ROBERT COLE.
Mrs. Partington.—Mr. Greene, the witty editor of the Boston (N.E.) Post, is believed to be the original of Mrs. Partington: at least he fathers all her sayings. He began to print them about twelve or fifteen years ago.
G.M.B.
[G.M.B. has also kindly forwarded to us some of "Mrs. Partington's Queries from a recent number of the Boston Post, from which we select a couple of specimens, viz.,—
"Whether the Emperor of China is a porcelain statue or a mere fiction?"
"Is the Great Seal alive, or only stuffed?">[
The East Anglian Word "Mauther" (Vol. ii., pp. 217. 365.).—Skinner's note on this word is
"Mawther, vox Norfolciensi agro peculiaris: Spelman ipse eodem agro ortus a Dan. Moer, Virgo, Puella, deflectit. Possit tamen et declinari a Belg. Maegd, Teut. Magd, idem signante, addita term. er vel der, ut in proximo agro Lincolniensi in vocibus Heeder et Sheeder quæ Marem et Feminam notant. Author Dict. Angl. scribit Modder, et cum Kiliano deducit a Belg. Modde, Moddeken, Pupa, Puella, Virgincula."—Etymol. sub voce.
Webster merely gives (with strange neglect, having Skinner before him):