Page:Notes and Queries - Series 1 - Volume 1.djvu/99

. 8. 1849.] we have to choose between "henno" and "hemno" rusticus (rather a clown than a gentleman, whatever was his name; and perhaps the treatise, if ever found, will prove to treat merely on rural affairs). And although it may turn out to be perfectly true that "homo rusticus" was the thing meant, as your correspondent suggests, still that is not the question at issue; but rather, amidst the confusion of tongues and ideas which seems to have possessed poor Dorne's brain, what he actually wrote, rather than what he should have written.

Admitting, however, for supposition's sake, that your correspondent is right, that the man was named Dormer, and the book Homo rusticus—is there any one who will obligingly favour me with information respecting these, or either of them?

One word more, and I have done; though perhaps you will think that too much has been said already upon a subject not of general interest; and indeed I cannot but feel this, as well as how painful it is to differ, even in opinion, with one towards whom nothing can be due from me but respect and affection. But the direct inference from your correspondent's remarks (although it is fully my persuasion he neither designed nor observed it) is, that my difficulties are no difficulties at all, but mistakes. To these we are all liable, and none more so than the individual who is now addressing you, though, it is to be hoped, not quite in the awful proportion which has been imputed to him. And let it stand as my apology for what has been said, that I owe it no less to my own credit, than perhaps to that of others, my kind encouragers and abettors in these inquiries, to vindicate myself from the charge of one general and overwhelming error, that of having any thing to do with the editing of a MS. of which my actual knowledge should be so small, that out of three difficulties propounded from its contents, two should be capable of being shown to have arisen from nothing else but my inability to read it. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,

The query of your correspondent W. at p. 12. No. 1. regards, I presume, Henno Comediola Rustico Ludicra, nunc iterum publicata; Magdeburg, 8vo.? If so, he will find it to be identical with the Scænica Progymnasmata h. e. Ludicra Præexercitamenta of Reuchlin, first printed at Strasburg in 1497, and frequently reprinted during the first part of the 16th century, often with a commentary by Jacob Spiegel.

A copy, which was successively the property of Mr. Bindley and Mr. Heber, is now before me. It was printed at Tubingen by Thomas Anselm in 1511. I have another copy by the same printer, in 1519; both in small 4to.

Reuchlin, while at Heidelberg, had amused himself by writing a satirical drama, entitled Sergius seu Capitis Caput, in ridicule of his absurd and ignorant monkish opponent. This he purposed to have had represented by some students for the amusement of his friends; but Dalberg, for prudent reasons, dissuaded its performance. It being known, however, that a dramatic exhibition was intended, not to disappoint those who were anxiously expecting it, Reuchlin hastily availed himself of the very amusing old farce of Maistre Pierre Patelin, and produced his Scænica Progymnasmata, in which the Rustic Henno is the principal character. It varies much, however, from its prototype, is very laughable, and severely satirical upon the defects of the law and the dishonesty of advocates.

Its popularity is evinced by the numerous editions; and, as the commentary was intended for the instruction of youth in the niceties of the Latin language, it was used as a school-book; the copies shared the fate of such books, and hence its rarity. It is perhaps the earliest comic drama of the German stage, having been performed before Dalberg, Bishop of Worms (at Heidelberg in 1497), to whom it is also inscribed by Reuchlin. It seems to have given the good bishop great pleasure, and he requited each of the performers with a gold ring and some gold coin. Their names are recorded at the end of the drama.

Melchior Adam gives the following account:—

Mr. Hallam (Literat. of Europe, vol. i. p. 292.,