Chapter 2

AUTHORS WHO HAVE PRIVATELY PRINTED THEIR OWN WORKS.

Can any of your readers refer me to any source whence I can obtain an account of "JOHN PAINTER, B.A. of St. John's College, Oxford?" He appears to have been a very singular character, and fond of printing (privately) his own lucubrations; to most of which he subscribes himself "The King's Fool." Three of these privately printed tracts are now before me:--1. _The Poor Man's Honest Praises and Thanksgiving_, 1746. 2. _An Oxford Dream, in Two Parts_, 1751. 3. _A Scheme designed for the Benefit of the Foundling Hospital_, 1751.

Who was ROBERT DEVERELL, who privately printed, in 4to., _Andalusia; or Notes tending to show that the Yellow Fever was well known to the Ancients_? The book seems a mass of absurdity; containing illustrations of Milton's _Comus_, and several other subjects equally incongruous.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

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MINOR QUERIES.

_Seager a Painter.--Marlow's Autograph._--In a MS., which has lately been placed in my hands, containing a copy of Henry Howard's translation of the last instructions given by the Emperor Charles V. to his son Philip, transcribed by Paul Thompson about the end of the sixteenth century, are prefixed some poems in a different handwriting. The first of these is an eclogue, entitled _Amor Constans_, in which the dialogue is carried on by "Dickye" and "Bonnybootes," and begins thus:--"For shame, man, wilt thou never leave this sorrowe?" At the end is the signature, "Infortunatus, Ch.M." Following this eclogue are sixteen sonnets, signed also "Ch.M.;" in two of which the author alludes to a portrait painter named _Seager_. One of these sonnets commences thus:--

"Whilest thou in breathinge cullers, crimson white, Drewst these bright eyes, whose language sayth to me. Loe! the right waye to heaven; Love stoode by the(e), _Seager!_ fayne to be drawne in cullers brighte," &c.

I should be glad to receive any information respecting this painter: as also any hints as to the name of the poet Ch. M. May I add, also, another Query? Is any authentic writing or signature of _Christopher Marlow_ known to exist?

M.

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_MS. Diary of the Convention Parliament of 1660_.--The editors of the _Parliamentary History_ give some passages from a MS. Diary of the Convention Parliament of the Restoration, and state that the Diary was communicated to them by the Rev. Charles Lyttleton, Dean of Exeter (vol. iv. p. 73.). I am anxious to know where this Diary now is, and if it may be seen by--

CH.

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_Etymology of Totnes_.--Can any of your readers suggest a probable etymology for Totnes, the "prime town of Great Britain," as it is called by Westcote[1], who supposes it to have been built by Brutus, 1108 years before the Christian era. Mr. Polwhele, who supposed the numerous _Hams_ in Devon to have owed their names to the worship of Jupiter _Hammon_, would, I imagine, have derived Totnes from the Egyptian god Thoth or Taut; or, perhaps, directly from King Thothmes. Westcote observes that some would have the name from,--

"The French word _tout-à-l'aise_, which is in English, all at ease; as if Brutus at his arrival in such a pleasant soil ... should here assure himself and his fellow-travellers of ease, rest, and content; and the _l_, in this long time, is changed into _n_, and so from _tout-à-lesse_ we now call it _tout-à-nesse_, and briefly Totnessse. This would _I willingly applaud, could I think or believe that Brutus spake so good French_, or that the French tongue was then spoken at all. Therefore, I shall with the more ease join in opinion with those who would have it named _Dodonesse_, which signifieth [in what language?] the rocky-town, or town on stones, which is also agreeable with the opinion of Leland."

Totnes is denominated Totenais and Totheneis in _Domesday Book_; and in other old records variously spelt, Toteneis, Totteneys, Toteneys, Totton', Totteñ, Totenesse, Tottenesse, Tottonasse, Totonie, &c. Never, Donodesse.

J.M.B.

Totnes, April 23. 1850.

[1] _A View of Devonshire in MDCXXX._, by Thomas Westcote, Esq., Exeter, 1845.

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_Dr. Maginn's Miscellanies_.--Towards the end of 1840, Dr. Maginn issued the prospectus of a work to be published weekly in numbers, and to be entitled "_Magazine Miscellanies_, by Dr. Maginn," which was intended to comprise a selection from his contributions to Blackwood, Fraser, &c. Will any one of your multitudinous readers kindly inform me whether this work was ever published, or any portion of it?

