Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/427

 ii 3. VIIL NOV. 29, ma.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

421

LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1013.

CONTENTS.-No. 205.

NOTES : Casanova and Mary Anne Clarke, 421 Sir John Chardin, Kt., 422 St. Mary, Amershara, Inscriptions, 423 Oldest Indian Settlement in British Columbia Matrimonial Complications Bastinado : Golf - Sticks 'The Duchess of Main',' 424 Hertfordshire Supersti tions, 425.

QUERIES : Words awaiting Explanation, 425 "Tram- car _ "Tramp " " Pail " : Butter Rents, 426 Col. Thomas Povey- Words and Phrases in 'Lorna Doone' Burlesques of Mystery Plays, 427 " Spinet "Thomas Parkinson, Artist British Infantry Lady Hunting tower's Poems : Toone Harry Davis J armings of Sale hurst Bibliographical Queries Thomas Burbidge and Other Poets, 428 " Museum " Sermon Oxford Parody on Belshazzar's Feast Wallace of St. Thomas "The great Quaker" "Firing-glass" Staveley Greek Typo- graphy Culpeper of Kent, 429.

REPLIES : Hugh Peters Statue in Queen Square. Bloomsbury, 430 Emeline de ileddesford : " D'Rvereux " and Salisbury "Jongheer," 431 Author Wanted Heart-Burial in Niches, 432 Matt Morgan The College School, Gloucester References Wanted Octagonal Meeting - Houses Churchwardens' Accounts, Saffron Walden, 433 " Angelina Gushington " Watts's Cate- chismSimon de Montfort and Lewes Superstition in the Twentieth Century Toft of Leeke, co. Stafford- Highlanders at Quebec Ancient Wit and Humour, 434 Bishop Richard of Bury's Library, 435 Knight's Cap worn underneath Helmet -Haymarket Theatre in the Seventies Anthony Marsh, Clockmaker The Pilgrim Fathers : John Alden, 436-Bennett of Wallhills, 437 Yorkshire Place-Names ' The Silver Domino 'Original of Translation Wanted New "Circus " for London, 438.

NOTES ON BOOKS :' Rustic Speech and Folk-Lore' 'The British Empire Universities Dictionary '' Eliza- bethan Rogues and Vagabonds '' Archaeology of the Old Testament ' ' Catalogue of Parish Register Series ' ' The Queen ' Christmas Number.

Notices to Correspondents.

CASANOVA AND MARY ANNE CLARKE.

THE memoirs of the Venetian adventurer Casanova have received so many interesting illustrations from contributors to ' N. & Q. 5 that it may not be inappropriate to call attention through its pages to a curious mistake which occurs in one of the latest books relative to his career. I allude to a French translation of certain letters ad- dressed to Casanova by women of his ac- quaintance. The original work in Italian I have not seen, but I presume that the French version follows it exactly :

" Lettres de Femmes a Jacques Casanova, recueillies et annotees par Aldo Rava, traduites de 1'italien par ^Idouard Maynial." There is no date on the title-page, but Rava's Preface is dated " Venise, Octobre,

1911." He seems to have taken great pains in order to elucidate the text. In one instance, however, he has fallen into error, and has spoken of two very different women as though they were one and the same person.

A correspondent of Casanova's, !Elise von der Recke, writing 20 April, 1798, tells him that " depuis hier Faimable Milady Clarke embellit Toeplitz." The editorial note to this passage runs as follows :

"Marianne Clarke, amie d'lillise von der Reck e> fut, comme sa sceur Sophie, une des aventurieres politiques qui florissaient au XVIH e siecle. Elle epousa, en 1794, Wilhelm Clarke, due de Feltre (1763-1818), general des arindes de ISapoleon ; mais apros une seule annee de mariage, elle se separa de lui. Se faisant passer pour veuve, elle noua une intrigue avec le duo d'York, commandant en chef des Anglais dans la troisieme guerre de la coalition, et sut le dominer au point de lui arraoher quelques'secrets d'etat. Ayant d^couvert la supercherie, le due I'abandonna, en lui refusant tout secours ; alors elle devoila les secrets dont elle lui avait arrache la confidence, et il dtit donner sa demission de gn6ral. a se passait en 1809. On ne sait ensuite ce qu'elle devint. Casanova parle de Marianne Clarke dans la lettre adressee le 27 avril au comte Marcolini, publiee par Ottman ('Jacob Casanova,' 1900, p. 191): 'J'ai connu ici, c'est a dire a Toeplitz, une jeune dame anglaise tres int^ressante. Elle porte le nom do Clarke, en qualite de femme de ce gne>al qui deyait aller a Vienne negocier la paix...Elle a pris un quartier chez le traiteur pour quatre mois, et elle pense d'aller passer quinze jours k Dresden, qu'elle n'a jamais vu. J'ai pens6 un moment h lui donner une lettre pour vous ; mais e ne me suis pas decide. Je la crois dangereuse pour un seigneur convalescent.' "

Now this Marianne Clarke could not have identical with the Mary Anne Clarke who was mistress to the Duke of York, and whose trafficking in the sale of commissions n the Army was the subject of a Parlia- mentary inquiry in 1809. It is well known reputed husband, was a London tradesman concerned in some \vay in the building xrade. The ' D.N.B.' describes him as a mason ; other authorities speak of him as \, carpenter. It is certain, at all events, hat the Clarke of whom she was supposed .o be the wife was not the celebrated French general of that name.
 * hat Mary Anne Clarke's husband, or

The statement that "on ne sait ensuite e qu'elle devint " is not in accordance with well-established facts relative to the ex- mistress of the Duke of York. When he discarded her she had in her possession a lumber of letters which he had written to ler, and which she threatened to make ublic. Negotiations were opened with her or the surrender of these documents,