Engelmann's Bibliotheca Auctor. Class. (Vol. ii., pp. 296. 312. 328.).—"I hereby attest that the English titles to my Bibliotheca Scriptorum Classicorum were not printed without my knowledge or wish, but by myself, for my customers in England. ... W. Engelmann."
Leipzig, Oct. 25. 1850.
I also enclose the original, for the benefit of Mr. de Morgan, if he is not satisfied.
Another Foreign Bookseller.
News (Vol. ii., p. 81.).—Much wit and ingenuity have been wasted on this word. It seems
clear, however, that its origin is Dutch or German, and probably Flemish, like the "NEW'S BOOK," so frequently occurring in the correspondence of the seventeenth century.
Look into that valuable German, French, and Latin dictionary of the Elzeviers, Amst. 1664, where you will find "Newe, F. une novelle; Lat. nova, novorum." Then follow "Etwas newes, quelque chose de nouveau; Aliquid novi;" and "Was newes, quelles nouvelles;" or, more accurately, "Quid novi; quoi de nouveau?" The inference is forced upon us that, during the Flemish wars, in which the Sidneys and a long catalogue of noble English volunteers distinguished themselves, the thing and the term were imported hither.
Agreeably to so natural a presumption, the Hollandish "Nieuws" occurs, as a neuter substantive, in the sense of "niewe tijding," or "nouvelles," and, of course, the English "news," as perfect as can be wished. It is true that the "Nieuws-Boek" now circulates under the modest name of "Nieuws-Papieren," or of "Nieuws-Verteller:" but, to convince readers wise enough not to expect in such matters as these a geometrical demonstration, what is here humbly stated might suffice.
G. M.
Guernsey.