J. Bs.
Rab Surdam (Vol. ii., p. 493.; Vol. iii., p. 42.).—May not "Rab Surdam" be the ignorant stone-cutter's version of "resurgam?"
M. A. H.
The Scaligers (Vol. iii., p. 133.).—Everything relating to this family is interesting, and I have read with pleasure your correspondent's communication on the origin of their armorial bearings. I am, however, rather surprised to observe, that he seems to take for granted the relationship of Julius Cæsar Scaliger and his son Joseph to the Lords of Verona, which has been so convincingly disproved by several writers. The world has been for some time pretty well satisfied that these two illustrious scholars were mere impostors in the claim they made, that Joseph Scaliger's letter to Janus Dousa was a very impudent affair. If your correspondent has met with any new evidence in support of their claim, it would gratify me much if he would make it known. Who would not derive pleasure from seeing the magnificent boast of Joseph proved at last to have been founded in fact:
"Ego sum septimus ab Imperatore Ludovico et Illustrissimâ Hollandiæ comite Margareta: septimus item a Mastino tertio, ut et magnus Rex Franciscus, literarum parcus."
and Scioppius's parting recommendation—
"Quid jam reliquum est tibi, nisi ut nomen commutes et ex Scalifero fias Furcifer?"—Scaliger Hypobolimaeus. Mogunt., 1607, 4to., p. 74. b.
deprived of its force and stringency? I fear, however, that this is not to be expected.
It is impossible to read Joseph Scaliger's defence of his own case in the rejoinder to Scioppius, Confutatio fabulæ Burdonum, without observing that the author utterly fails in connecting Niccolo, the great-grandfather of Joseph, with Guglielmo della Scala, the son of Can Grande Secundo. And yet such is the charm of genius, that the Confutatio, altogether defective in the main point as a reply, will ever be read with delight by succeeding generations of scholars.
James Crossley.