:—
"There is a curious anecdote of this affair," (about the Jews thinking Oliver Cromwell to be the Messiah,) "in Raguenet's Histoire d'Oliver Cromwell, which I will give the reader at length. About the time Rabbi Manasseh Ben Israel came to England to solicit the Jews' admission, the Asiatic Jews sent hither the noted Rabbi Jacob Ben Azahel, with several others of his nation, to make private inquiry whether Cromwell was not that Messiah, whom they had so long expected. (Page 33.—I leave the reader to judge what an accomplished villain he will then be.) Which deputies upon their arrival pretending other business, were several times indulging the favour of a private audience from him, and at one of them proposed buying Hebrew books and MSS. belonging to the University of Cambridge[4], in order to have an opportunity, under pretence of viewing them, to inquire amongst his relations, in Huntingdonshire, where he was born, whether any of his ancestors could be proved of Jewish extract. This project of theirs was very readily agreed to (the University at that time being under a cloud, on account of their former loyalty to the King), and accordingly the ambassadors set forwards upon their journey. But discovering by their much longer continuance at Huntingdon than at Cambridge, that their business at the last place was not such as was pretended, and by not making their enquiries into Oliver's pedigree with that caution and secresy which was necessary in such an affair, the true purpose of their errand into England became quickly known at London, and was very much talked of, which causing great scandal among the Saints, he was forced suddenly to pack them out of the kingdom, without granting any of their requests."
J.M.