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{239}

_LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1854_

Notes.

GOSSIPING HISTORY.

"This is the Jew
That Shakspeare drew."

I do not know by whom or when the above couplet was first imputed to Pope. The following extracts will show how a story grows, and the parasites which, under unwholesome cultivation, adhere to it. The restoration of Shakspeare's text, and the performance of Shylock as a serious part, are told as usual.

"In the dumb action of the trial scene he was amazingly descriptive,
and through the whole displayed such unequalled merit, as justly
entitled him to that very comprehensive, though concise, compliment
paid to him by Mr. Pope, who sat in the stage-box on the third night of
the reproduction, and who emphatically exclaimed,--

'This is the Jew
That Shakspeare drew.'"

_Life of Macklin_, by J. T. Kirkman, vol. i. p. 264.: London, 1799, 2
vols. 8vo.

The book is ill-written, and no authorities are cited.

"A few days after, Macklin received an invitation to dine with Lord
Bolingbroke at Battersea. He attended the rendezvous, and there found
Pope and a select party, who complimented him very much on the part of
Shylock, and questioned him about many little particulars, relative to
his getting up the play, &c. Pope particularly asked him why he wore a
_red hat_, and he answered, because he had read that Jews in Italy,
particularly in Venice, wore hats of that colour.

'And pray, Mr. Macklin,' said Pope, 'do players in general take such
pains?' 'I do not know, sir, that they do; but as I had staked my
reputation on the character, I was determined to spare no trouble in
getting at the best information.' Pope nodded, and said, 'It was very
laudable.'"--_Memoirs of Macklin_, p. 94., Lond. 1804.

The above work has not the author's name, and is as defective in references as Mr. Kirkman's. It is, however, not quite so trashy. Being published five years later, the author must have seen the preceding _Life_, and his not repeating the story about the couplet is strong presumption that it was not then believed. It appears again in the _Biographia Dramatica_, vol. i. p. 469., London, 1812:

"Macklin's performance of this character (Shylock) so forcibly struck a
gentleman in the pit, that he as it were involuntarily exclaimed, 'This
is,' &c. It has been said that this gentleman was Mr. Pope."

I am not aware of its alteration during the next forty years, but this was the state of the anecdote in 1853:

"Macklin was a tragedian, and the personal friend of Alexander Pope. He
had a daughter, a beautiful and accomplished girl, who was likewise on
the stage. On one occasion Macklin's daughter was about to take a
benefit at Drury Lane Theatre, and on the morning of that evening,
whilst the father and daughter were at breakfast, a young nobleman
entered the apartment, and, with the most undisguised ruffianism, made
overtures of a dishonourable character to Macklin for his daughter. The
exasperated father, seizing a knife from the table, rushed at the
fellow, who on the instant fled, on which Macklin pursued him along the
street with the knife in his hand. The cause of the tragedian's wild
appearance in the street soon got vent in the city. Evening came, and
Old Drury seldom saw so crowded a house. The play was the _Merchant of
Venice_, Macklin sustaining the part of Shylock, and his interesting
daughter that of Jessica. Their reception was most enthusiastic; but in
that scene where the Jew is informed of his daughter being carried off,
the whole audience seemed to be quite carried away by Macklin's acting.
The applause was immense, and Pope, who was standing in the pit,
exclaimed,--

'That's the Jew that Shakspeare drew.'

Macklin was much respected in London. He was a native of Monaghan, and
a Protestant. His father was a Catholic, and died when he was a child;
and his mother being a Protestant, he was educated as such."--_Dublin
Weekly Telegraph_, Feb. 9, 1853.

One more version is given in the _Irish Quarterly Review_, and quoted approvingly in _The Leader_, Dec. 17, 1853.

"The house was crowded from the opening of the doors, and the curtain
rose amidst the most dreadful of all awful silence, the stillness of a
multitude. The Jew enters in the third scene, and from that point, to
the famous scene with Tubal, all passed off with considerable applause.
Here, however, and in the trial scene, the actor was triumphant, and in
the applause of a thousand voices the curtain dropped. The play was
repeated for nineteen successive nights with increased success. On the
third night of representation all eyes were directed to the stage-box,
where sat a little deformed man; and whilst others watched _his_
gestures, as if to learn his opinion of the performers, he was gazing
intently upon Shylock, and as the actor panted, in broken accents of
rage, and sorrow, and avarice--'Go, Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak
him a fortnight before: I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit;
for were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandise I will: go,
Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue,
Tubal.'--the little man was seen to rise, and leaning from the box, as
Macklin passed it, he whispered,--

'This is the Jew,
That Shakspeare drew.'

The speaker was Alexander Pope, and, in that age, from his judgment in
criticism there was no appeal."

