Chapter C: P. Ph

MORAVIAN HYMNS.

(Vol. iv., p. 502.)

John Wesley was at one time of his life a pupil of the Moravians, and Southey's _Life_ of that remarkable man, like most of his works, pregnant with interest and erudition, affords a satisfactory answer to your correspondent's Query. I quote from the 3rd edition of the _Life_, 2 vols., 1846. Of the Moravians he says:--

"Madness never gave birth to combinations of more _monstrous and
blasphemous obscenity_ than they did in their fantastic allegories
and spiritualizations. In such freaks of perverted fancy the
abominations of the Phallus and the Lingam have unquestionably
originated; and in some such abominations Moravianism might have
ended, had it been instituted among the Mingrelian or Malabar
Christians, where there was no antiseptic influence of surrounding
circumstances to preserve it from putrescence. Fortunately for
themselves, and for that part of the heathen world among whom they
have laboured, and still are labouring with exemplary devotion,
the Moravians were taught by their assailants to correct this
perilous error in time."--Vol. i. p. 173.

He adds in a note:

"The reader who may have perused Rimius's _Narrative of the Rise
and Progress of the Herrnhuters_, and the 'Responsorial Letters of
the Theological Faculty of Tübingen' annexed to it [the 2nd
edition was published London, 1753], will not think this language
too strong."

In the Appendix, p. 481., Southey further says:

"The most characteristic parts of the Moravian hymns are _too
shocking_ to be inserted here: even in the humours and
extravagances of the Spanish religious poets there is nothing
which approaches to the monstrous perversion of religious feeling
in these astonishing productions. The copy which I possess is of
the third edition printed for James Hutton, 1746. An interesting
account of James Hutton, who published the _Moravian Hymns_, may
be seen in the great collection of _Literary Anecdotes_ by Mr.
Nichols, vol. iii. p. 435. Of their _silliness_ I subjoin only
such a specimen as may be read without offence:--

'What is now to children the dearest thing here?
To be the Lamb's lambkins and chickens most dear;
Such lambkins are nourished with food which is best,
Such chickens sit safely and warm in the nest.'

'And when Satan at an hour
Comes our chickens to devour,
Let the children's angels say,
Those are Christ's chicks--go thy way.'

"Yet even the _Moravian Hymns_ are equalled by a poem of
Manchester manufacture in the _Gospel Magazine_ for August, 1808,
entitled the 'Believer's Marriage in Christ.'"--Southey's _Life of
Wesley_.

See also Crantz's _History of the Brethren_, translated by Latrobe, 8vo. London, 1780; _A True and Authentic Account of Andrew Frey_, translated from the German, London, 1753, an extremely curious work; also _A Solemn Call on Count Zinzendorf_, by Henry Rimius, London, 1754.

JARLTZBERG.

December 30th, 1851.

Replies to Minor Queries.

_Inveni portum_ (Vol. v., p. 10.).--This couplet, which occurs at the close of the second volume of _Gil Blas_, is a version of the following Greek epigram among those of uncertain authors in the _Anthologia_:

Εἰς τύχην
Ἐλπὶς καὶ σὺ Τύχη, μέγα χαίρετε· τὸν λιμέν' εὗρον.
Οὐδὲν ἐμοὶ χ' ὑμῖν· παίζετε τοὺς μετ' ἐμέ.

It is a slight alteration of the translation given by William Lilly, Sir Thomas More's friend and schoolfellow, and occurs, with Sir Thomas More's version, in the _Progymnasmata_ prefixed to the first edition of More's _Epigrams_, a very elegant volume, printed under the care of Beatus Rhinanus by Frobenius, at Basle, in 1520: small 4to. The frontispiece is by Holbein:

"T. MORI DE CONTEMPTU FORTUNÆ.

"Jam portum inveni, Spes et Fortuna valete.
Nil mihi vobiscum est, ludite nunc alios."

"G. LILII.

"Inveni portum. Spes et Fortuna valete.
Nil mihi vobiscum, ludite nunc alios."

There is a longer epigram, also by an uncertain author, in the First Book of the _Anthologia_, the first lines of which differ but slightly. It runs thus:

Ἐλπὶς καὶ σὺ Τύχη, μέγα χαίρετε· τὴν ὁδὸν εὗρον·
Οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ σφετέροις ἐπιτέρπομαι· ἔῤῥετε ἄμφω,
Οὕνεκεν ἐν μερόπεσσι πολυπλανέες μάλα ἐστέ.
κ. τ. λ.

The epigram has been very frequently translated. We have Latin versions by W. Morel, Grotius, and others; and several Italian and French versions. Mr. Merivale has thus rendered it:

"Fortune and Hope farewell! I've found the port:
You've done with me: go now, with others sport!"

Thomas Moore has given us a spirited paraphrase of it.

S.W. SINGER.

Manor Place, South Lambeth.

_Quarter Waggoner_ (Vol. v., p. 11.).--As the editor, in the exercise of his official functions, may class this scrap with the _Replies_, it cannot be amiss to state that I offer its contents as mere conjectures.

