And Weber, in his Glossary (or rather, Mr. Douce, for the "D" appended to the note shows it to have proceeded from that accomplished antiquary), explains it, "Spon-neowe, span-new, newly spun. This is probably the true explanation of spick and span new. Ihre renders sping-spang, plane novus, in voce fick fack." The learned Jamieson, in his Dictionary, s. v. Split-new (which corresponds to the German Splitter neu, i. e. as new as a splinter or chip from the block), shows, at greater length than we can quote, that split and span equally denote a splinter or chip; and in his Supplement, s. v. Spang-new, after pointing out the connexion between spinga (assula) and spaungha (lamina), shows that, if this be the original, the allusion must be to metal newly wrought, that has, as it were, the gloss from the fire on it: in short, that the epithet is the same as one equally familiar to us, i. e. fire-new, Germ. vier-neu. We will bring this note to a close by a reference to Sewell's Dutch Dictionary, where Spikspëlder nieuw is rendered "Spick and span new.">[
Theory of the Earth's Form.—Have any objections to the received theory of the earth's spherical form, or any revival of the old "plane" doctrine, been recently noticed and controverted by scientific men of known standing?
Bruno.
[The old theory has been advanced, and even lectured on, within these two years; but no notice has been taken of it by scientific men.]
Carolus Lawson.—Who was "Carolus Lawson," of whom I have a good print, engraved by Heath. He is called "Scholæ Mancuniensis Archididascalus," 1797. "Pietas alumnorum" is inscribed underneath, and on the back is written, probably by some grateful pupil—
"Cari propinqui, cari liberi, cari parentes, sed omnes omnium caritates Archididascalus noster comprehendit."—Cicero (verbis quibusdam mutatis).
Nemo.
[Mr. Charles Lawson was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and was presented by the president, Dr. Randolph, in 1749, to the place of Second Master of Manchester Grammar School; upon the death of Mr. Purnell, in 1764, he succeeded him as Head Master. The colleges of St. John, in Cambridge, and of Brazenose, in Oxford, can bear witness to the success with which he laboured for more than half a century in his profession, having received from the Manchester school, whilst under his direction, a very considerable number of well-grounded classical scholars. He died at Manchester on April 19, 1807, aged seventy-nine. Some further particulars respecting him may be found in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. lxxvii. part i. p. 583.]