Chapter C: W. B

* * * * *

SEVEN CHILDREN AT A BIRTH THREE TIMES FOLLOWING.

Your correspondent N. D.'s papers (Vol. ii., p. 459., and Vol. iii., p. 64) have reminded me of another remarkable instance of fecundity related by the well-known civil engineer JAN ADRIAENSZ. LEEG-WATER, in his _Kleyne Chronycke_, printed at Amsterdam in 1654:

"Some years since," says he, p. 31., "I was at _Wormer_, at an inn near
the town-hall: the landlady, whose name was _Frankjen_, told me of the
Burgomaster of _Hoorn_, who in the spring went over the (Zuyder?) sea
to buy oxen, and going into a certain house he found seven little
children sitting by the fire, each with a porringer in its hand, and
eating rice-milk, or pap, with a spoon; on which the Burgomaster said
'Mother, you are very kind to your neighbours, since they leave their
children to your care.' 'No,' said the woman, they are all my own
children, which I had at one birth; and if you will wait a moment, I
will show you more that will surprise you.' She then fetched seven
other children _a birth_ older: so she had fourteen children at two
births. Then the woman said to the Burgomaster, 'I am now _enceinte_,
and I think in the same way as before: if you come here next year, call
upon me again.' And so, the next year, when the Burgomaster went over
the sea, he called upon the woman and the woman had again brought forth
seven children at a birth. Thus the woman had at three births
twenty-one children."

I subjoin the original of which the above is a literal translation.

J. S.

Woudenberg, April, 1851.

* * * * *

RAMASSHED, MEANING OF THE TERM.

In the curious volume recently edited by Sir Henry Ellis for the Camden Society, entitled _The Pilgrymage of Syr R. Guylforde, Knyght_, a singular term occurs, which may claim a note of explanation. It is found in the following passage:

"Saterdaye to Suse, Noualassa, and to Lyungborugh; and at the sayd
Noualassa we toke moyles to stey us vp the mountayne, and toke also
marones to kepe vs frome fallynge. And from the hyght of the mounte
down to Lyuyngborugh I was ramasshed, whiche is a right strange
thinge."--P. 80.

Sir Henry has not bestowed upon us here any of those erudite annotations, which have customarily enhanced the interest of works edited under his care.

Sir Richard Guylforde was on his homeward course from the Holy Places by way of Pavia, where he visited the convent and church which contained the shrine and relics of St. Augustine, as also the tomb of Lionel, Duke of Clarence, second son of Edward III., whose monumental inscription (not to be found in Sandford's _Genealogical History_) the worthy knight copied.

On the 13th Feb. 1506, Sir Richard approached the ascent of Mont Cenis by the way of S. Ambrogio and Susa. At the village of Novalese, now in ruins, the party took mules, to aid their ascent, and _marroni_, long-handled mattocks, or pick-axes, to prevent their falling on the dangerous declivities of the snow. The journey was formerly made with frightful expedition by means of a kind of sledge--an expedient termed _la ramasse_--which enabled the traveller, previously to the construction of that extraordinary road, well known to most readers, to effect in a few minutes a perilous descent of upwards of 6000 feet. The _ramasse_, as Cotgrave informs us, was--

"A kind of high sled, or wheelbarrow, whereon travellers are carried
downe certaine steep and slippery hils in Piemont."

Its simplest form had probably been a kind of fagot of brushwood,--_ramazza_, or a besom, not much unlike the rapid locomotive of witches, who were called in old times _ramassieres_, from their supposed practice of riding on a _ramee_, _ramasse_, or besom. At the present time even, it occasionally occurs that an adventurous traveller crossing the Mont Cenis is tempted to glide down the rapid descent, in preference to the long course of the zigzag road; and remember to have heard at Lauslebourg the tale, doubtless often related, of an eccentric _Milord_ who ascended the heights thrice from that place, a journey of some hours, for the gratification of the repeated excitement caused by a descent on the _ramasse_ in about as many minutes. The cranium of a horse, as it was stated, was the vehicle often preferred for this curious adventure: and the {348} traveller guided or steadied his course by trailing a long staff, a practice for security well known to the Alpine tourist. This may probably have been the use of the "marones" taken by Sir Richard Guyldeford and his party at Novalese.

