Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 10.djvu/491

 10 s. x. NOV. 21, 1908.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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meaning to keep a house in nice order. At 5 S. viii. 168 a quotation from an old | chapbook, ' The King and the Cobbler,' is i given. A wife addresses her husband, who comes home a little the worse for dining with King Henry VIII., " Was it for this I dressed you up in pimlico to have you come home like one broken out of Bedlam ? " But at 7 S xii. 227 MB. HERBERT HARDY asked for an explanation of the phrase " I am in Pimlico with my feet," in reference to poorly shod feet. No reply seems to have been given, nor do I think any allusion to these Pimlico proverbs is made in the ' N.E.D.,' which perhaps hardly deals adequately with the word. W. F. PRIDEAUX.

ISABELLA LICKBARROW.

THE name of Isabella Lickbarrow of Kendal does not readily come to the mind when one thinks of British poetesses. Her book of verses, " Poetical Effusions, by Isabella Lickbarrow, Kendal. Kendal : Printed for the Authoress by M. Branthwaite & Co. Sold by J. Richardson, 91, Royal Exchange, London, and by all other book- sellers. 1814," was printed by subscription to

"assist the humble labours of herself and her orphan sisters, by raising from the generosity of the public a little fund, which would increase their family comforts and better their condition in life."

She appears to have belonged to the class of uneducated poets, and, whilst thanking friends who had enabled her to obtain books to read, demurs to any charge of plagiarism if coincidences are found among the many books she has not read. The list of sub- scribers includes some interesting names, including those of Mr. J. Dalton, Manchester (the famous chemist, who took four copies) ; Mr. De Quincey, Grasmere ; R. Southey, Esq., Keswick ; and W. Wordsworth, Esq., Rydal Mount.

The verses of Isabella Lickbarrow are not remarkable for their inspiration. Per- haps the best thing in the book are some lines

ON THE FATE OF NEWSPAPERS.

What changes time's swift motion brings ! What sad reverse of human things ! What once was valu'd, highly priz'd, Is in a few short hours despis'd, I '11 but solicit your attention, While I a single instance mention. The Advertiser, you must know, Fresh from the Mint not long ago, We welcom'd with abundant pleasure, Impatient for the mighty treasure : In what an alter'd state forlorn, 'Tis now in scatter'd fragments torn,

Part wrapp'd around the kettle's handle,

Part twisted up to light the candle,

Part given to the devouring fire :

Ah ! see line after line expire ;

It surely would, beyond a joke

The patience of a saint provoke,

To think that after all their pains

The rhymes which rack'd the poet's brains,.

And all the antiquarian's learning,

Displayed so justly in discerning

The ancient Saxon derivation

Of half the places in the nation,

And the philosopher's vast skill

In measuring each stupendous hill,

From Sea-fell down to Benson-knot,

And even hills of lesser note ;

To think that what such wits have penn'd,.

Shoiild come to this disgraceful end.

Why 'tis enough to make them vow,

With aspect stern and frowning brow,

They '11 such an useless trade resign

And never write another line.

But stop, good sirs, a nobler fate

May your productions yet await ;

A thought just now my head has enter'd

In which alone my hopes are center'd

Perhaps preferrd the pipe to light,

For some dull heavy witless wight,

They '11 with tobacco's fumes, infuse

The inspiration of the muse,

And furnish many an empty brain

If so, we '11 write and sing again.

The Westmorland Advertiser had a friendly eeling towards its lady laureate, and sub- scribed for five copies of the ' Poetical Effu- sions.' Let us hope that the result of the publication was to make life easier for Isa- bella Lickbarrow, although it has not secured ler the immortality of Sappho.

WILLIAM E. A. AXON.

Manchester.

DODSLEY'S FAMOUS COLLECTION OF POETRY.

(See 10 S. vi. 361, 402 ; vii. 3, 82, 284, 404,

442; viii. 124, 183, 384, 442; ix. 3, 184,

323, 463 ; x. 103, 243, 305.)

POEMS by the Rev. Dr. Thomas Lisle appeared in vol. vi. 162-210.

He was the sixth son of Edward Lisle, who had property at Wootton (Isle of Wight) Crux Easton, and Dibden. A pedigree of the family is in Berry's ' Hampshire Genea- logies,' pp. 173-6, and their seat was at Moyle's Court, near Ringwood. Edward Lisle died on 1 June, 1722, having had 20 children, of whom 17 survived ; his wife Mary, only daughter of Sir Ambrose Phillipps of Garendon, Leicestershire, died at Plaistow, Essex, about 1749. Both of them were buried at Dibden. A character of husband and wife is given in Hearne's ' Collections ' (Oxford Hist. Soc., 1906), vii. 373. Edward Lisle settled at Crux Easton about 1694,