Aubrey's Natural History and Antiquities of Surrey, vol. iv.
Table-turning (Vol. viii., p. 57.).—Without going the length of asserting, with La Bruyère, that "tout est dit," or believing, with Dutens, that there is no modern discovery that was not known, in some shape or other, to the ancients, it seems not unreasonable to suppose that table-turning, the principle of which lies so near the surface of social life, was practised in former ages.
This reminds one of the expression, so familiar among controversialists, of "turning the tables" upon an adversary. What is the origin of the latter phrase? It is time some explanation of it were offered, if only to caution the etymologists of a future age against confounding it with our "table-turning."
Henry H. Breen.
St. Lucia.
"Well's a fret" (Vol. viii., p. 197.).—I beg leave to suggest to Devoniensis the following as a probable explanation of the use of this phrase; the rhyme that follows being superadded, for the sake of the jingle and the truism, in the best style of rustic humour.
Well! is often used in conversation as an expletive, even by educated people, a slight pause ensuing after the ejaculation, as if to collect the thoughts before the reply is given. Is it not therefore called a fret, or stop, in the Devon vernacular, figuratively, like the fret or stop in a musical instrument, the cross bars or protuberance in a stringed, and a peg in a wind instrument?
Hamlet says, in taunting Rosencrantz for his treasonable attempts to worm himself into his confidence,—
"Call me what instrument you will; though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me."
Taken in this other sense in which we use the word fret, is it not probable that it has passed into a proverb; and that the lines, as given by Devoniensis, are a corruption of