Chapter 2

Mr. Cunningham's addition to Mr. Campbell's note is incorrect. The _Scourge_ is part of the _Abuses Whipt and Stript_ printed in 1613 (a copy of which is now before me), to which it forms a postscript. Wood, who had never seen it, speaks of it as a _separate_ publication; but Mr. Willmott has corrected this error, although he had only the means of referring to the edition of the _Abuses_ printed in 1615. Mr. Cunningham's note, that Wither was imprisoned for the _Scourge_ in 1615, is a mistake; made, probably, by a too hasty perusal of Mr. Willmott's charming little volume on our elder sacred poets.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

* * * * *

USEFUL VERSUS USELESS LEARNING

A single and practical plan for the formation of a complete and useful library and _respository_ of _universal_ literary knowledge.

The design which I propose in the following few lines, is one which I should imagine nearly all the more learned and literary of your readers would _wish_ to see _already in existence_ and when I show that it might be effected _with very little trouble and expense_ (indeed _no_ trouble but such as would be a _pleasure_ to those interested in the work), and that the greatest advantage would follow from it,--I hope that it may meet with favourable consideration from some of the numerous, able, and influential readers and correspondents of your journal.

I am the more induced to hope this from the fact of such a wish having been partially expressed by some of your contributors, and the excellent leading articles of Nos. 1 and 2.

What I propose is simply this: the SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT of _all_ the existing literary knowledge in the world that is considered _of value_ by those best qualified to judge, disposed in such a manner as to answer these two purposes: 1st, to give a general connected and classified _view_ of the literary treasures of the whole world, beginning from the most ancient in each language and department (including only what is valuable in each); and, 2dly, to afford the greatest possible _facility_ (by means of arrangement, references and _indexes_) to every inquirer for finding _at once_ the information he is in search of, if it is to be found _anywhere_ by looking for it.

There are two ways in which this work might be accomplished, both of which were desirable, though even one only would be much better than none.

The first and most complete is, to make a real COLLECTION of all those works, arranged in the {294} most perfect systematic order; and, while doing so, to make at the same time a corresponding classified _Catalogue_.

The chief (and almost the only) _difficulty_ in the way of this would be, to find a _room_ (or suite of rooms) to contain such a library and repository; but such would probably be found if sought.

The other way in which this object might be attained is by the formation of a simple CATALOGUE in the same order, such as does already exist and lies open for public use (though only in manuscript, and not so accurately classified as might be) in the noble library of the Dublin University.

This plan would be _far easier_ than (besides forming the best possible _basis_ for) that so urgently advocated by MR. BOLTON CORNEY (Vol. i. pp. 9, 42, 43.).

Of course so extensive a design would require to be distributed among many hundred persons; but so does any great work: while, by each individual undertaking that department in which he is most interested and most experienced, the whole might be accomplished easily and pleasantly.

The great fault of antiquarians is, that they are constantly _beginning at the wrong end_: they fix on some one piece of information that they want to get, and devote a world of labour to hunting about in all directions for anything bearing on the subject; whereas the rational way obviously is, to have the whole existing mass of (valuable) knowledge _classified_, and then the inquirer would know _where_ to look for his purpose.

Of course there will always remain much knowledge of a miscellaneous and irregular nature which is picked up by accident, and does not come within the scope of the present design; but this is generally of a trifling and fugitive kind, and does not at all controvert the principle above laid down.

In conclusion, I have worked out a tolerably complete series of arrangements for the above design, showing its practicability as well as usefulness, which will be much at the service of any one who can use them for the furtherance of that object.

W. D.

* * * * *

MINOR NOTES.

_Numerals._--For the old Indian forms, see Prinsep's _Journal Asiatic Soc. Bengal_, 1838, p. 348. The prospectus of _Brugsh, Numerorum apud Egyptios Demoticorum Doctrina_, Berlin, promises to give from papyri and inscriptions not only the figures, but the forms of operation. Probably the system assumed its present form by the meeting of the Indian and Egyptian traders at some emporium near the mouth of the Indus. Peacock seems to give undue weight to the fact, that the Tibetans have a copious nomenclature for high numbers: their arithmetic, doubtless, came with their alphabet, and the Buddhist legends from India.

