Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 10.djvu/534

 440 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 S. X. .TONE 3, 1922. A Contribution to an Essex Dialect Dictionary. (Supplement III.) By Edward Gepp. (Col- chester : Benham and Co. Is.) WE welcomed Mr. Gepp's original collection of Essex words as an excellent and useful piece of work, and are now no less glad that he goes on adding word to word and supplement to supple- ment, as well as expanding his discourse in the fields of rustic humour, negro talk, and German opinion on the Essex dialect. He tells us the dictionary is now almost doubled and a second edition in prospect. The main vocabulary is here enriched by some 100 new words or so, many of them of very great interest, one or two claiming to be recorded here for the first time ; some, also, evidently upon that difficult line where individual wit or mispronunciation or a family vocabulary trenches upon dialect. The increase of substan- tives in -ment is rather a feature of modern word- making, and Essex seems to have produced an expressive one " partment," a dividing line or space. " Offer," for a recommendation or a servant's " character," is also a curious develop- ment. " Haggen-bag," or " hagny-bag," which seems hitherto to have been imputed to Cornwall only, is said to be in common use in Essex. A " keep " is the fitting in which the latch of a door moves ; " flashings " are hedge-cuttings ; " glum," of wood, is unseasoned ; to " wrap up " is to put into one'scoffin. " Scrimmage " seems ordinary colloquial English rather than specifically Essex. The use of " threaten " in the sense of " promise " is rather amusing. Bicentenary Gloucester Journal : Historical Record. By Roland Austin. WE have to congratulate the editor and pro- prietors of the Gloucester Journal upon the attain- ment of its bicentenary ; and our correspondent, Mr. Roland Austin, upon the pleasant task which has fallen to him, and the success with which he has carried it out. His recent contribution to our columns has acquainted our readers with the main features of the history of the Gloucester Journal. In the account now before us he goes over the same ground somewhat more expansively, supplying besides facsimiles and portraits. To the historical record are added numerous reminis- cences of the staff, letters from public men, anec- dotes and hearty appreciations, all together composing a whole which everyone connected with the Gloucester Journal must regard with a just pride, and everyone interested in the history of journalism will value as an important contribu- tion to the subject. English Prose. Vol. V. Mrs. Gaskell to Henry James. Chosen and arranged by W. Peacock. (Oxford University Press. 4s. 6d. net.) THIS volume brings the series to a conclusion, and perhaps it is because the authors whose works it includes are, as a group, the easiest to obtain that the selection has been made some- what casually. The examples of Charlotte Bronte's prose include neither the exquisite Biographical Notice and Preface which she contributed to ' Wuthering Heights ' (one of the most beautiful things in English prose), nor any one of the masterly pieces in ' VUlette,' but five slabs, indifferently chosen, running to over forty pages, and all from ' Jane Eyre.' Trollope is represented only from the Barchester Series ; Charles Kingsley only from ' Westward Ho ! ' to which thirty-five pages are given. Shorthouse, whose prose is no worse than Kingsley's, is not here at all. Walter Pater has barely six pages allotted to him. With- out wishing to carp, and without doubting that the volume as it stands will serve its pxirpose in some degree, we cannot help wishing that it had been brought up to the level of its predecessors. DR. ROBERT PLOT'S ' NATURAL HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE.' Although over 600 copies of this book were issued, the plate headed "Armes omitted, to be placed next the Map " is found in only a small proportion of them. The original copper plate of this engraving is now in the I possession of the trustees of the William Salt Library, Stafford. It is enclosed in a wrapper j on which is written " Only 9 Impressions, 1 given j to William Salt Esq., 8 in S.G.C.'s possession 3 or 4 are on small paper. (Signed) G. C(hetwynd), Sept. 20, 1836." It has been suggested to the trustees that owners of copies in which the plate i is missing might care to obtain impressions, and I it is proposed, should sufficient applications be I received, to print a limited number of copies on a suitable paper, care being taken to mark the dis- tinction between this and the original issue. I should be glad to receive the names of any wishing to participate in the scheme. H. L. E. GARBETT, Librarian. The William Salt Library, Stafford. to Com$jpcmbent& EDITORIAL communications should be addressed to " The Editor of ' Notes and Queries ' " Adver- tisements and Business Letters to " The Pub- lisher " at the Office, Printing House Square, London, B.C. 4 ; corrected proofs to The Editor, ' N. & Q.,' Printing House Square, London, E.G. 4. ALL communications intended for insertion in our columns should bear the name and address of the sender not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately. WHEN answering a query, or referring to an article which has already appeared, correspondents are requested to give within parentheses immediately after the exact heading the numbers of the series, volume, and page at which the con- tribution in question is to be found. WHEN sending a letter to be forwarded to another contributor correspondents are requested to put in the top left-hand corner of the envelope the number of the page of ' N. & Q.' to which the letter refers. A.T. We regret that we cannot insert your interesting query. ' N. & Q.' does not admit theological discussion.