Q.
Bloomsbury.
Quarrel (Vol. vi., p. 172.).—Balliolensis will be pleased with Mr. Trench's ingenious account of our conversion of a complaint into a quarrel.
"The Latin word (querela) means properly 'complaint,' and we have in 'querulous' this its proper meaning coming distinctly out. Not so, however, in 'quarrel,' for Englishmen, being wont not merely to 'complain,' but to set vigorously about righting and redressing themselves, their griefs being also grievances, out of this word, which might have given them only 'querulous' and 'querulousness,' have gotten 'quarrel' as well."—On the Study of Words, p. 57.
"We might safely conclude," Mr. Trench premises, "that a nation would not be likely tamely to submit to tyranny and wrong, which made 'quarrel' out of 'querela.'"
This, I say, is very ingenious, but did this nation make quarrel out of querela? Did they not take it ready made from their neighbours, the French, Italian, Spanish, who have all performed, and, I presume, led the way in performing, the same exploit; showing that they must all have had the same disposition inhering in them to set about righting and redressing themselves, though not always, perhaps, with so prompt and active a vigour as that ascribed to the English by Mr. Trench.
Q.
Bloomsbury.
Wild Plants, and their Names (Vol. vii., p. 233.).—A preparation from St. John's Wort, called red oil, is used in the United States for the cure of bruises and cuts. It may have been formerly used in England. St. John's Wort is one of the commonest weeds in the Middle States.
Uneda.
Philadelphia.