Chapter C: P. E

_Sir John Vanbrugh_ (Vol. vii., p. 619.).--Sir John Vanbrugh was the grandson of a Protestant refugee, from a family originally of Ghent in Flanders. The Duke of Alva's persecution drove him to England, where he became a merchant in London. Giles, the son of this refugee, resided in Chester, became rich by trade, and married the youngest daughter of Sir Dudley Carleton, by whom he had eight sons, of whom Sir John Vanbrugh was the second. The presumption is he was born in Chester, but the precise date is unknown.

ANON.

_Erroneous Forms of Speech_ (Vol. vii., pp. 329. 632.).--With regard to your two correspondents E. G. R. and M., I hold that, with Cowper's disputants, "both are right and both are wrong."

The name of the _field_ beet is, in the language of the unlearned, _mangel-wurzel_, "the root of poverty." It acquired that name from having been used as food by the poor in Germany during a time of great famine. Turning to Buchanan's _Technological Dictionary_, I find,--

"_Mangel-wurzel._ Field beet; a variety between the red and white. It
has as yet been only partially cultivated in Britain."

In reference to the assertion of your later correspondent, that "such a thing as mangel-wurzel is not known on the Continent," I would ask if either he or his friends are familiar with half the beautiful and significant terms applied to English flowers and herbs? If he prefer using mangold for beet, he is quite at liberty to do so, and I believe on sufficiently good authority. What says Noehden, always a leading authority in German:

"_Mangold._ Red beet; name of some other plants, such as lungwort and
sorrel."

Mangold is here, then, a generic term, standing for other plants equally with the beet. One suggestion, however; I would recommend the generic term, when used at all, to be used alone, leaving the more familiar appellation as it stands, for the adoption of those who prefer the homely but suggestive phraseology to which it belongs.

E. L. H.

_Devonianisms_ (Vol. vii., p. 630.).--_Plum_, adj. I am at a loss for the origin of this word as employed in Devonshire in the sense of "soft," _e.g._ "a _plum_ bed:" meaning a soft, downy bed.

Query: Can it be from the Latin _pluma_? And if so, what is its history?

There is also a verb _to plum_, which is obscure. Dough, when rising under the influence of heat and fermentation, is said to be _plumming_ well; and the word _plum_, as an adjective, is used as the opposite of _heavy_ with regard to currant and other cakes when baked. If the cake rises well in the oven, it is commonly said that it is "nice and plum;" and _vice versa_, that it is heavy.

_Clunk_, verb. This word is used by the common people, more especially the peasantry, to denote the swallowing of masses of unmasticated food; and of morsels that may not be particularly relished, such as fat. What is the origin of the word?

_Dollop_, subs. This word, as well as the one last-named, is very expressive in the vocabulary of the vulgar. It is applied to lumps of any substances, whether food or otherwise. Such a phrase as this might be heard: "What a _dollop_ of fat you have given me!" "Well," would be the reply, "if you don't like it, _clunk_ it at once." I should be glad to be enlightened as to the etymology of this term.

ISAIAH W. N. KEYS.

Plymouth, Devon.

* * * * *

Miscellaneous.

BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES WANTED TO PURCHASE.

A NARRATIVE OF THE HOLY LIFE AND HAPPY DEATH OF MR. JOHN ANGIER. London. 1685.

MOORE'S MELODIES. 15th Edition.

WOOD'S ATHENAE OXONIENSES (ed. Bliss). 4 vols. 4to. 1813-20.

THE COMPLAYNTS OF SCOTLAND. 8vo. Edited by Leyden. 1804.

SHAKSPEARE'S PLAYS. Vol. V. of Johnson and Steevens's edition, in 15 vols. 8vo. 1739.

*** _Correspondents sending Lists of Books Wanted are requested to send their names._

*** Letters, stating particulars and lowest price, _carriage free_, to be sent to MR. BELL, Publisher of "NOTES AND QUERIES," 186. Fleet Street.

* * * * * {66}

Notices to Correspondents.

_Owing to the necessity of infringing on the present Number for the Title-page of our_ Seventh Volume, _we are compelled to omit many interesting communications, and our usual_ NOTES ON BOOKS, &c.

ABREDONENSIS _must be referred to the_ Philosophical Transactions, vol. xliii. p. 249., _for a reply to his Query. It will be sufficient here to state, that the Willingham Boy was at his birth of gigantic form, and an object of great curiosity to the philosophical world. It is not stated how long he lived, or what education he received, so that we cannot ascertain whether he distinguished himself in any "department of literature or art."_

H. N. _will find in our_ Seventh Volume, p. 192., _that the quotation--_

"Perhaps it was right to dissemble your love," &c.,

_is from J. P. Kemble's Comedy of_ The Panel, _altered from Bickerstaff's_ 'Tis well 'tis no worse.

MR. POLLOCK'S PROCESS.--"_In answer to_ N. T. B., _a saturated solution of hypo. saturated with iodide of silver._

"21. Maddox Street. HENRY POLLOCK."

T. B. (Coventry). _Paper positives are seldom varnished. The glossy appearance which they possess may depend either upon their being printed on albumenised paper, or upon their being hot-pressed. The latter process always much improves the picture. Where the size has been much removed, it is well to re-size the paper, which may be done by boiling a few parchment cuttings in water, and soaking the prints in the liquor._

H. H. H. (Ashburton). _All the best authorities concur in the uncertain properties of the salts of gold. We have seen some Daguerreotypes which have been executed about three years, and were treated with the salts of gold, and which are now mere shades._