J.M.B.

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_Dr. Maginn's "Shakspeare Papers."_--The Doctor published several very able critical dissertations under this, or some similar title, about the year 1837, in one of the monthly magazines, for references to which I shall feel obliged.

J.M.B.

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_Dr. Maginn's Homeric Ballads._--Between 1839 and 1842, the "Homeric Ballads," from thirteen to sixteen, appeared in _Fraser's Magazine_. Will any correspondent favour me with specific references to the numbers or months in which they were published? I may add, that I shall esteem it as a very great favour to receive authentic reference to any articles contributed to Blackwood, Fraser, &c., &c., by Dr. Maginn. The difficulty of determining authorship from internal evidence alone is well-known, and is aptly illustrated by the fact, that an article on Miss Austen's novels, by Archbishop Whately, was included in the collection of Sir Walter Scott's prose works.

J.M.B.

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_Poor Robin's Almanack_.--Who was the author or originator of _Poor Robin's Almanack_? Are any particulars known of its successive editors? In what year did it cease to be published? The only one I possess is for the year 1743,--"Written by Poor Robin, _Knight of the Burnt Island_, a well-wisher to Mathematicks," who informs his readers that this was his eighty-first year of writing. What is meant by _Knight of the Burnt Island_?

I must not omit to add, that at Dean Prior, the former vicar, Robert Herrick, has the reputation of being the author of _Poor Robin_.

J.M.B.

Totnes, April 18. 1850.

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_The Camp in Bulstrode Park_.--Is there any published account of this camp having been opened? It is well worth the examination of a competent antiquary.... It is not even alluded to in Mr. Jesse's _Favourite Haunts_, nor does that gentleman appear to have visited the interesting village of "Hedgerley" (anciently _Hugely_), or Jordans, the Quakers' Meeting-house, and burial-place of Penn, between Beaconsfield and Chalfont. Chalfont was anciently written Chalfhunt, and is by the natives still called Charffunt; and Hunt is a very common surname in this parish: there was, however, Tobias Chalfont, Rector of Giston, who died 1631. "Chal" appears to be a common prefix. In Chalfont (St. Peter's) is an inscription to _Sir_ Robert Hamson, Vycar, alluded to in Boutell's _Brasses_. In a cupboard under the gallery staircase is a copper helmet, which, prior to the church having been beautified in 1822, was suspended on an iron bracket with a _bit of rag_, as it then looked, to the best of my memory. I have heard that it belonged to the family of Gould of Oak End, extinct.

A.C.

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_Hobit_, a measure of corn in Wales; what is the derivation?

A.C.

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REPLIES.

DR. PERCY AND THE POEMS OF THE EARL OF SURREY.

I have the means of showing what Dr. Percy did with the poems of the Earl of Surrey, because I have a copy of the work now before me.

It can hardly be said that he "prepared an edition" of those poems, as supposed by your correspondent "G." on the authority of Watts's _Bibliotheca Britannica_, but he made an exact reprint of the _Songes and Sonnettes written by the Right Honorable Lorde Henry Haward, late Earle of Surrey, and other_, which was printed _Apud Richardum Tottell. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum_. 1557. The Bishop of Dromere made no attempt at editing the work much beyond what was necessary to secure an exact reimpression. He prefixed no Life of Surrey (a point "G." wishes to ascertain); and, in fact, the book was never completed. It contains considerably more than the reprint of the poems of Lord Surrey, and was intended to consist of two volumes with separate pagination; the first volume extending to p. 272., and the second to p. 342.

As the work is a rarity, owing to an unfortunate accident, some of your readers may like to see a brief notice of it. Watts (as quoted by "G." for I have not his portly volumes at hand,) states that the "whole impression" was "consumed in the fire which took place in Mr. Nicholls's premises in 1808." This was a mistake, as my extant copy establishes; and _Restituta_ (iii. 451.) informs us that _four_ were saved. Of the history of my own impression I know nothing beyond the fact, that I paid a very high price for it some twenty years since, at an auction; but the late Mr. Grenville had another copy, which I had an opportunity of seeing, and which had belonged to T. Park, and had been sent to him by Dr. Percy for the advantage of his notes and remarks. This, I presume, is now in the British Museum; whither it came with the rest of Mr. Grenville's books, four or five years ago.

