Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 6.djvu/600

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. vi. D**, -21, 1912.

Charles Jennens wrote a libretto ' Bel" shazzar ' in 1744 for Handel, who com- menced the composition of the music on 23 August, and completed it in September following. It was first performed at the King's Theatre on 27 March, 1745.

WILLIAM H. CUMMINGS.

There is a poem of thirty-eight stanzas bearing the above title written by George Mogridge ("Old Humphrey"). It is in- cluded in a small volume published by the Religious Tract Society (n.d. ) entitled ' Tales in Rhyme for Boys.' JOHN T. PAGE.

Long Itchington, Warwickshire.

See Heine's poem under this title :

Die Mitternacht zog niiher schon ; In stummer Buh' lag Babylon.

FRANCIS P. MABOHANT. Streatham Common.

Mrs. Hemans wrote. a poem on this subject, J. PABSON.

In German there is a drama by Count Christian Stolberg (1787), and a ballad by Heine. L. R. M. STRACHAN.

Heidelberg.

There is a well-known poem on this subject in Welsh, an awdl, or ode in "strict metres," by leuan Glan Geirionydd (1795-1855), entitled ' Gwledd Belsassar ' (' Belshazzar's Feast'). It is one of the author's finest works, and contains much admirable verse

H. I. B.

Heine's ' Belsatzar,' which Schumann set to fine music, is another celebrated poem on Belshazzar's Feast. J. S. S.

[G. H. J. and MR. W, II. PKET thanked for replies]

'MusiCA PROIBITA ' (11 S. vi. 430).

This song, composed by S. Gastaldon (Op. 6), words by " Flick-Flock," has been sung for very many years on the Grand Canal at Venice. I have before me the 10th ed., published by Genesio Venturini, at Florence. Via de' Martelli 49, and at Rome, Via del Corso 387. There is nothing very strange about its title, which merely summarizes the poem, the first eight lines of which run as follows :

Ogni sera di sotto al mio balcone

Sento cantar una canzon d' amore, Piu volte la ripete un bel garzone

E battere mi sento forte il cuore. Oh quanto e clulce quella melodia,

Oh com' e bella, quanto m' e gradita !

Ch' io la canti non vuol la mamma mia :

Vorrei saper perche me 1' ha proibita ?

JOHN B. WAINEWBIGHT. [C. B.3W. thanked for reply.]

" SELLING OF A HORSE " BY MR. PEPYS (US. vi. 328). Although unable to throw more light upon the diversion indicated by Pepys, I may refer to Surtees's ' Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour,' published 1852, in chap. xliv. of which is a minute description of the process by which the hero of the story, with connivance of the renowned Jack Spraggon, was enabled to sell a doubtful animal from his stud to a greenhorn. It is there called "challenging a horse,'' and may possibly be a later development of the simpler and smaller sleight - of - hand which in Stuart times sufficed for amusement.

W. B. H.

MACDONALD : MACQUEEN (11 S. vi. 426). The name of the wife of William Mac- donald, Tutor of Sleat, as to which COL. PRIDEAUX inquires, was Catherine ; she was not the eldest, but the third of the four daughters of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, and she and her husband were first cousins once removed, having as their common ancestor Sir Donald Macdonald, first baronet of Sleat. This branch of the family, by the way, did not write their name MacDonald, but Macdonald.

The pedigree, as given by Cor. PRIDEAUX, is apparently correct, except that the daughter of William and Catherine who married the minister of Snizort appears to have been Florence, not Margaret. She was the young- est of eleven children, including four daughters, none of whom seems to have been Margaret. I find the minister, by the way, styled the Rev. Aeneas, not Alexander, Mac Queen.

D. O. HTJNTER-BLAIR, O.S.B.

Fort Augustus.

WRECK OF THE ROYAL GEORGE (11 S. vi. 110, 176, 374, 436). According to the poet's account, " the breezes " were re- sponsible for this. From the inquiry at the time it w^ould appear, however, that the ship was old and decayed, and that part of the bottom fell out. Whether a cask or an anchor had been dropped down the hold does not appear. R. B.

Upton.

REGIMENTAL SOBRIQUETS (11 S. iv. 446, 515; v. 136). 1807, 25 Dec., Kentish Gazette : " The 97th Foot (Queen's German Regiment) to Brabourne Lees."

IRELAND'S STOLEN SHIRE (11 S. v. 468 J vi. 212). See 5 S. xii. 48, 75. This had reference to Sir Wm. Pet y.

R. J. FYNMORE,