In the _Sea grammar_ of captain John Smith, which was published in 1627, we have a list of books adapted to the use of those who would _learn to observe the altitude_, to _prick_ their _card_, or _say_ their _compass_. It is as follows:

"Master _Wrights_ Errours of nauigation. Master _Tapps_ Sea-mans
kalender. The art of nauigation. The sea regiment. The sea-mans
secret. _Waggoner_. Master _Gunters_ workes. The sea-mans glasse
for the scale. The new attracter for variation. Master _Wright_
for vse of the globe. Master _Hewes_ for the same."

It thus appears that _Waggoner_ was either the title of a book, or the name of an author; and we may infer, from the absence of particulars, that it was quite familiar to the seamen of that period--as much so as _Charles'-wain_. May it not indicate Lucas Jansz _Wagenaer_ of Enchuisen, author of the _Spieghel der zeevaerdt_, or mirror of navigation, published at Leyden in 1585. The _Spieghel_ became a standard work; and a translation of it by Anthony Ashley was printed at London, with a dedication to sir Christopher Hatton, about the year 1588. Mr. Joseph Ames, who gives the title of this translation, observes: "Perhaps the sailors from this book call their sea charts _Wagenars_." He was the son of a merchant-captain, and passed his life as a ship chandler in Wapping: I need not search for a better witness. With regard to the word _Quarter_, it seems to be an abbreviation of quarter-deck; and if so, _Quarter Waggoner_ would mean the quarter-deck charts, or the charts which were supplied to the commander of a ship for the use of himself and the other officers.

BOLTON CORNEY.

_Cibber's Lives of the Poets_ (Vol. v., p. 25.).--MR. CROSSLEY says that none of Johnson's biographers appear to have known that the prospectus which he has sent you was furnished by Dr. Johnson; but of this fact he gives no other proof than his own opinion that "the internal evidence is decisive." Now I really must say, that to my poor judgment nothing can be less like Johnson's peculiar style; and, moreover, MR. CROSSLEY, who quotes Mr. Croker's note (p. 818., ed. 1848) on this subject, has certainly not read that note accurately, for the object of that note was to endeavour to account for Johnson's having frequently and positively asserted that _Cibber had nothing to do with these lives_, of which MR. CROSSLEY would have us suppose he wrote the prospectus for Cibber. If MR. CROSSLEY will read more carefully the note referred to, which is half Boswell's and half Croker's, and also another note (also referred to), p. 504., he will see that it is impossible that Johnson could have written this prospectus.

As I happen to be addressing MR. CROSSLEY, I take the liberty of asking whether he has yet been able to lay his hands on Pope's Imitation of Horace, _printed by Curll_ in 1716 (see "N. & Q.," Vol. iv., pp. 122. 139.), and which he tells us he possesses. I wonder and should be sorry that _such a curiosity_ should be lost or even mislaid.

C.

_Poniatowski Gems_ (Vol. v., p. 30.).--A. O. O. D. is informed that a portion of these gems were sold by Christie and Manson about the second week in June of last year, under an order of the Court of Chancery, on account of the estate of the late Lord Monson. The contents of one cabinet were alone put up, and the auctioneers can, no doubt, supply the particulars that A. O. O. D. requires; or more general information might possibly be obtained from the solicitors, Messrs. Pooley and Beisly, 1. Lincoln's Inn Fields.

M----N.

_Dial Motto at Karlsbad_ (Vol. iv., pp. 471. 507.).--I do not think it difficult to throw light upon the Karlsbad inscription sent to you by HERMES. I believe that there is a mistake either by the inscriber or the transcriber, and that the word CEdIt ought to be written CeDIt. The chrono-grammatic letters or numerals would then be MDCCVVVVIIIIIIIIII = MDCCXXX = 1730. There are, however, as you have printed it, three other capital letters, but I observe they are not in the same type as the numerals. The question then arises, how do they appear in the original inscription? do they all appear there, or only the first two. It is possible that they, _i.e._ H. H. T., may be the initials of the name of the then owner of the house I should like this explanation better if the only capitals, not numerals, were H. H., the initials of the first two words of the inscription, and unmingled with the numerals. It would then be H. H. MDCCXXX, or as it would appear upon a house of the present day:

H. H.
1730.

It is probable that by inquiry at Karlsbad, if it were worth while, the name of the owner and date of the house might afford a certain solution of his difficulty. The doubtful letters may be the initials of the maker of the dial.

GRIFFIN.

P.S. Upon what authority does your correspondent E. H. D. D. (Vol. iv., p. 507.) assert that "E in such compositions stands for 250?"

_Passage in Jeremy Taylor_ (Vol. iv., p. 435.).--I have to thank your correspondent F. A. for calling my attention to a passage in the present edition of Jeremy Taylor, in which the bishop cites a "common saying" concerning Repentance. I had already discovered the error which F. A. alludes to, my attention having been called to the words in question, by finding them quoted by Jackson (Sermon on Luke, xiii. 6. _et seq._); and a MS. note in the margin by a former possessor of the volume gave me the true account of the sentence.

I am living at a distance from libraries, and without the opportunity of examining questions; but I believe F. A. will find that he has slightly misunderstood L'Estrange; the sentence in question _not_ being found in Coverdale's translation of the Bible.