The terms, to be "ramasshed," is not, as I believe, wholly disused in France. It was brought to the metropolis with the strange amusement known as the _Montagne Russe_. In the valuable _Complement du Dictionnaire de l'Academie_, compiled under the direction of Louis Barre, we find the following phrase:

"Se faire ramasser, se dit aujourd'hui, dans une acception
particuliere, pour, Se faire lancer dans un char, du haut des
elevations artificielles qui se trouvent dans les jardins publics."

Such a disport had been known previously to the expedition to Moscow, and the favourite divertisement _a la Russe_, so much in vogue amongst the Parisians for a few subsequent years. Roquefort informs us that--

"_Ramasse_ etoit le nom d'un jeu que nous avions apporte des Alpes, ou
il est encore en usage pendant l'hiver, et principalement en temps de
neige."

ALBERT WAY.

* * * * *

AUTHORS OF THE POETRY OF THE ANTI-JACOBIN.

The following notices of the writers of many of the poetical pieces in the _Anti-Jacobin_ may prove interesting to many of your readers. They are derived from the following copies, and each name is authenticated by the initials of the authority upon which each piece is ascribed to particular persons:

C. Canning's own copy of the poetry.
B. Lord Burghersh's copy.
W. Wright the publisher's copy.
U. Information of W. Upcott, amanuensis.

The copy of the _Anti-Jacobin_ to which I refer is the fourth, 1799, 8vo.

Page. VOL. I.
31. Introd. to Poetry Canning.

35. Inscript. for Door of Cell, Canning,}
&c. Frere, } C.

71. Sapphics: Knifegrinder Frere, }
Canning,} C.

103. Invasio Hely Addington, W.

136. La Sainte Guillolem Canning,}
Frere, } C.
Hammond, B.

169. Soldier's Friend Canning,}
Frere, } C.
Ellis, B.
Sonnet to Liberty Lord Carlisle, B.

201. Dactylics Canning, B.
Gifford, W.
Ipsa mali Hortatrix, &c. Marq. Wellesley, U.
Frere, B.

236. Parent of countless Crimes, Marq. Wellesley, U.
&c. Frere, B.

263. The Choice Geo. Ellis, B.

265. Duke and taxing Man Bar. Macdonald, C. ,B.

267. Epigram Frere, B.

301. Ode to Anarchy Lord Morpeth, B.

303. You have heard of Reubel Frere, B.

371. Bard of the borrow'd Lyre Canning, C.
Hammond, B.

380. Ode to Lord Moira Geo. Ellis, C., B.

422. Bit of an Ode to Mr. Fox Geo. Ellis, C.
Frere, B.

452. Anne and Septimius Geo. Ellis, C.

486. Foe to thy Country's Foes Geo. Ellis, B.

489. Lines under Bust of Ch. Fox Frere, B.

490. ----under Bust of certain
Orator Geo. Ellis, B.

525. Progress of Man Canning, C.
Gifford, W.
Frere, B.

558. Progress of Man Canning, C.
Hammond, B.

598. Vision Geo. Ellis, B.
Gifford, W.

627. Ode: Whither, O Bacchus! Canning, C.

VOL. II.

21. Chevy Chace Bar. Macdonald, C., B.

98. Progress of Man Canning, }
Frere, } C.
Geo. Ellis, B.

134. Jacobin Nares, W.

168 Loves of the Triangles Frere, C.
Canning, B.

200. Loves of the Triangles Geo. Ellis, C., W.
Canning, B.

204. Loves of Triangles: So
with dark Dirge Canning, W.

205. "Romantic Ashboun." The road down Ashboun
Hill winds in front of Ashboun Hall,
then the residence of the Rev. ---- Leigh, who
married a relation of Mr. Canning's, and to
whom Mr. Canning was a frequent visitor. E. H.

