Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/195

 2"<iS. NO 10., MAR. 8. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

187

" Junius and his Works, compared with the Character and Writings of Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chester- field. By William Cramp, Author of The Philosophy of Language. Lewes : Baxter & Son."

" Junius and his Works, compared with the Character and Writings of Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chester- field. By William Cramp, &c. London: Hope & Co. 1850."

A mere re-issue, I believe, of the pamphlet published by Baxter & Son.

" Fac-simile Autograph Letters of Junius, Lord Ches- terfield, and Mrs. C. Dayrolles. Showing that the Wife of Mr. Solomon Dayrolles was the Amanuensis employed in Copying the Letters of Junius for the Printer. With a Postscript to the First Essay on Junius and his Works. By William Cramp. London: Hope & Co. 1851."

" The Ghost of Junius: or, the Authorship of the cele- brated ' Letters ' by this Anonymous Writer deduced from a Letter, &c., addressed, in 1775-6, by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Robert Rich, Bart., &c., to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Barrington, &c. Illustrated with a Geneological Chart, shewing the Connexion between Sir Robert Rich and the ennobled Families of Grenville, Lyttelton, &c. By Francis Ayerst. London: Bosworth. 1853."

Mr. Ayerst's argument is in favour of Sir R. Rich.

So far as I know, the last work on the subject, in which the author endeavours to prove that the Letters were written by Governor Pownall, is

" Junius Discovered. By Frederick Griffin. Boston : Little & Co. London : Trtibner. 1854. Small 8vo."

That there are omissions in this list is more than probable; but, no doubt, your correspon- dents will enable you to make it perfect.

W. W. J.

CURIOSITIES OF DICTIONARIES : NATURAL HISTORY.

I confess that I have a great partiality for old dictionaries. Amongst much information, they contain some amusing articles. I will, however, confine myself to a few examples of the state of natural science in their days.

N. Bailey's Dictionary ;

" COLIDUS. The humming Bird, which makes a Noise like a Whirl-wind, though it be no bigger than a Fly ; it feeds on Dew, has an admirable Beauty of Feathers, a Scent as sweet as that of Musk or Ambergrease."

" LORIOT. A Bird, that being looked upon by one that has the Yellow Jaundice, cures the Person, and dies itself."

This is the Golden Oriole, woodvvele, or witwal, lately discussed in " N. & Q."

" NOSTOCK. Stinking tawney jelly of a fallen Planet ; or the nocturnal Solution of some plethoretical and wanton Star."

Those who know the real value of old $1X0X0701, will excuse him for not being in advance of the science of his time, 135 years ago. But what can be said of the state of knowledge in the principality of Wales ? where, in the present cen- tury, articles like the following were published in

Lewis's Welsh-English Dictionary (Carmarthen, 1805) :

" HUDLEWYN. An Ignis fatuus, Will with a wisp, &c. Will with a wisp is more frequent in places unctuous, marshy, and abounding in reeds. They haunt burying- places, places of execution, and dunghills. Some that have been catched consist of a shining viscous matter, like the spawn of frogs, not hot, but only shining; so that the matter seems to be phosphorus, raised from putrefied plants or carcases."

" LLEWPARD. A leopard. It is exceedingly swift, subtle, and fierce ; most ferociously enraged against men, and of such a sweet savour, that it allures other beasts to it ; by which means they are caught and devoured."

Delpino, Spanish Diet. (1763) :

" JEREPEMONGA. A sort of sea-snake in Brazil, which often lies still under the water ; and whatever creature touches it, sticks so fast, that it can scarce be parted, on which the snake feeds. Sometimes it conies out, and coils itself on the shore ; and if a man puts his hand to it, it sticks fast; and putting the other to get it off, that sticks too ; then the serpent stretches itself out, and get- ting into the sea, feeds on its prey."

" GUACHICHIL, or CHUPAFLORES. A wonderful bird in New Spain, called by the latter name by the Spaniards ; because it is always hanging in the air, sucking the flowers, as the word implies, never lighting on the ground. The Indians say they stick their beaks into the boughs of trees, for several months in the year ; where they take them asleep, to make of them pictures, images, and other curiosities."

E. G. R.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

s> Assuming that no lover of literature can be without a touch of anxiety as to the qualifications and character of the successor of sir Henry Ellis in the honourable office of Principal Librarian of the British Museum, I have extracted from the Act of the twenty-sixth year of George the second a short paragraph descriptive of the mode in which that appointment is made.

" And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the principal librarian, to whom the care nnd custody of the said general repository shall be chiefly committed, shall, from time to time, be nominated and appointed in manner following ; that is to say, The said archbishop of Canterbury, lord chancellor, or lord keeper, and the speaker of the House of Commons, or any two of them, shall recommend to his Majesty, his heirs and successors, two persons, each of whom they shall judge fit to execute the said office; and such of the said two persons so re- commended, as his Majesty, his heirs and successors, by writing under his or their sign manual, shall appoint, after he shall become bound to the said trustees by this act appointed, for the due and faithful discharge of his office, in such penal sum not being less than one thousand pounds, as the said trustees, at any general meeting assembled, or the major part of them, shall think proper, shall have and hold the said office, during such time as he shall behave well therein."

It thus appears that two qualified persons are to be recommended by certain officers of state, and that her MAJESTY, aided by the advice of her