Mors.
[Our correspondent is right in his conjecture. The saying is derived from an Italian story, which is translated in the Italian Tales of Humour, Gallantry, and Romance, published some few years ago, with illustrations by Cruikshank.]
Whetstone of Reproof.—Can any of your readers inform me who was the author of the book with the following title?
"The Whetstone of Reproofe, or a Reproving Censvre of the misintitled Safe Way: declaring it by Discourie of the Authors fraudulent Proceeding, and captious Cauilling, to be a miere By-way, drawing pore Trauellers out of the royalle and common Streete, and leading them deceitfully into a Path of Perdition. With a Postscript of Advertisements, especially touching the Homilie and Epistles attributed to Alfric: and a compendious Retortiue Discussion of the misapplyed By-way. Avthor T.T. Sacristan and Catholike Romanist.—Catvapoli, apud viduam Marci Wyonis. Anno MDCXXXII." Sm. 8vo. pp. xvi. 570. 198.
It is an answer to Sir Humphrey Lynd's Via Tuta and Via Devia. In Wood's Ath. Oxon., edit. Bliss, fol. ii. col. 602, two answers to the Via Tuta are mentioned; but this is not noticed. From the author stating in the preface, "I confesse, Sir Humfrey, I am Tom Teltruth, who cannot flatter or dissemble," I suppose the initials T.T. to be fictitious.
John I. Dredge.
Morganatic Marriages.—Morganatique.—What is the derivation of this word, and what its actual signification?
In the Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française (ed. 4to., 1835), the word does not appear. In Boister's Dictionnaire Universel (Bruxelles, 1835) it is thus given:—
"Morganatique, adj. 2 g., nocturne, mystérieux, entrainée par séduction; (mariage) mariage secret des princes d'Allemagne avec une personne d'un rang inférieur."
And the same definition is given by Landais (Paris, 4to., 1842), but this does not give the derivation or literal signification of the word "morganatic." It is not in Johnson's Dictionary; but in Smart's Dictionary Epitomized (Longman and Co., 1840) it is thus given:—