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NOTES:-Aladdin's Lamp, 1-The Ars Moriendi' Block- Book, 2-Dickens and Figaro in London,' 3-Notes on Epictetus-Queenie-Colt, Coltes-Reverend and Reverent- Bush, 4-Londonshire Flies and Wolves - Tace-Casa- noviana-Curious Etymology-Hampole's Version of the Psalms, 5-Pope's Vision- -Medieval Names-European Women among Savages-Sheffield Plate-Marriage, 6. QUERIES:-John Bunyan-Monody on Henderson'-Sir A. Hart-Great Seal of Katherine Parr-Monte Video-Bishops of Norwich-Longitude and Marriage, 7-" A cool hundred -Polydore Vergil-Death Warrant of Charles I.-Cross Tree-The Sorbonne-" A laity with a strong backbone"- Soapstone Figures - Medal Portraits-Water-marks-W. Fielding, 8-Betham-Altar Inscriptions-Vertue-Mill's though it reappears in another Arabian version, viz., the 'Story of the Fisherman's Son,' in the Wortley Montagu MS. of 'The Nights'*. -a second talisman was necessary to the hero for two purposes: (1) to enable him to escape from the cave by means of the slave of the ring; and (2) to further his efforts to recover the magic palace and his royal bride, carried away by order of the magician as soon as he had exchanged "new lamps for old" very advantageously. The slave of the lamp gives its possessor wealth galore and so forth. But the great blunder is, that the genie is sum- moned (like him of the ring) by rubbing the lamp; while Aladdin found it burning in the cave, and had, of course, to extinguish the light in order to carry it away. And what the author forgot is that REPLIES:-Wetherby, 9-Egyptian Hierograms, 10-Dr. whenever the lamp was lighted the genie would in- Notices to Correspondents, &c. black dwarf, with a hump on his back and a I fancied that I had said "the last" for a long But there is an Indian story, in Mrs. Meer Hasan Ali's 'Observations on the Mussulmans of India' (London, 1832), vol. ii. p. 324 ff., in which a lighted lamp has the same property: Shaykh Saddú, a hypocritical devotee, wandering into a neighbouring jungle one day, finds a copper cup, he could not with all his learning decipher. He whereon were engraved certain characters which takes it to his retreat, and at nightfall, being just then in want of a good-sized lamp, he puts oil and a wick into the cup, and the instant it was lighted a "figure resembling a human being" stood before "Who art thou," demanded the shaykh, "that dost thus intrude at this hour on the privacy In by far the greater number of versions, variants, *This story is translated in Dr. Jonathan Scott's edi- according to the finger on which it is placed. Evidently it was a lamp, not a cup, as the shaykh choose, and we are bound to obey." This wicked shaykh gives the four genii of his lamp many tasks to perform, most of them such as were repugnant to them (for it appears these were very scrupulous" genii, such as would not have suited Aladdin's pretended uncle, the Maghrabf), and one of the tasks at once recalls Aladdin and the Princess Badr-ul-Badúr. He caused them to convey the king's daughter to him, " and she was his unwilling companion" in his retreat. But there was soon to be an end of his wickedness; for when the genii, by his order, were beginning to raise a remarkable mosque, situated at a considerable distance, in order to carry it to the place where the shaykh dwelt, the devotee who had his abode therein a man of undoubted sanctity-sent them off" with a flea in their ear," in this wise: "Begone," said the pious man, in a tone of authority that deprived them of their strength. "A moment's delay, and I will pray that you be consumed with fire. Would Shaykh Saddú add to his crimes by forcing the house of God from its foundation? Away this moment! else fire shall consume you on the spot." They fled in haste to their profane master, whose rage was unbounded at their disobedience, as he termed their return without the mosque. He raved, stormed, and reviled them in bitter language, while they, heartily tired of their servitude, caught up the copper vessel, and in his struggle to resist them he was thrown with violence on the ground, and his wicked soul was suddenly separated from his impure body. Here we have the lamp of Aladdin, but put to its proper use-lighted-in order to summon the genii; we have also the princess being conveyed to Aladdin, as I have before remarked, and a reflection of Maghrabi's causing the palace to be removed to a far distant place. It would be interesting to ascertain the source whence Mrs. Meer Hasan Ali derived this singular story, which bears out, I think, my opinion that the author of the tale of Aladdin has greatly blundered in representing the lamp as requiring to be rubbed, and not lighted. The appearance of one or more of the four attendant genii of the wicked shaykh's lamp, according to the number of wicks that were lighted, has its parallel in another Asiatic story; but this note is already too long. W. A. CLOUSTON. 