The "Songs and Sonnets" of Surrey occupy only the first forty pages of vol. i.; then follow "Songs and sonnets" by Sir Thomas Wyat to p. 111. inclusive; and they are succeeded by poems "of uncertain authors," which occupy the rest of the the first volume. The second volume begins with "The Seconde Boke of Virgiles Ænæis," filling thirty pages; while "the Fourth Boke" ends at p. 57., with the imprint of R. Tottell, and the date of 1557. "Ecclesiastes and Certain Psalms by by Henry Earl of Surrey," which are "from ancient MSS. never before imprinted," close at p. 81. "Certayne Psalmes chosen out of the Psalter of David," consisting of the seven penitential psalms, with the imprint of Thomas Raynald and John Harrington," fill thirty pages; and to them is added "Sir Thomas Wyat's Defence," from the Strawberry Hill edition; which, with a few appended notes, carries the work on to p. 141.

A new title-page, at which we now arrive, shows us the intention of Dr. Percy, and the object at which he had all along aimed: it runs thus:--"Poems in Bland Verse (not Dramatique) prior to Milton's _Paradise Lost._ Subsequent to Lord Surrey's in this Volume, and to N.G.'s in the preceding." In truth, Dr. Percy was making a collection in the two volumes of all the English undramatic blank verse he could discover, prior to the publication of Milton's great poem. He was guilty of some important omissions, because bibliographical knowledge was not then as far advanced as at present, but he performed good service to letters as far as he was able to go; and the blank verse productions he subjoins are by George Tubervile, George Gascoigne, Barnabie Riche, George Peele, James Aske, William Vallans, Nicholas Breton, George Chapman, and Christopher Marlow. These occupy from p. 342. of vol. ii.

This list might now be considerably increased; but my present business is only to answer the Query of "G.," as to the nature and contents of the work. It has been said, I know not on what authority, that Steevens assisted Percy in preparing and printing it. I apprehend that the aid given by Steevens consisted solely in recommending the Bishop to procure certain rare productions which would contribute to the purpose.

J. PAYNE COLLIER.

May 7, 1850.

[To this we may add, that about 1767, when Bishop Percy printed these twenty-five sheets of poems of Lord Surrey and the Duke of Buckingham, it appears by a letter of the Bishop to Horace Walpole, that he presented a copy of them to Walpole, with a request for information about Lord Surrey. The Bishop never wrote the Life of Surrey; and in 1808 the whole impression was burnt, with the exception of a copy or two that the Bishop had given to his friends. In the letter to Walpole the Bishop says, "A few more leaves will complete that book, which with the second and Dr. Surrey's Songs and Sonnets, &c. will be sufficient for the book."]

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SYMBOLS OF THE FOUR EVANGELISTS.

Horne, in his _Introduction_, vol. iv. p. 254., says that Irenæus was the first to discover the analogy between the four animals mentioned by Ezekiel (i. 5. 10.) and the four Evangelists, which gave rise to the well-known paintings of these latter. He quotes from _Iren. adv. Hoer._ lib. iii. cap. 11.:--

"The first living creature, which is like a lion, signifies Christ's efficacy, principality, and regality, viz. John; the second, like a calf, denotes His sacerdotal order, viz. Luke; the third, having as it were, a man's face, describes His coming in the flesh as man, viz. Matthew; and the fourth, like a flying eagle, manifests the grace of the Spirit flying into the Church, viz. Mark." There is also an interesting passage in _Dionys Carthus. in Apocal. Enarr._ iv. 7., from which the following is an extract:--

"Although the above exposition of Gregorius, in which by the man in meant Matthew, by the calf Luke, &c., be the common one, yet other holy men have held a different opinion, for as Bede relates on this point, Augustine understood by the lion Matthew, because in the beginning of his Gospel he describes the _royal_ descent of Christ; by the calf he also understood Luke, because he wrote of the _priestly_ descent of Our Lord; by the man Mark, because he omits the question of Christ's birth, and confines himself more especially to describing His acts as a _man_; by the eagle, _all_ understand John, on account of the sublimity to which his Gospel soars. Others again understand by the lion Matthew; by the calf Mark, on account of the simplicity of his style; and by the man Luke, because he has more fully treated of Christ's _human_ generation."