{240} No reference to cotemporary testimony is given by these historians.

Galt, in his _Lives of the Players_, Lond. 1831, does not notice the story.

Pope was at Bath on the 4th of February, 1741, as appears from his letter to Warburton of that date; but as he mentions his intention to return to London, he may have been there on the 14th. That he was not in the pit we may be confident; that he was in the boxes is unlikely. His health was declining in 1739. In his letter to Swift, quoted in Croly's edition, vol. i. p. lxxx., he says:

"Having nothing to tell you of my poetry, I come to what is now my
chief care, my health and amusement; the first is better as to
headaches, worse as to weakness and nerves. The changes of weather
affect me much; the mornings are my life, _in the evenings I am not
dead indeed, but sleepy and stupid enough_. I love reading still better
than conversation, but my eyes fail, and the hours when most people
indulge in company, I am tired, and find the labour of the past day
sufficient to weigh me down; _so I hide myself in bed, as a bird in the
nest, much about the same time_, and rise and chirp in the morning."

I hope I have said enough to stop the farther growth of this story; but before laying down my pen, I wish to call attention to the practice of giving anecdotes without authorities. This is encouraged by the newspapers devoting a column to "varieties," which are often amusing, but oftener stale. A paragraph is now commencing the round, telling how a lady took a linendraper to a barber's, and on pretence of his being a mad relative, had his head shaved, while she absconded with his goods. It is a bad version of an excellent scene in Foote's _Cozeners_.

H. B. C.

Garrick Club.

* * * * *

WORKS ON BELLS.

I have a Note of many books on bells, which may be acceptable to readers of "N. & Q." Those marked *, Cancellieri, in his work, calls Protestant writers on the subject.

* Anon. Recueil curieux et édifiant sur les Cloches de l'Eglise, avec
les Cérémonies de leur Bénédiction. Cologne, 1757.

Barraud (Abb.). Notice sur les Cloches. 8vo., Caen, 1844.

Boemeri (G. L.). Programma de Feudo Campanario. Gottingæ, 1755.

Buonmattei (Ben.). Declamazione delle Campane, dopo le sue Cicalate
delle tre Sirocchie. Pisa, 1635.

Campani (Gio. Ant.). Opera. The frontispiece a large bell. Roma, 1495.

Cancellieri (F.). Descrizione della nuova Campana Magiore della
Basilica Vaticana. Roma, 1786.

Cancellieri (F.). Descrizione delle due nuove Campane di Campidoglio
beneditte del Pio VII. Roma, 1806, 4to.

* Cave (G. G.). An Turrium et Campanarum Usus in Repub. Christ. Deo
displiceat? Leipsiæ, 1709, 4to.

Conrad (Dietericus). De Campanis. Germanice.

* Eggers (Nic.). Dissertatio de Campanarum Materia et Forma.

Eggers (Nic.). Dissertatio de Origine et Nomine Campanarum. Ienæ, 1684.

Eschenwecker. De eo quod justum est circa Campanas.

Fesc (Laberanus du). Des Cloches. 12mo., Paris, 1607-19.

* Goezii. Diatriba de Baptismo Campanarum, Lubecæ, 1612.

Grimaud (Gilb.). Liturgie Sacrée, avec un Traité des Cloches. Lyons,
1666, 4to. Pavia, 1678, 12mo.

* Hilschen (Gio.). Dissertatio de Campanis Templorum. Leipsiæ, 1690.

* Homberg (Gas.). De Superstitiosis Campanarum pulsibus, ad eliciendas
preces, quibus placentur fulmina, excogitatis. 4to., Frankfortiæ, 1577.

Lazzarini (Alex.). De vario Tintinnabulorum Usu apud veteres Hebræos et
Ethnicos. 2 vols. 8vo., Romæ, 1822.

Ludovici (G. F.). De eo quod justum est circa Campanas. Halæ, 1708 et
1739.

Magii (Hier.). De Tintinnabulis, cum notis F. Swertii et Jungermanni.
12mo., Amstelodamæ et Hanoviæ, 1608, 1664, 1689. "A learned
work."--Parr.

Martène. De Ritibus Ecclesiæ.

* Medelii (Geo.). An Campanarum Sonitus Fulmina, Tonitura, et Fulgura
impedire possit. 4to. 1703.

Mitzler (B. A.). De Campanis.

* Nerturgii (Mar.). Campanula Penitentiæ. 4to., Dresden, 1644.

Paciaudi. Dissertazione su due Campane di Capua. Neapoli, 1750.

Pacichelli (Ab. J. B.). De Tintinnabulo Nolano Lucubratio Autumnalis.
Neapoli, 1693. Dr. Parr calls this "a great curiosity."

Pagii. De Campanis Dissertatio.

