Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/453

. NO 23., JUNE 7. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

445

LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1856.

MB. BELLENDEN KER's " ARCHAEOLOGY OF POPULAR RHYMES AND PHRASES."

The reference to this extraordinary work by my friend E. G. [of] R. (2 nd S. i. p. 240.), prompts me to make the following Query: Is it meant to be merely a jeu (Tesprit, or have we all been wandering about, like the Shakspearian nnnota- tors, in a foundationless and uncertain system of conjectural criticism, as regards these matters, while a sure and unerring guide unexpected as Mr. Collier's unknown corrector of the folio of 1632, stood ready to direct us into the true path ? The basis of the argument is, that our ancient language, at some uncertain period which Air. Bellenden Ker does not define, was identical with the Low-Saxon, Alt-Sachsisch, Platt-Deutsch, or Deudisch ; which still survives, as to the main, in what we now call Dutch ; and that this assumed language is the parent of the sister-dialects, En- glish and Anglo-Saxon. Upon this theory' he explains many of our nursery rhymes, proverbs, and provincial words to be merely corruptions of Dutch expressions ; corresponding in sound, though not in orthographical form, and not always in sense, with what we are in the habit of using, however appositely, as we think. " If this view," therefore, as Mr. Bellenden Ker remarks, " I have presented of the sources of such phrases and terms is the true one, the former etymological basis of the lexicography of our language vanishes, to be replaced (Query) by a sounder one." Now, most etymologists admit that much additional light might be thrown upon our colloquial expressions, and especially on provincialisms, by a comparison of the Friesic and Low-Dutch dialects with the Anglo-Saxon ; but certainly I am unprepared for the extent which Mr. Bellenden Ker alleges. " To kick against the pricks," with him is not a translation of Trpbs Kevrpu. Aa/cT/fetv in the inspired narrative, but " T'u kicJie, er geeiist die bruicKs;" q. e. " Keep it to yourself, if it is nothing that cus- tom admits to be said." " Great cry and little wool," is popularly believed to be the result of an abortive attempt to shear a pig ; but with Mr. Ker it becomes " Gereedt kraeije aen littel woel" "The crow gets ready upon a slight disturb- ance."

A "Will of the wisp," becomes " Er! wild of de wijsep" " There ! a spontaneous production which lights forwards." "Old Harry" is divested of his terrors, and is simply " Hold arrighe" " A deceitful vassalage."

" Teach your grandmother to suck eggs," " Dies uwer geraeden moed, Heer, 'te soeck is," " In this case, Sir, whatever you can devise is no service." " He has got the wrong sow by the ear," " Hie haest gij hotte dij ivrongh so by die

hier" And, lastly, a jackass is " Er f ack aes" " There's the creature of chance food ! "

I can give no opinion upon instances such as these. Mr. Ker complains bitterly of the remarks of The Athenaum and the editor of The Times (Qu. reference ?) ; but at the risk of being accused " of want of argument," and other more severe charges, I fear, with no more light than I see at present, I should be compelled to join them. I conclude with Mr. Ker's version of " Hie ! diddle diddle:"

" Hye' died t'el, died t'el De guit end de vied t'el.

De kauw j'hummt ; * Hoeve eer; dij moe aen,' De lij t'el doghe laft tot sij sus sport ; Hou yl te dies : Ban ! haft er dij spae aen."

His translation I refrain from, in hopes that De Navorscher, or some one versed in the lan- guage, will give us the locality where it is preva- lent. E. S. TAYLOE.

THE OLDEST INSURANCE NEWSPAPER.

[The following, headed as above, appeared in the Provident Times, No. 1., Feb. 1854. As the paper lived through but five numbers, and scarcely sold at all, it is but fair to conclude that in a few years not a single number will remain. There are some good articles in No. I., but this alone I extract as likely to be useful to some readers of " N. & Q."]

" Numb. 398. THE BRITISH MERCURY. Printed for theCompany of the Sun-Fire-Oifice,i'Threadneedle-Street, behind the Royal-Exchange, London ; where Policies in due Form are deliver'd out for Insuring Houses, moveable Good*, Furniture, and Wares from, Loss and Damage by fire in any Part of Great Britain, to the Value of 500/. each Policy, to any Person who shall take them, paying the Stamp -Duty, and the first Quarter, viz. Two Shillings if they desire no British-Mercury, or Two Shillings and six Pence if they will have it. gip Either of which Quar- teridi/es they are to pay within fi'ftCElt fi9SM$ after every usual Qvarter-day of the Year. The rest of the Conditions of tlte. Insurance are contained in the Company's Proposals, printed the 4th of July last, which are to be had gratis at their stdd Office. Wednesday, February 18, 17{f."

Such is the heading to the 398th number of the first insurance newspaper ever published. Whether it was the means or not of making the "Sun" the most successful of the fire-offices we cannot tell ; but we may venture to assert that it tended not a little to make it publicly known. But to the paper.

It then gives a continuation of the " History of the World," extending over three pages, having been begun in a previous number. On the fourth begin extracts from the Amsterdam Courant, the Leyden Courant, and the Hague Courunt, brought over by three mails from Flanders, and giving an account of the war in Holland. But one piece of