Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/186

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[2 S. NO 9., MAK. 1. '56.

horsemen. Onward they came at a long, swinging trot, arguing unwearied speed in their long-breathed calling. Such running footmen are often alluded to in old plays (I would particularly instance Middleton's Mad World, my Masters), and perhaps may be still remembered by some old persons in Scotland, as part of the retinue of the ancient nobility when travelling in full ceremony."

In a note, Scott, in his character of Jedediah Cleishbotham, says he remembers " to have seen one of this tribe clothed in white, and bearing a staff, who ran daily before the state-coach of John Earl of Hopeton." Like Domine Cleishbotham, I too have seen some of " this tribe " at their duties. I was in Dresden during the life-time of the late king, when his travelling- coach and four passed me on the road to the palace at Pillnitz, on a hot day in July, 1845. I recollect vividly how startled I was at the running footmen, three in number, who preceded it, dressed and accoutred as I had never seen mortal man, nor ever heard described even in the most romantic of romances. The costume and appearance of these strange officials, whom I afterwards saw and examined when at rest, at the palace, I shall describe as well as I can recollect. First, in the centre of the dusty chaussee, about thirty yards a-head of the foremost horses' heads, came a tall, thin, white- haired old man ; he looked six feet high, about seventy years of age, but as lithe as a deer; his legs and body were clothed in drawers or tights of white linen, his jacket was like a jockey's, the colours blue and yellow, with lace and fringes on the facings ; on his head a sort of barret -cap, slashed and ornamented with lace and embroidery, and decorated in front with two curling heron's plumes ; round his waist a deep belt of leather with silk and lace fringes, tassels, and quaint em- broidery, which seemed to serve as a sort of pouch to the wearer. In his right hand he held, grasped by the middle, a staff about two feet long, carved and pointed with a silver head, and something like bells or melal drops hung round it, that gin- gled as he ran. Behind him, one on each side of the road, dressed and accoutred in the same style, came his two sons, two handsome, tall young fel- lows of from twenty to twenty-five years of age ; and so the king passed on.

From the gallery of the dining-hall at the pa- lace at Pillnitz I saw his majesty the king at dinner (a strange but very ancient custom), and the grey-haired old footman waited behind the king's chair in full running costume, all except the staff.

A custom once common in this country, of bearing torches by the servants of the nobility, I found at this time alive still in Dresden, although the city is lighted with gas. The footmen stand- ing behind the king's carriage bore lighted torches in their hands (holding them high above their heads) when his majesty returned from the Opera at night, and trimmed the torches by striking

them on an iron plate, and finally, on the arrival at the palace, extinguished them in iron cups fixed to the footboard for the purpose, like those still to be seen at the doors of old houses in London.

C. D. LAMONT.

"EIGHT" AND "LEFT" HAND. (1" S. xii. 317. 404. ; 2 nd S. i. 187.)

This question is of great antiquity. Marcus Antoninus, in his 12th book, sect, vi., says (in the translation of Gataker) :

" Illis etiam assuesce, quae fieri posse desperat, nam et sinistra manus, cum ad alia opera per desuetudinem in- epta, frsenam quam dextra validius tenet; quia huicoperi assuevit."

In the very learned notes of the above editor are collected many passages from the classical authors, which have reference to this subject. Aristotle strongly contends that, in this, as in all other instances, the organs of the right side are more powerful than those on the left. (See De Partibus Animal.^ lib. iii. c. 4. and lib. iv. c. 8. ; De Animal, incessu, c. 4. ; Ethic. Nicom., lib. v. c. 7. ; and Eudem., lib. iv. c. 5. ; and in Prob., lib. 21.9. 12. 13. and 19. and 31.)- Plato (De Leg., lib. vii.) ridicules this idea, and attributes the weakness of the left side to the bad habits esta- blished by nurses and mothers. He rejects, also, the supposed instances of natural inability ; saying that the great difference arises from want of use. But he seems to admit some contradiction, when he asserts :

" Ideo usus obtinuit ut ad frsenum sinistra adhibeatur, quo dextra, vel virgae qu& equus regitur, vel armis, quae gestanda ac utenda fuerint, puta ensi hastawe exerendis, exercendisque, immunis reliquatur."

Solinus (Polyhist., c. 1.), says: "Parti dextrae habilior ascribitur motus, lasvse firmitas major." A notion which Salmasius rejects.

Without pretending to compete in physiological or anatomical knowledge with Sir B. Brodie, or your other distinguished correspondents, I may be permitted to say, that, to me, this partial use of the left hand has, for all past years, appeared a very providential instinct to save and protect the great and important central organ of the circula- tion, which is chiefly situated on the left side of the body. I have been disposed to fancy that very great derangements must ensue in this system, were those functions exercised by the left hand, which are now daily and hourly referred to the right band. It may indeed be asked, whether the sledge hammer, wielded by the hands of the smith or mason, or any other exercise of force or rapid motion, might not ultimately and materially affect those internal parts on which the health and safety of the whole body depends; while, at the same time, such operations on the right side might rather