236. Brissot's Ghost Frere, B.

274. Loves of the Triangles Canning, } B., W., C.
Gifford, } C.
Frere, } C.

312. Consolatory Address Lord Morpeth, B.

315. Elegy Canning, } B., C.
Gifford, } C.
Frere, } C.

343. Ode to my Country Frere, }
B.B., } C.
Hammond, B.

388. Ode to Director Merlin Lord Morpeth, B.

420. The Lovers Frere, }
Gifford, } C.
G. Ellis, }
Canning, } B.

451. Frere, } B.
Gifford, }
Ellis, } C.
Canning, }

498. Affectionate Effusion Lord Morpeth, B.

{349}
532. Translation of a Letter Gifford,}
Ellis, }C.
Canning,} B.
Frere, }

602. Ballynahinch Canning, C.
Viri eruditi Canning, B.

623. New Morality Canning, }B.
Frere, }
Gifford, }C.
G. Ellis,}

From Mental Mists Frere, W.
Yet venial Vices, &c. Canning, W.

624. Bethink thee, Gifford, &c. These lines were
written by Mr. Canning some years before he
had any personal acquaintance with Mr. Gifford.

625. Awake! for shame! Canning, W.

628. Fond Hope! Frere, W.

629. Such is the liberal Justice Canning, W.

631. O Nurse of Crimes Frere, }
Canning, }W.
G. Ellis,}

632. See Louvet Canning, W.

633. But hold severer Virtue Frere, }
Canning,}W.

634. To thee proud Barras bows Frere, }
Canning,}W.
Ellis, }

635. Ere long perhaps Gifford,}
Ellis, }W.

Couriers and Stars Frere, }
Canning,}W.

637. Britain beware Canning, W.

Wright, the publisher of the _Anti-Jacobin_, lived at 169. Piccadilly, and his shop was the general morning resort of the friends of the ministry, as Debrell's was of the oppositionists. About the time when the _Anti-Jacobin_ was contemplated, Owen, who had been the publisher of Burke's pamphlets, failed. The editors of the _Anti-Jacobin_ took his house, paying the rent, taxes, &c., and gave it up to Wright, reserving to themselves the first floor, to which a communication was opened through Wright's house. Being thus enabled to pass to their own rooms through Wright's shop, where their frequent visits did not excite any remarks, they contrived to escape particular observation.

Their meetings were most regular on Sundays, but they not unfrequently met on other days of the week, and in their rooms were chiefly written the poetical portions of the work. What was written was generally left open upon the table, and as others of the party dropped in, hints or suggestions were made; sometimes whole passages were contributed by some of the parties present, and afterwards altered by others, so that it is almost impossible to ascertain the names of the authors. Where, in the above notes, a piece is ascribed to different authors, the conflicting statements may arise from incorrect information, but sometimes they arise from the whole authorship being assigned to one person, when in fact both may have contributed. If we look at the references, vol. ii. pp. 420. 532. 623., we shall see Mr. Canning naming several authors, whereas Lord Burghersh assigns all to one author. Mr. Canning's authority is here more to be relied upon. "New Morality" Mr. Canning assigns generally to the four contributors; Mr. Wright has given some interesting particulars by appropriating to each his peculiar portion.

Gifford was the working editor, and wrote most of the refutations and corrections of the "Lies," "Mistakes," and "Misrepresentations."

The papers on finance were chiefly by Pitt: the first column was frequently for what he might send; but his contributions were uncertain, and generally very late, so that the space reserved for him was sometimes filled up by other matter. He only once met the editors at Wright's.

