358. Green-eyed Monster.
—Whence the origin of the "Green-eyed Monster"? The Italians considered a green iris beautiful, thus Dante makes Beatrice have "emerald eyes;" again, the Spaniards are loud in their praise. Whence, then, the epithet in its present sense?
?
359. Perpetual Lamp.
—The ancient Romans are said to have preserved lights in their sepulchres many ages by the oiliness of gold, resolved by art into a liquid substance. And it is reported that, at the dissolution of monasteries, in the time of Henry VIII., there was a lamp found that had then burnt in a tomb from about 300 years after Christ, nearly 1200 years.
Two of these subterranean lamps are to be seen in the Museum of Rarities at Leyden in Holland. One of these lamps, in the papacy of Paul III., was found in the tomb of Tullia, Cicero's daughter, which had been shut up 1550 years.
From 2nd edit. of N. Bailey, φιλόλογος, 1731.
B.B.
360. Family of Butts.
—A very great favour would be conferred, if any of your antiquarian correspondents would give me information respecting the family of Butts of Thornage, co. Norfolk, of which were Sir William Butts, physician to Hen. VIII.; and Robert Butts, Bishop of Norwich, and afterwards of Ely. The principal object of the querist is to know whether this family sprang from that of But, Butte, or Butts, which attained great civic eminence in Norwich during the thirteenth and two following centuries.