Would "JARLZBERG" kindly favour me with a reference to his interesting anecdote of the lion's whelps?

J. EASTWOOD.

Ecclesfield, May 9. 1850.

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Your correspondent "JARLZBERG" (No. 24. p. 385.) inquires for the origin of the Evangelistic symbols. The four living creatures, in Ezekiel, i. 10., and Revelations, iv. 7., were interpreted from the earliest times to represent the four Gospels. Why the angel is attributed to St. Matthew, the lion to St. Mark, and so on, is another question: but their order in Ezekiel corresponds with the order of the Gospels as we have them. Durandus would probably furnish some information. The fabulous legend of the lion savours of a later origin. Some valuable remarks on the subject, and a list of references to early writers, will be found in Dr. Wordsworth's _Lectures on the Canon of Scripture_ (Lect. VI. p. 151.), and his _Lectures on the Apocalypse_ (Lect. IV. pp. 116, 117.)

C.R.M.

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_Symbols of the Evangelists_ (No. 24. p. 385.).--The symbols of the four Evangelists are treated of by J. Williams, _Thoughts on the Study of the Gospels_, p. 5--22. Lond. 1842.

M.

Oxford.

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With regard to the symbols of the four Evangelists, "JARLZBERG" may consult a Sermon by Boys on the portion of Scripture appointed for the Epistle for Trinity-Sunday. (_Works_, p. 355. Lond. 1622.)

R.G.

[To these Replies we will only add a reference to Mrs. Jameson's interesting and beautiful volume on _Sacred and Legendary Art_, vol. i. p. 98., _et seq._, and the following Latin quatrain:--

"Quatuor hæc Dominum signant animalia Christum, Est _Homo_ nascendo, _Vitulus_que sacer moriendo, Et _Leo_ surgendo, coelos _Aquila_ que petendo; Nec minus hos scribas animalia et ipsa figurant."]

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COMPLEXION.

_Complexion_ is usually (and I think universally) employed to express the _tint of the skin_; and the hair and eyes are spoken of separately when the occasion demands a specific reference to them. "NEMO" (No. 22. p. 352.), moreover, seems to confound the terms "white" and "fair," between the meanings of which there is considerable difference. A white skin is not fair, nor a fair skin white. There is no close approach of one to the other; and indeed we never see a white complexion, except the chalked faces in a Christmas of Easter Pantomime, or in front of Richardson's booth at Greenwich or Charlton Fair. A contemplation of these would tell us what the "human face divine" would become, were we any of us truly _white-skinned_.

The skin diverges in tint from the white, in one direction towards the yellow, and in another towards the red or pink; whilst sometimes we witness a seeming tinge of blue,--characteristic of asphyxia, cholera, or some other disease. We often see a mixture of red and yellow (the yellow predominating) in persons subject to bilious complaints; and not unfrequently a mixture of all three, forming what the painters call a "neutral tint," and which is more commonly called "an olive complexion."

The negro skin is black; that is, it does not separate the sun's light into the elementary colours. When, by the admixture of the coloured races with the negro, we find coloured skins, they _always_ tend to the yellow, as in the various mulatto shades of the West Indies, and especially in the Southern States of America; and the same is true of the "half-castes" of British India, though with a distinct darkness or blackness, which the descendant of the negro does not generally show.

Though I have, in accordance with the usual language of philosophers, spoken of _blue_ as an element in the colour of the skin, I have some doubt whether it be a "true blue" or not. It is quite as likely to arise from a partial participation in the quality of the negro skin--that of absorbing a large portion of the light without any analysis whatever. This may be called _darkness_.

However, to return to the Query: the term _pale_ is applied to the yellow-tinted skin; _fair_, to the red or pink; _brown_, to the mixture of red and yellow, with either blue or such darkness as above described; _sallow_, to yellow and darkness; and the only close approach to _whiteness_ that we ever see, is in the sick room of the long-suffering fair complexion. In death, this changes to a "blackish grey," a mixture of white and darkness.

The _pale_ complexion indicates a thick, hard, dry skin; the _fair_, a thin and soft one; and all the shades of dark skin render a large amount of ablution essential to health, comfort, or agreeableness to others. If any of your readers should feel curious about the characters of the wearers of these several skins, they must inquire of Lavater and his disciples.

D.V.S.

Home, April 1. 1850.