Upcott, who was at the time assistant in Wright's shop, was employed as amanuensis, to copy out for the printer the various contributions, that the authors' handwriting might not be detected.

EDW. HAWKINS.

_The Anti-Jacobin_ (Vol. iii., p. 334.).--In a copy of the _Poetry of the Anti-Jacobin_, now in my possession, occurs this note in the autograph of Mr. James Boswell:--

"These lines [_Lines written by Traveller at Czarco-zelo_] were written
by William PITT--as I learnt from his nephew on the 28th of May 1808,
at a dinner held in honour of his memory."

The sirname is in large capital letters; the _year_ is indistinctly written. This is the note which is indicated in the auction-catalogue of the library of Mr. Boswell, No. 2229.

BOLTON CORNEY.

* * * * *

Minor Notes.

_Egg and Arrow Ornament._--Mr. Ruskin, in his _Stones of Venice_, vol. i. p. 305., says--

"The Greek egg and arrow cornice is a nonsense cornice, very noble in
its lines, but utterly absurd in its meaning. Arrows have had nothing
to do with eggs (at least since Leda's time), neither are the so-called
arrows like arrows, nor the eggs like eggs, nor the honeysuckles like
honeysuckles: they are all conventionalized into a monotonous
successiveness of nothing--pleasant to the eye, useless to the
thought."

The ornament of which Mr. R. thus speaks is indifferently called egg and tongue, egg and dart, as well as egg and arrow. It seems to me that the _egg_ is a complete misnomer, although common to all the designations; and I fancy that the idea of what is so called was originally derived from the full-length shield, and therefore that the ornament should be named the _shield and dart_, an association more reasonable than is suggested by any of the ordinary appellations. Can any of {350} your correspondents offer any confirmation of this?

B. J.

Liverpool, March 31. 1851.

_Defoe's Project for purifying the English Language._--Among the many schemes propounded by De Foe, in his _Essay upon Projects_, published in 1696, there is one which still remains a theory, although eminently practicable, and well worthy of consideration.

He conceived that there might be an academy or society formed for the purpose of correcting, purifying, and establishing the English language, such as had been founded in France under Cardinal Richelieu.

"The work of this society," says Defoe, "should be to encourage polite
learning, to polish and refine the English tongue, and advance the so
much neglected faculty of correct language; also, to establish purity
and propriety of style, and to purge it from all the irregular
additions that ignorance and affectation have introduced; and all these
innovations of speech, if I may call them such, which some dogmatic
writers have the confidence to foster upon their native language, as if
their authority were sufficient to make their own fancy legitimate."

Never was such society more needed than in the present day, when you can scarcely take up a newspaper, or a periodical, a new poem, or any modern literary production, without finding some new-coined word, perplexing to the present reader, and a perfect stumbling-block in the way of any future editor.

Some of these words are, I admit, a welcome addition to our common stock, but the greater part of them are mere abortions, having no analogy to any given root.

A society similar to the one proposed by Defoe might soon be established in this country, if a few such efficient authorities as Dr. Kennedy would take the initiative in the movement.

He who should first establish such a society, and bring it to a practicable bearing, would be conferring an inestimable boon on society.

I trust that these hints may serve to arouse the attention of some of the many talented contributors to the "NOTES AND QUERIES," and in due season bring forth fruit.

DAVID STEVENS.

Godalming, April 19. 1851.

_Great Fire of London_.--Our popular histories of England, generally, contain very indefinite statements respecting the extent of destruction wrought upon the city of London by the Great Fire. I have therefore thought it may be interesting to others, as it has been to myself, to peruse the following, which purports to be "extracted from the Certificates of the Surveyors soon after appointed to survey the Ruins."