233, Cambridge Street, Glasgow. THE 'ARS MORIENDI' BLOCK-BOOK (1450), PLATE THE TENTH. While examining not long ago a reproduction of Caxton's' Trayttye abredged of the Arte to Lerne well to Dye' (1490), for comparison with it I took down the Holbein Society's marvellous facsimile, by Mr. F. C. Price, of the 'Ars Moriendi' named at the head of this paper. I was thus led to consider again this fine work, pausing especially at plate x., which, as is well known, has for ye been an enigma to connoisseurs. It may be well first to observe that the famo original, purchased by the British Museum in 18 for upwards of 1,000l., is a block-book, execute in the opinion of the Keeper of the Printed Bool "in the best style of art prevalent at the time its production," and consists of but twelve separa sheets, of two leaves each, printed on the inn side only. There are eleven illustrations, eac occupying a whole page, opposite each of which given an explanatory letterpress. The Holbei Society's reproduction of this small and uniqu volume has the great advantage of an introduction in which the writer, Mr. George Bullen, F.S.A besides giving much interesting bibliographical ir formation, describes the various plates, and ex plains their often recondite meaning. Having myself examined a good deal of thi literature in preparing my 'Christian Care of th Dying and the Dead,' I hope I may say, withou presumption, that the introduction seems to me t be admirable, one explanation only, that of plate x being excepted. It begins on p. 15 thus : angel who comes to support and console the dying mar "Following this is an engraving [No. 10] of the goo while thus tempted to endanger his salvation through in dulging in the sin of avarice; the accompanying letter press being headed' Bona inspiracio ang'li contra avaricia' In this engraving the guardian angel stands, as before, i front of the dying man, with his right hand raised in ex hortation, and with a scroll on the right of the pictur bearing the words, 'Non sis auarus.' Above the canop of the bedstead, on the right, is a representation of the Blessed Virgin, and next to this, on the left, is a full length figure of the Holy Jesus stretched on the cross (g Next to this on the left, somewhat lower down, are thre figures of sheep, shown principally by their heads. Nex to these, on the left, are three figures, namely, of a ma and two women (c); just below the second woman is th figure of a maiden (b), and above her, on the extrem left, is the head of a man (d). What this group of figure is intended to symbolize it would be difficult to conjec ture. The man (e), standing as he does next to the sheep and with a staff in his hand, is perhaps a representation of a good shepherd. They all of them, however, appes to look towards the dying man with feelings of compas sion. Below this group is the figure of an angel, with scroll bearing the words, Ne intendas amicis' (Do no concern thyself for thy friends). This angel holds with both hands an outspread curtain, intended to concea from the dying man's view (a) two full-length figures one of a woman on the right and the other of a man o the left; both possibly being disappointed expectants o sharing in the dying man's wealth; or else the femal figure representing his wife and the male figure that o his physician. The latter appears to be exhorting hi female companion to depart from the scene. At the foo of the picture, on the right, is the figure of an ugl demon with a scroll bearing the words Quid faciam." I beg to offer the following as a new interprets tion of the plate above described by Mr. Bullen On reference to the work itself it will be found that the preceding letterpress contains Satan temptation to avarice, with a plate (ix.) represent ing various forms of self-seeking. Plate x. is a all transitory things wholly away like poison, and "the fyfthe temptacyon that most troubleth the The artist illustrates this principle by selecting Besides (as the angel continues), the Lord saith to them who have renounced those things : Those of my readers who are not yet acquainted with the Ars Moriendi' can, I should think, than by making its acquaintance with the help of scarcely give themselves a greater literary treat the apparatus criticus provided in the edition I have used. Yaxley Vicarage, Suffolk, W. H. SEWELL. DID CHARLES DICKENS CONTRIBUTE TO 'FIGARO IN LONDON'?-In the elaborate and exhaustive Dickens Catalogue' (pp. 38), compiled and published by Messrs. J. W. Jarvis & Son, 28, King William Street, Strand, 1884, is a notice of Figaro in London, with this remark: "Et omnis qui relinquiret domum vel fratres, vel "This was the precursor of Punch, and is full of sorores, aut patrem, aut matrem, aut uxorem, aut filios, chatty, racy anecdotes and jokes, said to be written by aut agros, propter nomen meum, centuplum accipiet, et Charles Dickens and Gilbert à Beckett."-P. 23. vitam eternam possidebit" (St. Matthew xix. 29). No mention of this is made in the list of "PublicaFrom this verse the masterly engraver enriches his tions to which Dickens contributed only a portion" plate with fresh instances of self-renunciation, (pp. 32-3), in Mr. James Cook's very valuable namely, (c) two sisters, with braided hair, stand- Bibliography of the Writings of Charles Dickens' ing a little behind the wife; and yet further back (London, Frank Kerslake, 22, Coventry Street, (d) the dying man's brother, the expression of Haymarket, 1879, pp. 88). I may remark, in passwhose countenance is very beautiful, of all of ing, that the excellent woodcut on Mr. Cook's whom the sufferer has to take his leave. Children title-page, giving a most spirited likeness-bust of are not supposed to be born of so young a wife; Dickens, was drawn by M. Faustin, and originnone are represented. But the dying man has to ally appeared in Figaro (Mr. James Mortimer's take leave of his lands, “aut agros." And these (e) London Figaro, on the staff of which I remained are represented by their occupants-sheep that for upwards of five years) on Sept. 27, 1873. The graze them and a bailiff who, staff in hand, shep-mention of this is suggested by the coincidence of herds the flock-perhaps