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BALLAD OF DICK AND THE DEVIL.

Looking over some of your back numbers, I find (No. 11. p. 172.) an inquiry concerning a ballad with this title. I have never met with it in print, but remember some lines picked up in nursery days from an old nurse who was a native of "the dales." These I think have probably formed a part of this composition. The woman's name was curiously enough Martha Kendal; and, in all probability, her forebears had migrated from that place into Yorkshire:--

"Robin a devil he sware a vow. He swore by the _sticks_[2] in hell-- By the _yelding_ that crackles to mak the _low_[3], That warms his _namsack_[4] weel.

"He _leaped_ on his beast, and he rode with heaste, To _mak_ his black oath good; 'Twas the Lord's Day, and the folk did pray And the priest in _can_cel stood.

"The door was wide, and in does he ride, In his clanking _gear_ so gay; A long keen brand he held in his hand, Our Dickon for to slay.

"But Dickon goodhap he was not there, And Robin he rode in vain, And the men got up that were kneeling in prayer, To take him by might and main.

"Rob swung his sword, his steed he spurred, He plunged right through the thr_a_ng. But the stout smith Jock, with his old mother's _crutch_[5], He gave him a _woundy_ bang.

"So hard he smote the iron pot, It came down plume and all; Then with bare head away Robin sped, And himself was _fit_ to fall.

"Robin a devil he _way'd_[6] him home, And if for his foes he seek, I think that again he will not come To _late_[7] them in Kendal kirk."[8]

Y.A.C.

[2] The unlettered bard has probably confused "styx" with the kindling, "yelding," of hell-fire.

[3] Flame.

[4] I have often wondered what namsac (so pronounced) could be, but since I have seen the story as told by "H.J.M." it is evidently "namesake."

[5] Probably crook in the original, to rhyme with Jock.

[6] "I way'd me" is yet used in parts of Yorkshire for "I went."

[7] "To late" is "to seek;" from _lateo_, as if by a confusion of hiding and seeking.]

[8] "Kirk" is not a very good rhyme to "seek;" perhaps it should be "search" and "church".]

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REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.

_Cavell_.--In the time of Charles I., a large tract of land lying south-eastward of Doncaster, called Hatfield Chace, was undertaken to be drained and made fit for tillage and pasture by one Sir Cornelius Vermuyden, a celebrated Flemish engineer of that day, and his partners, or "participants," in the scheme, all or most of them Dutchmen. The lands drained were said to be "_cavelled and allotted_" to so and so, and the pieces of land were called "_cavells_." They were "scottled," or made subject to a tax or assessment for drainage purposes. Two eminent topographical writers of the present day are inclined to be of opinion that this word _cavell_ is connected with the Saxon _gafol_, gavel-tributum--money paid--which we have in _gavel-kind_ and _gavelage_. One of them, however, suggests that the word _may_ be only a term used in Holland as applicable to land, and then introduced by the Dutch at the time of the drainage in question. I shall be obliged if any of your readers can inform me if the word "cavell" is so used in Holland, or elsewhere, either as denoting any particular quantity of land, or land laid under any tax, or _tributum_, or otherwise.

J.

[Our correspondent will find, on referring to Kilian's _Dictionarium Teutonico-Latino-Gallicum_, that the word _Kavel_ is used for sors, "sors in divisione bonorum:" and among other definitions of the verb _Kavelen_, "sorte dividere terram," which corresponds exactly with his _cavelled and allotted_.]

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_Gootet_ (No. 25. p. 397.).--Is not this word a corruption of _good-tide_, i.e. holiday or festival? In Halliwell's _Archæological Dictionary_ I find,--

"Good-day, a holiday; Staff.

"Gooddit, shrovetide; North. Shrove Tuesday is called Goodies Tuesday.

"Good-time, a festival; Jonson."

C.W.G.

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_Salt ad Montem_ (No. 24. p. 384.) _as meaning Money_.--_Salt_ is an old metaphor for money, cash, pay; derived, says Arbuthnot, from _salt's_ being part of the pay of the Roman soldiers; hence _salarium, salary_, and the levying contributions at _Salt_ Hill. Your Querist will find several explanations of the Eton Montem in the _Gentleman's Magazine_; and a special account of the ceremony, its origin and circumstances, in Lyson's _Mag. Brit._ i. 557.

C.

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