Rocca (Ang.). De Campanis Commentarius. 4to. Romæ, 1612.

* Reimanni (Geo. Chris.). De Campanis earumque Origine, vario Usu,
Abusu, et Juribus. 4to., Isenaci, 1769.

Saponti (G. M.). Notificazione per la solenne Benedizione della nuova
Campana da Collocarsi nella Metropolitana di S. Lorenzo. Geneva, 1750.

Seligmann (Got. Fr). De Campana Urinatoria. Leipsiæ, 1677, 4to.

* Stockflet (Ar.). Dissertatio de Campanarum Usu. 4to., Altdorfii,
1665, 1666.

* Storius (G. M.). De Campanis Templorum. 4to., Leipsiæ, 1692.

Swertius (Fran.).

Thiers (G. B.). Des Cloches. 12mo., Paris, 1602, 1619.

Thiers (J. B). Traité des Cloches. Paris, 1721.

* Walleri (Ar.). De Campanis et præcipuis earum Usibus. 8vo. Holmiæ,
1694.

Willietti (Car.) Ragguaglio delle Campane di Viliglia. 4to., Roma,
1601.

Zech (F. S.). De Campanis et Instrumentis Musicis.

{241}

Without enumerating any Encyclopædias (in most of which may be found very able and interesting articles on the subject), in the following works the best treatises for all _practical_ purposes will be found:

Pirotechnia, del Vannuccio Biringuccio, nobile Senese, 1540, 1550,
1559, 1678. There is a French translation of it by Jasper Vincent,
1556--1572, 1627. The tenth chapter is about bells. Magius refers to it
in these words:--"In illa, perscriptum in Italico Sermone, et
delineatum quisque reperiet, quicquid ad artem ediscendam conducit,
usque adeo, ut et quo pacto, Campanæ in turribus constituantur ac
moveantur, edoceat, optimeque figuris delineatis commonstret."

Ducange in Glossario, in vocibus Æs, Campana, Codon, Cloca, Crotalum,
Glogga, Lebes, Nola, Petasus, Signum, Squilla, Tintinnabulum.

Mersenni (F. M.). Harmonicorum Libri XII. Paris, 1629, 1643. (Liber
Quartus de Campanis.) This and Biringuccio contain all the art and
mystery of bell-casting, &c. &c.

Puffendorff. De Campanarum Usu in obitu Parochiani publice
significando, in ejus Observationibus. Jur. Univers., p. iv. No. 104.

And now with regard to our English authors; their productions seem to be confined chiefly to the _Art of Ringing_, as the following list will show:

Tintinalogia, or the Art of Ringing improved, by T. W[hite]. 18mo.,
1668. This is the book alluded to by Dr. Burney, in his _History of
Music_, vol. iv. p. 413.

Campanalogia, or the Art of Ringing improved. 18mo., 1677. This was by
_Fabian Steadman_.

Campanalogia, improved by I. D. and C. M., London scholars. 18mo.,
1702.

Ditto 2nd edition 18mo., 1705.

Ditto 3rd edition 18mo., 1733.

Ditto 4th edition 18mo., 1753.

Ditto 5th edition, by J. Monk. 18mo., 1766.

The School of Recreation, or Gentleman's Tutor in various Exercises,
one of which is _Ringing_. 1684.

Clavis Campanalogia, by Jones, Reeves, and Blackmore. 12mo., 1788.
Reprinted in 1796 and 1800?

The Ringer's True Guide, by S. Beaufoy. 12mo., 1804.

The Campanalogia, or Universal Instructor in the Art of Ringing, by
William Shipway. 12mo., 1816.

Elements of Campanalogia, by H. Hubbard. 12mo., 1845.

The Bell: its Origin, History, and Uses, by Rev. A. Gatty. 12mo., 1847.

Ditto, enlarged. 1848.

Blunt's Use and Abuse of Church Bells. 8vo., 1846.

Ellacombe's Practical Remarks on Belfries and Ringers. 8vo., 1850.

Ellacombe's Paper on Bells, with Illustrations, in the Report of
Bristol Architectural Society. 1850.

Croome's Few Words on Bells and Bell-ringing. 8vo., 1851.

Woolf's Address on the Science of Campanology. Tract. 1851.

Plain Hints to Bell-ringers. No. 47. of _Parochial Tracts_. 1852?

The Art of Change-ringing, by B. Thackrah. 12mo., 1852.

To these may be added, as single poetical productions,

The Legend of the Limerick Bell Founder, published in the _Dublin
University Mag._, Sept. 1847.

The Bell, by Schiller.

Perhaps some courteous reader of "N. & Q." may be able to correct any error there may be in the list, or to add to it.

