[Johnson, under "Swobber" or "Swabber," gives, "1. A sweeper of the deck;" and "2. Four privileged cards that are only incidentally used in betting at the game of whist." He then quotes this passage from Swift, with the difference that he says "clergymen." Were not the cards so called because they "swept the deck" by a sort of "sweep-stakes?">[
Handel's Occasional Oratorio.—Will DR. RIMBAULT, or some other musical correspondent of your journal, enlighten us as to the true meaning of the name Occasional Oratorio, prefixed to one of Handel's compositions, of which no one that I have ever met with has heard more than the overture? This composition has become almost universally known from the foolish practice which used to prevail of performing it as an introduction to Israel in Egypt, or any other work to which its composer had purposely denied the preliminary of an overture; a practice now happily exploded, which seems to have had its origin in a misinterpretation of the name; as though Handel had written the overture to suit any occasion when one might be needed, instead of, as I am rather disposed to believe, having some particular occasion in view for which the oratorio was composed.
E. V.
[Surely, if there is no Occasional Oratorio to be found, the Overture must mean that it was to be used on occasion. Our correspondent does not seem to know the word as it is used by writers of a century ago, for "Occasional Sermons" or services, &c. The question is simply one of fact. Is there an Oratorio? Everybody knows the overture. The writer of this note remembers being horrified, when a freshman, at hearing the fugue break forth in the College Chapel, was pondering in his mind whether it was Drops of Brandy, or the Rondo in the Turnpike-Gate, both then popular tunes.]
Archbishop Waldeby's Epitaph.—W. W. KING would be obliged by a perfect copy of the inscription on the monumental brass of Archbishop Waldeby in Westminster Abbey.
[The brass is engraved in Harding's Antiquities of Westminster Abbey; but it appears that one half of the following inscription, which was formerly round the verge of the brass, has now been torn away:—
"Hic fuit expertus in quovis jure Robertus,
De Waldeby dictus nunc est sub marmore strictus;
Sacre Scripture Doctor fuit, et geniture
Ingenuus Medicus et plebis semper amicus