F.Q.

_Junnius and Sir Philip Francis._--A few years ago, an aged intelligent person named Garner was living at Belgrave, near Leicester. I have heard him say that, when he was a farm bailiff to Lord Thanet, at Sevenoaks, in Kent, Sir Philip Francis was a frequent visitor there, and had a private room set apart for literary occupation. On one occasion, when he (Mr. Garner) was riding over the farm with Sir Philip Francis, the former alluded to one of the replies to Junius, by a clergyman who had been the subject of the "Great Unknown's" anonymous attacks, adding, "They say, Sir Philip, you are Junius." Sir Philip did not deny that he was the man, but simply smiled at the remark. This, and other circumstances coupled with the fact of Sir Philip's frequent visits to the house of so noted a politician as Lord Thanet, rendered Mr. Garner a firm believer in the identity of Sir Philip and Junius to the end of his days.

JAYTEE.

_Jews under the Commonwealth_ (Vol. i., pp. 401. 474.; vol ii., p. 25.).--There is a confirmation of the story of the Jews being in treaty for St. Paul's and the Oxford Library in a passage in Carte's _Letters_, i. 276, April 2, 1649:--

"They are about demolishing and selling cathedral churches. I hear Norwich is designed already, and that the Jews proffer 600,000l. for Paul's and Oxford Library, and may have them for 200,000l. more."

CH.

"_Is anything but," &c._--As your work seems adapted, amongst other subjects, to check the introduction into our language of undesirable words, phrases, and forms of speech, I would call the attention of your readers to the modern phrases, "is anything but," and the like, which have lately crept into use, and will be found, in many (otherwise) well-written books.

I read the phrase "is anything but," for the first time, in Napier's _Peninsular War_; where it struck me as being so much beneath the dignity of historical composition, and at the same time asserting an impossibility, that I meditated calling the author's attention to it. The not unfrequent use of the same phrase by other writers, since that time, has by no means reconciled me to its use.

In the _Edinburgh Review_ for January last (1850) I find the following sentence:--"But as pains have been taken to fix the blame _upon any one except_ the parties culpable;" and in the July number of the same _Review_ (p. 90.) occurs the sentence, "_any impulse rather than_ that of patriotism," &c.

Now, a "thing," or "person," or "impulse,"--though it may not be the "thing," or "person," or "impulse" charged as the agent,--must yet be some _certain_ and _specific_ thing, or party, or impulse, {295} if existing as an agent at all in the matter; and cannot be "_any_ thing," or "_any_ party," or "_any_ impulse," in the _indefinite_ sense intended in these phrases. Moreover, there seems no difficulty in expressing, in a simple and direct manner, that the agent was a very different, or opposite, or dissimilar "thing," or "person," or "impulse" from that supposed.

I wish some persons of competent authority in the science of our language (and many such there are who write in your pages) would take up this subject, with a view to preserve the purity of it; and would also, for the future, exercise a watchful vigilance over the use, for the _first_ time, of any incorrect, or low words or phrases, in composition; and so endeavour to confine them to the vulgar, or to those who ape the vulgar in their style.

P.H.F.

_Fastitocalon._--_Fastitocalon. Cod. Exon._ fol. 96. b. p. 360. 18. read [Greek: Aspido ... chelonae]. Tychsen, _Physiologus Syrus_, cap. xxx.: did the digamma get to Crediton by way of Cricklade?

F.Q.

* * * * *

QUERIES

BISHOP COSIN'S CONFERENCE.

Basire in his _Dead Man's Real Speech_ (pp. 59, 60.), amongst other "notable instances" of Bishop Cosin's zeal and constancy in defence of the Church of England, mentions

"A solemn conference both by word and writing betwixt him and the Prior of the English Benedictines at Paris, supposed to be Robinson. The argument was concerning the validity of the ordination of our priests, &c., in the Church of England. The issue was, our Doctor had the better so far, that he could never get from the Prior any reply to his last answer. This conference was undertaken to fix a person of honour then wavering about that point; the sum of which conference (as I am informed), was written by Dr. Cosin to Dr. Morley, the now Right Reverend Lord Bishop of Winchester, in two letters bearing date June 11, July 11, 1645."

