Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/388

 318 NOTES AND QUERIES. [i 2 s.vm. APRIL ie, 1921. SHAKESPEARE QUERY (12 S. viii. 269). . . . In the reproof of chance Lies the true proof of men. . . . In the 1890 edition, by Sir Henry Irving and F. A. Marshall, a footnote says, of the word ' reproof ' : " An obvious quibble is intended." In the 1896 edition Prof. Gallancz remarks : " Reproof, Confutation ; refutation." W. JAGGARD, Capt. The " reproof of chance " means the " re- testing of chance " ; that is to say, trying your luck again after defeat. F. L. WOOD. 17, Girdlers Road, W.I 4. The context, I think, shows fairly conclu- sively that Shakespeare means the resistance offered to chance. The twenty lines of Nestor's speech which follow the words . . . In the reproof of chance Lies the true proof of men are obviously intended to convey two illustrations in proof of the truth of the dictum. In the first the poet uses inanimate objects, " Shallow bauble boats " and " those of nobler bulk. " When the storm conies the latter through liquid mountains cut, Bounding between the two moist elements, Like Perseus' horse. That is how they give the reproof to chance. In the second case the poet uses living objects. The herd hath more annoyance by the breese Than by the tiger. But when the storm comes Why, then the thing of courage, As roused with rage, with rage doth sympathize, And with an accent tuned in selfsame key Retorts to chiding fortune. i.e., gives the reproof to chance. W. E. W. HUNTING SONGS : CHAWORTH MUSTERS (12 S. viii. 231, 277). In view of his reply at page 277, it may interest Sir Willoughby Maycock to know that the volume ' Hunting Songs and Poems. Collected by John Chaworth Musters ' bears (only) the above words on title-page, has no date, and bears i the imprint, back of title-page, and colophon ! of R. Allen and Son, Nottingham. Thej Contents gives 8 1 items, from pages 1 to 191 ; the first being ' The Badsworth Hunt,' and the last, ' A Poem by J. Oldknow, of Smalley.' The volume has 194 pages, and the photographic frontispiece shows J. C. Musters standing, crop in hand, surrounded by hounds. There is no dedication or introduction ; the only mention of the late Lord Ferrers occurring as the apparent author of some verses with date 1869 or 1870. Lord Ferrers received much help and advice from Musters when he took over part of the Quorn country in the seventies, but I had not before heard of the former as a poet, and am a little doubt- ful as to this item. The latest date apparent in the text is a heading " Wiverton, Feb. 1875," with initials '' F. & L. C. M." appended. The allusion in the ' D.N.B.' obviously refers to Allibone's ' Dictionary of English and American Literature,' and not to any publisher. W. B. H. " COMLIES AND " CONY BAGS " (12 S. viii. 231, 277.) The " comlies " referred to by the Colour- Sergeant of the 19th Regiment were doubtless blankets, the Hin- dustani name for which in modern spell- ing is " Kamal." " Cony bags " were most likely " gunny bags," i.e., sacks, in which the blankets were carried when on the march. H. WILBERFORCE-BELL. ST. OSWALD (10 S. vi. 488; vii. 11; viii. 371). Dr. Alexander Robertson, in 'Through the Dolomites' (1896), writing of the Church of Tai di Cadore at p. 83, says that the* altar-piece by Cesare Vecellio, Titian's cousin, represents. the Madonna, with Bishop Candido at her right hand, holding a palm branch, and St. Oswald, King of Northumbria, at her left, with his crown and sceptre. Is St. Oswald represented in other Italian paintings of the sixteenth century or earlier ? JOHN B. WAINEWRIGHT. EPITAPHS DESIRED (12 S. viii. 211). In your Notices to Correspondents, ante, p. 260, MR. J. B. WAINEWRIGHT writes that the epi- taph on George Routleigh (not Rowleigh) is contained in ' N. & Q.' 11 S. iv. 265. In Britten's ' Old Clocks, &c., and their makers,' 1899 edition, p. 461, is printed the epitaph in Lydford Churchyard on the gravestone to the memory of GEORGE ROUTLEDGE, set out as cut thereon. W. J. M. CULBIN SANDS (12 S. viii. 190, 235). SAND MOUNDS AT SOUTHPORT. The strange story of Cultiin Sands with their buried mansion and farms reminds one of the sand- hills district near Southport, which seems to be of a similar character to Culbin. I believe that there is a tradition connected with these sand-mounds also, but I have noticed only a vague reference to it some- where. Is there anything known regarding their origin, &c. ? G.