Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 9.djvu/460

 378 NOTES AND QUERIES. [i2S.ix.Nov.fi, 1921. DANTE'S BEARD (12 S. ix. 271, 315). Pace the commentators on the "la barba " of ' Purg.' xxxi. 68, MB. BUSH'S suggestion, it seems to me, is not altogether on such " dan- gerous and delicate " ground as MB. ARM- STRONG supposes. Why shouldn't Dante have had a beard when Boccaccio distinctly says that he had one ? ST. SWITHIN states that " Dante is represented with a beard on the tomb assigned to him in Ravenna," but Miss Phillimore, in her ' Dante at Ravenna ' (p. 193), says, in describing Pietro Lombardi's sculptured effigy (A.D. 1483), which, ".almost as it originally stood, can be seen to this day," that the face being in profile, the traditional cast of feature is accentuated by the sculptor. . . the chin is supported by the left hand, the right rests upon another book laid open upon a table, &c. The accompanying photograph confirms this description, and no beard appears thereon. But it is clear that no authentic portrait of Dante exists with or without beard. As Scartazzini (' Com. Prefazione,' p. xi., ed. 1893) observes : L'editore ed il commentatore avevano 1'inten- zione di corredare il volume del ritratto di Dante. Ma le difficolta si mostrarono poi poco meno che insormontabili. Quale dei molti ritratti di Dante scegliere ? II commentatore e convinto che nessuno dei tanti ritratti di Dante che abbiamo e autentico ; sono tutti o lavori di fantasia, o ritratti erroneamente creduti di Dante. Or bene, quale dei tanti scegliere ? E qual mai valore avrebbe un tal ritratto, del quale chi lo da e per- suaso che non sia autentico ! Binunziammo quindi per ora all' idea. And yet the publisher (Koepli, Milan), ignoring this warning, adorns the title page with the traditional ascetic, Roman-featured profile of the poet ! J. B. McGovERN. St. Stephen's Rectory, C.-on-M., Manchester. " WHAT BETWEEN " : " WHAT FROM," &c. (12 S. ix. 271). In a story called ' The Magnet,' by Frank H. Shaw, in The Story- teller for November, 1921, at p. 200, is this sentence : "Fortescue studied the situation for an hour, his brain throbbing like a drum what of the repeated doses of quinine he had swallowed. HABMATOPEGOS. " SKELDEB " and " SKELDEBGATE " (12 S. ix. 272, 313). J. O. Halliwell, in his ' Dic- tionary of Archaic and Provincial Words,' gives the following : Skelder, to swindle. " If skeldering fall not to decay, thou shalt nourish." Hawkins, ' Origin of the English Drama,' iii. 119. GEOBGE MEBBYWEATHEB. ENGLISH ARMY SLANG AS USED IN THE GREAT WAR. (12 S. ix. 341.) THE first list of words under this heading is fairly complete, I think, and generally accurate. I venture to offer the following remarks upon certain of the words used in the list, under their various headings of classification : A. NICKNAMES AND PERSONAL APPELLATIONS. BASE-WALLAH. This can scarcely be described as of Hindustani origin, since only the latter part of it is so derived. Wala (Hindustani) means a man, person, individual. BOBEBJE (BOBADJI, BoMMAJEE). From Hin- dustani Bawarchi, a cook. BOLO means " speak ! " in Hindustani. If the same word meant " a useless person," it was not of Hindustani origin. CAMEL-WALLAH. See remarks against BASE- WALLAH. DIE-HARDS. This well-known regimental nick- name can scarcely be termed '' war slang." DUG-OUT. This can be better described as a retired officer or soldier who returned to the army on the outbreak of war. Even officers on the Reserve of Officers were so described. They had not necessarily " seen their best days." GYPO. Likewise Gyppo and Gyppie. (" G " soft, as in " gentle.") WALLAH. See remarks opposite Base-Wallah and Camel-Wallah. This appellation was by no means always used as either a " slacker " or a " servant." Cf. Machine- gun-wala. Usually speaking it had no menial or derogatory significance at all. Bootee-walla, "Thomas Atkins's " rendering of Roti-wala (Hindustani). B. MILITARY TERMS. AMMO. Also Ammu. NUMBER ON (GOT YOUR). Also " Name on (got your)." PIP-SQUEAK. Was the name given early in the war to a German light field-gun shell, long before rifle grenades appeared. C. MISCELLANEOUS. ACDUM. From Hindustani Ek dam. BLIGHTY. A more correct rendering of the Hindustani word would be Wilayati. BONDHOOK (BONDOCK). From Hindustani Banduq, a gun. COGGIDGE. From Hindustani Kaghaz, meaning paper. Similarly " Blotting coggidge." CUSHY. From Hindustani Khush, happy, in easy circumstances. DEKKO. From the Hindustani verb DeJchva, to see. DeJfho is the imperative, look or see 1 Similarly Dekker. DIXY. From Hindustani Degchi, a cooking pot. DUD. Also applied to a shell which has failed to explode. HOOKEM (THAT'S THE). Bather, " That's the order," " That's the regulation." From Hindustani, Hukam, an order.