The substance of this conference has been preserved among the Smith Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; but it is not in the form of letters to Dr. Morley. Vol. xl. of this valuable collection of manuscripts contains (as described in Smith's table of contents):--

1. "Papers of Bp. Cosins in defence of the Ordination of the Church of England against father Prior.

"The first of these is Bp. Cosin's Review of the Father's Letter, &c. [the title-page is placed at p. 77.]

"Then follows a letter (which is indeed the Bishop's first paper, and should be put first) from Bishop Cosin to the Father.

"After that the Father's Answer to Bishop Cosin's Review at p. 81.

"Then come two other papers about the validity of our Ordination, with a preface concerning the occasion, p. 89."

2. "Then, p. 101., A Letter from a _Rom. Cath._ to a Lady about communicating in one kind,--with Bishop Cosin's Answer."

3. "Lastly, in p. 123., is A Letter of Bp. Cosin's to Dr. Collins concerning the Sabbath."

The order in which the papers under the first head, about our English ordination, should fall, appears to be as follows:--

1. There is a note attached to p. 65., evidently written by Dr. Tho. Smith himself in the following words:

"Transcript of several papers of Bishop Cosin's sent to me by Dr. J. Smith, Prebendary of Durham.--T.S."

2. At p. 77. the title-page is given thus:

"A Review of a Letter sent from F.P.R. to a Lady (whom he would have persuaded to the Rom. party) in Opposition to a former paper given him for the defence of the Church of England in the Ordination of Priests."

To this are appended the respective forms of ordering priests used in the Church of England and in the Roman Church.

3. Then, at p. 89., we have the "occasion of this ... Discourse concerning the Ordination of Priests," &c. This is a kind of preface, which contains the first paper that was given to the Prior, dated June 14, 1645; also another paper, bearing date July 11, 1645, but ending abruptly in the middle of a sentence, and having written below it (probably in Dr. J. Smith's hand) the following note:

"The rest of this is not yet found, and that which is written thus far is not in the Bishop's own hand, but the copy is very fair."

However, this second paper (ending thus abruptly) appears to be no more than the first draft of a long letter from Cosin to the Prior, which commences at p. 65. of this MS., and which is dated "from the Court of S. Germains, July 11, 1645;" for not only does this letter bear the same _date_ as the before-mentioned fragment, but it begins by complaining of the tone of expression in a letter evidently received from the Prior after the draft had been prepared, but before it was sent off; and it concludes with the following note appended as a postscript:

"Sir,

"The enclosed (most of it) was prepared for you a fortnight since; but now (upon the occasion given by your letter) you have it with some advantage from

"Your servt., J.C.

"I desire the fav"

"S. Germ. July 12."

4. The most important part of this MS., however, is contained in the long letter or treatise {296} placed first in the volume, and bearing for its title, "A View of F.P.'s Answer to the First Paper."

This is dated from S. Germains, July 25, 1645 and would appear to be Cosin's last letter. But, if it be really so, Basire must, I think, be in error, when he says, "Our Doctor ... could never get from the Prior any reply to his last answer." For at p. 81. of the MS. there is a reply to the above "Review of a Letter sent by F.R. to a Lady," &c. which, though copied without either date or signature, was evidently written by the Prior, whilst it professes to be a reply to a treatise closely answering to Cosin's letter of July 25, but which letter the writer did not receive (as he states) before the 26th of September.

I wish yet further to take notice, that Dr. Tho. Smith, in His _Vitæ_ (Lond. 1707, præf. pp. vii, viii.), refers to these manuscripts in the following satisfactory manner:--

"Cum, post mortem D. Cosini, de pretio et valore schedarum, quas reliquit, hæredibus non satis constaret, ... auspieatò tandem devenit, ut favore, beneficio, et perquam insigni humanitate reverendi et doctissimi viri, D. Joannis Smith, Sacræ Theologiæ Professoris Ecclesiæ Dunelmensis Præbendarii, quorum frequens hac de re commercium literarum, occasione data, (opportunè intercedente prænobili et reverendo, D. Georgio Whelero, equite aurato, et Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ Presbytero, ejusdem quoque Ecclesiæ Cathedralis Prebendario), habui, duos libellos (tanquam prætiosas tabulas ab isthoc infami naufragio servatas) a D. Cosino, dum in Galliâ exularet, Anglieè conscriptos jam possidieam: quarum unus _Vindicias Ordinatianum Ecclesieæ Anglicanæ_ contra exceptiones et cavillationes cujusdem Pontificii sacerdotis e gente nostra, alter _Responsionem ad Epistolam_ nobili fæminæ Anglæ ab alio saccrdote _pro defensione communionis sub unicâ specie administrandæ_ inscriptam, complectitur," &c.

