Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/486

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[2^ s. N 24., JUNE 14. '56.

SPANISH ENIGMA.

(2 nd S. i. 193.)

A correspondent gives an enigma in Spanish verse by Luis de Leon, and requests a trans- lation and interpretation of it. The following is a translation of it ; and the original being only of a few lines I here copy it :

" Sentaronse a una Mesa Pobre y Rica Un sano y un enfcrmo y un defunto : Al enfermo il manjar le fiie botica, Pagando el muerto escote toto junto ; Mas el que llegd sano se applica Que a sepultar llegaba el cuerpo junto : Decidme de este enigma lo que toca, Si se atreve a explicarlo vuestra boca."

( TraTislation.)

" To the same board the rich and poor were led, One sick, one sound, and one, behold, was dead, To the one sick, as food, were drugs supplied, To serve the dead the rest their care applied ; But when the sound one came, he claimed, he said, To bear to his last resting-place the dead. Now tell me what deep meaning's shrouded here, And let your tongue proclaim it, if you dare. "

The personages introduced in this extraordinary enigma are, I apprehend, allegorical, and repre- sent certain sections of the Christian Church, or the doctrines severally held by them ; while the challenge contained in the last line conveys the impression that he who shall proclaim the solution of the enigma may incur the risk of ecclesiastical or other censures. To make, however, a yet nearer approach to its solution, I must offer a few words on the unfortunate history of its extra- ordinary author, Fray Luis de Leon. He was born early in 1500, assumed the habit of a reli- gious order in a convent in Salamanca, where he pursued his studies, and was elected to the Chair of Theology in that university. He was united in friendship with all the wise and virtuous of his time, and he is named by the historians of his country as one of those writers to whom the Castilian language is indebted most for its pro- priety and nervousness, and for the grace of its poetical expression, unknown until his time. He was, however, as your correspondent Q. Q. re- lates, contemporary with Luther, and early be- came known for his advocacy of the reformed faith, by his translation and diligent circulation of portions of the sacred Scriptures, and by his prelections from his chair. For these offences he was cited before the Inquisition, and it was not until after a confinement of five years in its prison that he made his renunciation and was released. He was restored to his Chair of Theology, and doubtless for the purpose of his undoctrinising those whom his errors had misled, and to expose to his country, and perhaps to the world, the power of the Inquisition to correct the greatest minds of their errors. I am not acquainted with

any of his prose writings ; but the following lines, written, I presume, before his arrest by the Grand Inquisitor, will show how strong were his mis- givings on the soundness of the faith he professed. The lines are curious as containing so succinctly the main objections to the great doctrine of his Church, and as written by one who occupied the Chair of Theology in its principal university, and who for this and others of his writings was com- mitted to the prison of the Inquisition. My translation of the lines, on a comparison with the original, will be found, I think, to give a just and truthful version of it :

"At PROPRIO ASUNTO.

Soneto.

" Si pan es lo que vemos, como dura Sin <j que comundo del se nos acabe ? Si Dios <j como en el gusto a pan nos sabe ? (jComo de solo pan tiene figura? Si pan ijcomo le adora la criatura? Si Dios i como en tan chico espacio cabe ? Si pan i como por ciencia no se sabe ? Si Dios icomo le come su hechura? Si pan <; como nos harta siendo poco ? Si Deos es icomo puede.ser partido? Si pan (jcomo en el alma hace tanto? Si Dios como le mero yo y le toco ? Si pan (jcomo del cielo ha descendido? Si Dios < como no muero yo de espento ? "

( Translation.) 11 If bread be that we look on, canst thou say

It will, when eaten, clear our sins away ?

If God, how can it verily be said,

Despite its taste and form, that 'tis not bread?

If bread, how we before it suppliants fall ?

If God, how present in a thing so small ?

If bread, how left by science undisplayed ?

If God, how eat we what our hands have made?

If bread, how hath it been by Heaven provided?

If God, how can it ever be divided ?

If bread, how can it satisfy so much ?

If God, how seen and recognised by touch ?

If bread, how hath it from on high come here?

If God, how view it and not die with fear?"

MEDICUS. Hull.

ta

The Oldest Insurance Newspaper (2 nd S. i. 445.) The account is, I believe, correct. It may be well, however, to continue the history of these in- surance papers. In 1716 the Sun Fire Office " resolved to give their subscribers, for the future, a Quarterly Book, instead of their Weekly News- paper," and the reasons for the change are set forth in the Introduction to the first volume of the new work The Historical Register for the year 1716 published in 1717. This Historical Register is one of our most useful works of re- ference. It was annually published for many years, down at least to 1736. In 1724 it was resolved to publish two volumes, which should in-