There is a curious collection of MSS. on the subject by the late Mr. Osborn, among the _Additional MSS._, Nos. 19,368 and 19,373.

H. T. ELLACOMBE.

Rectory, Clyst St. George.

* * * * *

INEDITED LETTER OF LORD NELSON.

I have in my possession a long letter written by Lord Nelson, sixteen days before the battle of Trafalgar, to the Right Hon. Lord Barham, who was at that time First Lord of the Admiralty. As an autograph collector, I prize it much; and I think that the readers of "N. & Q." might be glad to see it. It has not yet, as far as I am aware, been published:

Victory, Oct. 5th, 1805.

My Dear Lord,

On Monday the French and Spanish ships took their troops on board which
had been landed on their arrival, and it is said that they mean to sail
the first fresh Levant wind. And as the Carthagena ships are ready,
and, when seen a few days ago, had their topsail yards hoisted up, this
looks like a junction. The position I have taken for this month, is
from sixteen to eighteen leagues west of Cadiz; for, although it is
most desirable that the fleet should be well up in the easterly winds,
yet I must guard against being caught with a westerly wind near Cadiz:
for a fleet of ships, with so many three-deckers, would inevitably be
forced into the Straits, and then Cadiz would be perfectly free for
them to come out with a westerly wind--as they served Lord Keith in the
late war. I am most anxious for the arrival of frigates: less than
eight, with the brigs, &c., as we settled, I find are absolutely
inadequate for this service and to be with the fleet; and Spartel, Cape
Cantin, or Blanco, and the Salvages, must be watched by fast-sailing
vessels, in case any squadron should escape.

I have been obliged to send six sail of the line to water and get
stores, &c. at Tetuan and Gibraltar; for if I did not begin, I should
very {242} soon be obliged to take the whole fleet into the Straits. I
have twenty-three sail with me, and should they come out, I shall
immediately bring them to battle; but although I should not doubt of
spoiling any voyage they may attempt, yet I hope for the arrival of the
ships from England, that, as an enemy's fleet, they may be annihilated.
Your Lordship may rely upon every exertion from

Your very faithful and obedient servant,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

I find the Guerrier is reduced to the command of a Lieutenant; I hope
your Lordship will allow me to seek Sir William Bolton, and to place
him in the first vacant frigate; he will be acting in a ship when the
Captains go home with Sir Robert Calder. This will much oblige _me_.

If any valuable autographs come into my possession hereafter, you may expect to receive some account of them.

EUSTACE W. JACOB.

Crawley, Winchester.

* * * * *

FOLK LORE.

_Herefordshire Folk Lore._--Pray make an imperishable Note of the following concentration of Herefordshire folk lore, extracted from the "Report of the Secretary of the Diocesan Board of Education," as published in _The Times_ of Jan. 28, 1854:

"The observation of unlucky days and seasons is by no means unusual.
The phases of the moon are regarded with great respect: in one medicine
may be taken; in another it is advisable to kill a pig; over the doors
of many houses may be found twigs placed crosswise, and never suffered
to lose their cruciform position; and the horse-shoe preserves its old
station on many a stable-door. Charms are devoutly believed in. A ring
made from a shilling offered at the Communion is an undoubted cure for
fits; hair plucked from the crop of an ass's shoulder, and woven into a
chain, to be put round a child's neck, is powerful for the same
purpose; and the hand of a corpse applied to a neck is believed to
disperse a wen. Not long since, a boy was met running hastily to a
neighbour's for some holy water, as the only hope of preserving a sick
pig. The 'evil eye,' so long dreaded in uneducated countries, has its
terrors amongst us; and if a person of ill life be suddenly called
away, there are generally some who hear his 'tokens,' or see his ghost.
There exists, besides, the custom of communicating deaths to hives of
bees, in the belief that they invariably abandon their owners if the
intelligence be withheld."

May not any one exclaim:

"O miseras hominum mentes! O pectora cæca!
Qualibus in tenebris vitæ, quantisque periclis
Degitur hoc ævi, quodcunque est!"

S. G. C.

_Greenock Fair._--A very curious custom existed in this town, and in the neighbouring town of Port-Glasgow, within forty years; it has now entirely disappeared. I cannot but look upon it as a last remnant of the troublous times when arms were in all hands, and property liable to be openly and forcibly seized by bands of armed men. This custom was, that the whole trades of the town, in the dresses of their guilds, with flags and music, each man armed, made a grand rendezvous at the place where the fair was to be held, and with drawn swords and array of guns and pistols, surrounded the booths, and greeted the baillie's announcement by tuck of drum, "that Greenock fair was open," by a tremendous shout, and a straggling fire from every serviceable barrel in the crowd, and retired, bands playing and flags flying, &c., home. Does any such _wappenschau_ occur in England on such occasions now?