I should still be glad to add to this long note the followng Queries:--

1. Can any of your readers kindly inform me whether Cosin's two letters to Dr. Geo. Morley are still in existence, either in MS. or in print?

2. Whether there be any fuller or more authentic account of the controversy than that in these MS. preserved by the care of Dr. Smith?

3. Whether Cosin wrote any letter to the Prior _later_ than that of July 25?

4. Who was the _lady_ the Prior wished to seduce to the Roman party?

5. Is there any other account of the controversy?

J. SANSOM.

* * * * *

ENGELMAN'S BIBILIOTHECA SCRIPTORUM CLASSICORUM.

A little while ago, I ordered Engelman's _Bibliotheca Scriptoram Classicorum_, purporting to contain all such works published from 1700 to 1846. It was furnished to my bookseller by a foreign bookseller in _London_ with an English title, having _his own_ name on it as publisher, and an invitation to purchase the books described in it _from him_. As the paper and type were German, I objected and received in consequence a new English title, with the same name upon it, and a _shorter_ invitation to purchase from him. I was captious enough to object even to this; and I then received a Leipzig title in German. But there still remains a difficulty: for this German title has also the name of a _Parisian_ bookseller upon it, _a la maison duquel on peut s'adresser, &c._ Now, as Engelman is a bookseller, and would probably not object to an order out of his own catalogue, of which he is both author and publisher, the preceding, circumstances naturally raise the following Queries:

1. What is the real title-page of Engelman's _Catalogue_ 2. Is the Parisian house accredited by Engelman; or has the former served the latter as the London house has Served both? 3. Is it not desirable that literary men should set their faces very decidedly against all and every the slightest alteration in the genuine description of a book? 4. Would it not be desirable that every such alteration should forthwith be communicate to your paper?

The English title-page omits the important fact, that the _Catalogue_ begins at 1700, and describes it as containing _all_ editions, &c., up to 1846.

A. DE MORGAN.

September 24. 1850.

* * * * *

MINOR QUERIES.

_Portrait of Sir P. Sidney, by Paul Veronese._--In the letters of Sir P. Sidney which I found at Hamburg, and which were published by Pickering, 1845, it is stated that a portrait of Sidney was painted by Paul Veronese, at Venice, for Herbert Languet. It would be very interesting to discover the existence of this picture.

Languet had it with him at Prague, _framed_, as he asserts, and hung up in his room, in the year 1575. He remarks upon it, in one place, that it represented Sidney as too young (he was nineteen when it was taken); in another place he says that it has given him too sad an expression. I should add, that on Languet's death, his property passed into the hands of his friend Du Plessis.

I am led to write to you on this subject, by having observed, a few days since, in the collection at Blenheim, two portraits by Paul Veronese, of persons unknown. There may be many such, and that of Sir Philip Sidney may yet be identified.

STEUART A. PEARS.

Harrow, Sept. 6.

_Confession._--You would much oblige if you could discover the name of a Catholic priest, in {297} German history, who submitted to die rather than reveal a secret committed to him in confession?

U.J.B.

_Scotch Prisoners at Worcester._--In Mr. Walcott's _History of St. Margaret's Church, Westminster_, I find the following extract from church wardens' accounts:--

"1652. P'd to Thos. Wright for 67 loads of soyle laid on the graves in Tothill Fields, wherein 1200 Scotch prisoners, taken at the fight at Worcester, were buried; and for other pains taken with his teeme of horses, about mending the Sanctuary Highway, when Gen. Ireton was buried."

I have taken the pains to verify this extract, and find the figures quite correctly given. I wish to put the Query: Is this abominable massacre in cold blood mentioned by any of our historians? But for such unexceptionable evidence, it would appear incredible.