so placed by the artist Dickens and the two London Figaros. not without a mystic allusion to the shepherd who in the deserts of the East has sometimes to give his life for his sheep (St. John x. 11). I possess an original copy of "Figaro in London. Vol. I. For the Year 1832" (William Strange, 21, Paternoster Row). It consists of fifty-six Remember also (adds the angel) the poverty of weekly issues, commencing with that for Dec. 10, Christ hanging for thee upon the cross, most freely 1831. There was a second volume, which, from giving up for thy salvation His most dearly loved Aug. 16, 1834, to the close, was illustrated by mother and His best beloved disciples. The angel Isaac Robert Cruikshank in place of Robert Seybegs the dying man to imprint on his mind these mour, whose remarkably clever political caricatures things and the examples of the saints, and to put-coarsely engraved, and often at Seymour's own expense-had been the mainstay of à Beckett's serial. It was continued under the editorship of H. Mayhew, with Seymour once again as its artist; and I believe (query) that two volumes were thus published If such is the case, Figaro in London had an existence of four years, which included the period of the 'Sketches by Boz' and the wondrous rise of 'Pickwick,' with Seymour as its artist. On Jan. 1, 1833, Gilbert à Beckett started Figaro's Monthly Newspaper, price threepence, and also edited the Comic Magazine (1832-4), to the earlier numbers of which Seymour contributed numerous designs. It seems quite possible that Charles Dickens may have been a contributor to Figaro in London. Is there any proof of this? If such was the case, it would be not a little interesting to find that he and Seymour were engaged on the same publication while as yet Mr. Pickwick was unborn. CUTHBERT BEDE. NOTES ON EPICTETUS.-Mr. T. W. Rolleston, in his admirable introduction to the recent volume of the "Camelot Series," entitled "The Teaching of Epictetus,' has enumerated two previous English renderings of the Helot sage, the " one [he says] by Mrs. Carter, published in the last century, the other by the late George Long, M.A. (Bohn Series)." It may not be amiss to add that the translation of Mrs. Carter was first published in 1758, and that many years anterior to this Dr. George Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, born 1660, died 1728, a voluminous author and translator, a prominent member of the Established Church, distinguished alike for the strength of his intellect and the refinement of his imagination, published a work bearing the following title: "Epictetus his Morals, with Simplicius his Comment. Made English from the Greek by George Stanhope, 1694." Another edition of this, with a 'Life of Epictetus,' followed in 1700, 8vo. The translation of Stanhope is clearly the work of a purist, but of a purist who, with all his elegance of phrase and delicate turn of expression, does not lose sight of the real end of literature. Anent the doctrines of the Pyrrhonists, which in the introduction of Mr. Rolleston are stated with clearness, brevity, and precision, we shall make no apology for inserting the excellent remark of Plato : "When you say all things are incomprehensible, do you comprehend or conceive that they are thus incomprehensible, or do you not? If you do, then something is comprehensible; if you do not, there is no reason we should believe you, since you do not comprehend your own assertions." Armley. C. C. DOVE. QUEENIE AS A PET NAME.-Of late years the fashion has been somewhat prevalent of giving to little or young girls, instead of their own Christian name, the pet name of "Queenie." This practice is not new, however, for in a book of dialogues (in Italian and English) between an Italian master and his English young lady pupil, written by Joseph Baretti (London, 1775), I find, in p. 168, the young lady, whose real Christian name is supposed to be Esther, called "Queeney" (sic) by her master, who says to her, Reginuccia mia, a che state voi pensando?" "My dear Queeney, what are you thinking about!" It will be observed that the book is written by an Italian, and that the Italian in this case precedes the English which is intended to be a translation of it. The question arises, therefore, Did Mr. Baretti use "Queeney" because he had heard it used in England, or did he use it because in similar cases "Reginuccia" was then used in Italy? I have some ground for supposing that he did find "Queeney" in use in England, for I once met with it in an English book of somewhere about the same besides which, it is scarcely probable that an Italian time, but, unfortunately, I did not take a note of it; writer should have introduced the use of an English word into England. But "Reginuccia" may, for all that, have been used similarly in Italy. Sydenham Hill. F. CHANCE. COLT, COLTES.-A recently published 'History of Walsall' gives obscure details of some local colts, by which it appears that a shilelagh, or club, is personified as a warrior. This seems to suggest a reference to a good thrashing," which I have heard termed "a colting," but do not see it so defined in Bailey, Halliwell, Skeat, or Stormonth. We read that the excesses of the above colts became a Star Chamber matter; that at one time their number amounted to a thousand; but they became extinct in 1870. A. HALL. [In the Encyclopædic Dictionary' a rope's end knotted and used for punishment is given as a figurative meaning of coll.] Reverend and REVERENT.-Will these quotations be of use to Dr. Murray if he lives to get to R? |