Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 11.djvu/404

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. XL APRIL 24, im.

tainment, called a regatta, borrowed from the Venetians."

Perhaps Madame Cornells was sparing in food and drink, but too lavish in lights, decorations, and music. At all events, as is well known, she came to poverty, and died in the Fleet Prison in 1797. An account of her appears in the 'Dictionary of National Biography.'

ROBEBT PlERPOINT.

ST. ANTHONY OF VIENNE (10 S. xi. 47, 96, 152, 233). I gladly respond to ST. SWITHIN'S invitation. In the first place, this order was not a military order, but an Order of Hos- pitallers. Its correct name, according to Helyot, was the " Ordre de S. Antoine de Viennois." The following facts are mainly, though not altogether, gathered from Helyot.

In 1093 there lived in Dauphine a " gen- tilhomme " of illustrious birth and great wealth named Gaston. His son Guerin was lying grievously sick, and all human reme- dies had failed to restore him to health. To Gaston then came the inspiration to seek divine aid. The sacred relics of St. Anthony were preserved in the town that at that time bore the name of St. Didier-la-Mothe, in a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Here Gaston humbly besought the saint's intercession with God that his son might be healed. Should God be pleased to grant his prayers, Gaston vowed that both he and his son would devote themselves and their wealth to ministering to those who suffered from the terrible disease known as " St. Anthony's fire," and would provide for the reception and entertainment of the many pilgrims who were then crowding from all parts to seek the saint's help for their cure. Gaston, exhausted by the intense strain of his prayer, fell asleep ; and while he was sleeping, St. Anthony appeared to him in a dream. The saint reproved him for desiring rather his son's bodily health than his spiritual welfare. But God, he continued, had heard and granted his prayers, and Gaston must now carry out his vows ; and the saint further commanded that he and all others who joined themselves with him in the ministry to which he had vowed himself should wear as the badge of their fellowship a Tau of skyblue. Gaston awoke and speeded home. He found his son out of all danger. He told him of his vow, and Guerin immediately confirmed it for himself. With the least possible delay, father and son betook themselves to St. Didier-la-Mothe, where they formally devoted themselves and

their possessions to the service of the poor, and built their first hospital near the church dedicated to St. Anthony. On 28 June, 1095, Gaston and his son put off their worldly dress, and assumed the black robes of their newly founded order, bearing a Tau of blue enamel on the left breast. Pilgrims carried the fame of the order far and wide, and branches of it were formed in all Christian countries. It was approved by the Council of Clermont in 1095, and con- firmed as an Order of Hospitallers in 1228 by Pope Honorius III. Boniface VIII. brought it under the rule of St. Augustin. The superior of the house at Vienne took the title of Grand Master. In 1777, when " St. Anthony's fire " had almost completely disappeared, it was united to the Order of Malta.

Perhaps I may add that I sent directly to CANON AUSTEN all the information respecting this order that he desired to have more, I fear, than I could venture to ask room for in 'N. & Q.' W. C. BOLLAND.

PATAGONIA AND THE PATAGONIANS (10 S. xi. 244). Humboldt in his ' Travels,' dis- cussing a suggested derivation of the name Andes from the Quichua word anta, points out that the Spaniards never confused the Indian vowels, and that anta might produce Andas, but not Andes, which could come only from anti. A similar objection might be lodged against the derivation of Pata- gones from pata cuna. Pata cuna might yield Patagonas, but certainly not Patagones. The Spanish- American linguistic writers are far too prone to guesswork, and seldom capable of sound etymology. Dr. Abeille's suggestion not only defies phonetic law, it also lacks all verisimilitude. What was the Quichua language doing so far from home ? We may well ask, " Que diable allait-elle faire dans cette galere ? " The Fuegians had three languages of their own, and I dare affirm that no Fuegian understood Quichua. Neither did any of the tribes of the mainland. Who, then, is supposed to have named Patagonia from its " terraces? " Is it Magellan and his men ? But surely they would have used Portuguese or Spanish. The whole thing is an absurdity of the first water. JAS. PLATT, Jun.

The term " hind feet " is used in treating of this name. This may have some con- nexion with the name, for the Patagonian Indians use as trousers the skins of the hinder half with the legs of horses.

JOHN MILNE.

Aberdeen.