C.F.S.

_Adamson's Reign of Edward II._--

"The Reigns of King Edward II., and so far of King Edward III., as relates to the Lives and Actions of Piers Gaveston, Hugh de Spencer, and Roger Lord Mortimer, with Remarks thereon adapted to the present Time: Humbly addressed to all his Majesty's Subjects of Great Britain, &c., by _J. Adamson_. Printed for J. Millar, near the Horse Guards, 1732, and sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, price One Shilling."

The above is the title-page of a little work of eighty-six pages in my possession, which I am inclined to think is scarce. It appears to be a defence of the Walpole administration from the attacks of the _Craftsman_, a periodical of the time, conducted by Amhurst, who was supported by Bolinbroke and Pulteney, the leaders of the opposition. Is anything known of _J. Adamson_, the author?

H.A.E.

_Sir Thomas Moore._--Can any of your readers give any account of Sir Thomas Moore, beyond what Victor tells of him in his _History_ of the Theatre, ii. p. 144., "that he was the author of an absurd tragedy called _Mangora_ (played in 1717), and was knighted by George I."

In Pope's "Epistle to Arbuthnot," he writes--

"Arthur, whose giddy son leglects the laws."

on which Warburton notes--

"_Arthur Moore, Esq._"

Who was _Arthur Moore, Esq._? and who was the "giddy son?" Was the latter _James Moore Smith_ a gentleman whose family name was, I think, _Moore_, and who assumed (perhaps for a fortune) the additional name of _Smith_? This gentleman Pope seems to call indiscriminately _Moore_, _Moor_, and _More_: and when he says that his good nature towards the dunces was so great that he had even "rhymed for Moor" (Ib. v. 373.), I cannot but suspect that the Moor _for_ whom he had _rhymed_, was the _giddy son_ whom _Arthur_ accused him of seducing from the law to the Muses. There are many allusions to this Mr. James Moore Smith throughout Pope's satirical works, but all very obscure; and Warburton, though he appears to have known him, affords no explanation as to who or what he was. He was the author of a comedy called _The Rival Modes_.

C.

_Dr. E. Cleaver, Bishop of Cork._--I shall feel much obliged to any of your correspondents who will furnish me with the particulars of the consecration of Dr. Euseby Cleaver to the sees of Cork and Ross, in March, April, or May, 1789. Finding no record of the transaction in the Diocesan Registry of Cork, and not being able to trace it in any other part of _Ireland_, I am induced to believe that this consecration may have taken place in _England_; and shall be very glad to be correctly informed upon the point.

H. COTTON.

Thurles, Ireland.

_Gwynn's London and Westminster._--Mr. Thomas Frederick Hunt, in his _Exemplars of Tudor Architecture_, 4to. London, 1830, in a note at p. 23., alludes to _London and Westminster improved, by John Gywnn, London_, 1766, 4to., and has this remark:

"It is a singular fact, that in this work John Gwynn pointed out almost all the designs for the improvement of London, which have been _devised_ by the civil and military architects of the present day."

And Mr. Hunt concludes by observing,, that--

"This discovery was made by the _Literary Gazette_."

Will you permit me, through the medium of your useful publication, to solicit information of the number and date of the _Literary Gazette_ which recalled public attention to this very remarkable fact?

§N.

_Coronet._--In Newbold Church, in the county of Warwick, is a monument to the memory of Thomas Boughton of Lawford, and Elizabeth his wife, representing him in a suit of armour, with sword and spurs, _a coronet on his head_, and a bear at his feet, chained and muzzled. Query.--Can any of your readers give an accurate description of this coronet? Or can any of them mention instances of the monuments of esquires having similar coronets? The date of his death is not given: his wife died in the year 1454.

Z.

_Cinderella._--Referring to Vol. ii., p. 214., allow me to ask in what edition of Perrault's _Fairy Tales_ the misprint of _verre_ from _vair_ first occurs? what is the date of their first publication, as well as that of the translation under the title of _Mother Goose's Tales_? whether Perrault was the originator of _Cinderella_, or from what source he drew the tale? {298} what, moreover, is the authority for identifying _sable_ with _vair_ for the employment of either in designating the highest rank of princesses?

SANDVICENSIS.