Minor Notes.
A Note on Henry III.
—In Vol. v., p. 28., is the Query, "Are our Lists of English Sovereigns completed?" Some further illustration of the case of the king usually styled Henry III., to which particular attention was directed, may be derived from the subjoined extract taken from a MS. (No. 146.) in the University Library at Cambridge. The MS. is a parchment roll containing a "genealogical tree" of the kings of England, with brief notices written in the fifteenth century. On one side of the medallion on which is inscribed "Henricus tercius," is a brief eulogy of the king; on the other side is the following:
"Iste Henricus dictus est tercius quia sic intitulatur in Cronicis hystoriis scriptis et cartis non ratione numerali sed regie denominationes (sic) vel dignitatis verbi gracia si numeretur. Henricus filius conquestoris. Deinde Henricus secundus filius Plantagenet postea filius eiusdem Henrici erit iste profecto quartus. Prætermittitur autem in stipite regnantium Henricus filius eius quia non regnavit, ratione igitur regnantium dicitur iste Henricus tercius. Obiit die sancti Edmundi Regis anno regni sui LVIIo et sepultus est apud Westmonasterium."
Old Books and New Titles (Vol. v., p. 125.).
—Your correspondent J. H. is quite correct in his remarks on the above subject. A friend of mine lately saw advertised in a catalogue the following title of a work, Fulfilment of Scripture Prophecies on Nations and Kingdoms, by John Hoyland. He sent for the book and found it was exactly the same as what he already had, viz., Epitome of the History of the World, by John Hoyland, but with another title. Such practices are neither fair nor honorable.
JOHN ALGOR.
Sheffield.
Bowdler's Family Shakspeare.
—It has occurred to me that a cheap edition of Bowdler's Family Shakspeare would be in much request, and might conveniently be published in numbers consisting of single plays at 3d. each. This would bring the whole to about 9s., bound in three handy volumes. A new edition might contain the more recent typographical corrections and the names printed at length, a very desirable amendment. Will Messrs. Longman, the publishers of Bowdler's Shakspeare, look favourably on this suggestion when they see it in "N. & Q."? It would be an invaluable addition to their Traveller's Library.
A LADY.
Torquay.
[We have reason to believe that Messrs. Longman have it in contemplation to produce such a cheap edition as our correspondent suggests, but not, perhaps, as a portion of their Traveller's Library.]
The French Language.
—It has continually appeared to me as a great absurdity, that the terms masculine and feminine should be applied to inanimate things in the French language, when common sense is opposed to such a distinction. I think the reason for using feminine and masculine articles in conjunction with nouns said to be of those genders, is to be found in the rule which obtains in the Irish or Celtic language, namely, that of "caol re caol," i.e. fine with fine, and "leatair re leatair," i.e. broad with broad vowels or sounds. I throw out this hint to those who are better qualified to investigate the matter; as I feel sure it would be a great benefit to learners of the French language to have a clear rule to guide them, instead of the present system, which is very complicated.
FRAS. CROSSLEY.
Curious Epitaph.
—The following portion of an epitaph from the tomb of Thomas Carter, 1706, in the church of St. Gregory, Sudbury, will doubtless interest some of your readers; it is as well to premise that he was a very charitable man, as the whole inscription (which would occupy about forty lines) fully records:
"Viator mirum referam
Quo die efflavit animam Thos. Carter, prædictus,
Acûs foramen transivit Camelus Sudburiensis.
Vade, et si dives sis, tu fac similiter.
Vale."
Permit me to translate it for the benefit of your lady readers:
"Traveller, I will relate a prodigy.
On the day whereon the aforesaid Thomas Carter breathed out his soul,
a Sudbury camel passed through the eye of a needle.
Go, and if thou art wealthy, do thou likewise.
Farewell."
The allusion is of course to St. Matthew xix. 24.
W. SPARROW SIMPSON, B.A.