"That the fire that began in London upon the second of September, 1666,
at one Mr. Farryner's house, a baker in Pudding Lane, between the hours
of one and two in the morning, and continued burning until the sixth of
that month, did overrun the space of three hundred and seventy-three
acres within the walls of the city of London, and sixty-three acres
three roods without the walls. There remained seventy-five acres three
roods standing within the walls unburnt. Eighty-nine parish churches,
besides chappels burnt. Eleven parishes within the walls standing.
Houses burnt, Thirteen thousand two hundred.

"JONAS MOORE, }
"RALPH GATRIX, } Surveyors."

I copy this from a volume of tracts, printed 1679 to 1681; chiefly "Narratives" of judicial and other proceedings relating to the (so called) "Popish Plots" in the reign of Charles II.

WM. FRANKS MATHEWS.

_Noble or Workhouse Names_--

"The only three noble names in the county were to be found in the great
house [workhouse]; mine [Berners] was one, the other two were Devereux
and Bohun."--_Lavengro_, iii. 232.

The above extract reminds me of a list of names of the poor about St. Alban's, which I forwarded some months since, viz. Brax, Brandon, De Amer, De Ayton, Fitzgerald, Fitz John, Gascoigne, Harcourt, Howard, Lacey, Stanley, Ratcliffe.

A. C.

* * * * *

Queries.

PASSAGES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ILLUSTRATED FROM DEMOSTHENES.

Acts xvii. 21.:

"For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time
in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing."

Can any of your biblical correspondents inform me in what commentary upon the New Testament the coincidence with the following passages in Demosthenes is noticed, or whether any other source of the historical fact has been recorded? In the translation of Petrus Lagnerius, Franc. 1610 (I have not at hand the entire works), we find these words:

"Nihil est omnium, Athenienses, in praesentia nocentius, quam quod vos
alienati estis a rebus, et tantisper operam datis, dum audientes
sedetis, si quid Novi nuntiatum fuerit" (4. contr. _Phil_.).

Again:

"Nos vero, dicetur verum, nihil facientes, hic perpetuo sedemus
cunctabundi, tum decernentes, tum interrogantes, si quid Novi in foro
dicatur."--4 _Orat. ad Philipp. Epist._

Pricaeus, in his very learned and valuable _Commentarii in varios N.T. Libros_, Lond. 1660, fol., at p. 628, in v. 21., says only--

"Videantur quae ex Demosthene, Plutarcho, aliis, _Eruditi_ annotarunt."

{351}

Matthew xiii. 14.:

"And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By
hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall
see, and shall not perceive."

This proverb seems to have been common to all ages and countries. It is of frequent occurrence in the New Testament (Mark iv. 12.; viii. 18.; John xii. 40.; Acts xxviii. 25.; Romans xi. 8.), and, as in Matthew, is referred to Isaiah. But, in the Old Testament, there is earlier authority for its use in Deuteronomy xxix. 4. It occurs also in Jeremiah v. 21.; in Ezekiel xii. 2., and, with a somewhat different application, in the Psalms, cxv. 5.; cxxxv. 16.

That it was employed as an established proverb by Demosthenes seems to have been generally overlooked. He says:

[Greek: Hoi men houtos horontes ta ton etuchekoton erga, hoste totes
paroimias, horontes me horan, kai akouontas me akouein. (Kata
Aristogeitonos,] A Taylor, Cantab. vol. ii. pp. 494-5.)

It is quoted, however, by Pricaeus (p. 97.), who also supplies exactly corresponding passages from Maximus Tyrius (A.D. 190), Plutarch (A.D. 107-20), and Philo (A.D. 41). Of these, the last only can have been prior to the publication of St. Matthew's Gospel, which Saxius places, at the earliest, in the reign of Claudius.

Hugo Grotius has no reference to Demosthenes in his _Annotationes in Vet. Test.,_ Vogel & Doderein, 1776; but cites Heraclitus the Ephesian, who, according to Saxius, flourished in the year 502 B.C., and Aristides, who, on the same authority, lived in the 126th year of the Christian era. Has any other commentator besides Pricaeus alluded to the passage in Demosthenes?