Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 11.djvu/333

 9*8. XI. APRIL 25, 1903.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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then the association of ideas suggests a trick, a puppet, a toy."

But was it the discovery of his design that reduced Leontes to a pinched and shrivelled thing 1 Rather, was it not the supposed in- trigue between Polixenes and the queen? Leontes had hoped by an act of retaliation to regain something of his former dignity, but now that his plan for revenge had fallen through, he must remain, as he was before, "a pinch'd thing." E. MERTON DEY.

St. Louis, U.S.

' THE WINTER'S TALE,' II. i. 68.

'Tis pity shee 's not honest : Honourable.

Leontes has just uttered the supposed thought of his attendant lords that the queen is "a goodly lady," honourable (as Walker puts it) by reason of her birth, dignity, and grace of person and mind ; continuing, u the justice of your hearts will thereto add, ' 'Tis pity she 's not honest, (being) honourable.' " The pity is that, being honourable, she is not likewise honest not " honest-honourable/' as given in some texts. E. MERTON DEY.

St. Louis, U.S.

MACBETH'S "TREBBLE SCEPTERS," IV. i. 143. In young Mr. H. H. Furness's excellent new edition of his father's Variorum of 'Mac- beth,' the editor at p. 263 adds this note :

" Manly. The style and title assumed by James I. after October 24, 1604, was : ' The Most Highe and Mightie Prince, James, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith.' This is the treble sceptre, and not that of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland." Ed. ii.

This will not do, for James's title does but repeat those of Edward VI. and Queen Eliza- beth ; see Holinshed (1587), iii. 979/1, and 1170/2 : "The executours of the said king [Henry VIII.]

and other of the nobilitie did cause his sonne

and heire to be proclaimed king of this realme

by the name of Edward the sixt, king of England,

France, and Ireland, defender of the faith The

said lords in most solemne manner proclaimed

the new queene, by this name and title : Elizabeth by the grace of God queene of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith," &c.

The old interpretation of the " treble sceptre" as that of England, Ireland, and Scotland is surely the right one, as a com-

Eliment to James I. was evidently intended y Shakspere, and every one knew that the kingship of France was a mere fiction.

F. J. F.

" PROMOTION." This word is almost equiva- lent to advancement, but is generally used now in the sense of being raised to a higher appointment or office. The verb promoted is

used strictly in that sense in Dan. iii. 30. But the substantive promotion occurs twice in the Authorized Version of the Bible, and in neither case has that meaning. The first is in Ps. Ixxy. 6, where the Revisers have substituted lifting up. The Psalm probably refers to the threatened invasion of Senna- cherib from the north, and the psalmist, look- ing around, can see no human prospect of deliverance or succour from east, west, or south. The other place is Prov. iii. 35. In this the Revisers have retained promotion, but that word, if used in its modern sense, must be taken metaphorically, with almost a sarcastic tone about it. They offer an alter- native rendering in the margin, " fools carry away shame," which is nearer the original. Perhaps Benisch's translation is even better, "Fools he alloweth to be prominent in igno- miny." If there were a neuter verb promote, in the literal sense it would exactly express the idea, "fools moveforward into shame." Though the verb advance (from the French avancer, derived from ab and ante) has a neuter force, it gives too much the impression of proceed- ing to something better to be quite appro- priate ; and for the same reason we could not here use the substantive advancement. Like promotion, it does not express the idea intended. W. T. LYNN.

Blackheath.

D'ARCY FAMILY. If any members of this family claiming descent from William of Arcques (Dieppe), Normandy, would care to have a fairly complete pedigree, they can write to me. Many of the members are scattered about the United Kingdom, France, and America. (Rev.) F. D. THOMPSON.

22, Blenheim Terrace, Leeds.

WILLIAM SOMERVILLE. Anthologists and literary historians have not in all cases treated the author of 4 The Chase \ with kind- ness. Chalmers includes him in his ' English Poets,' and Southey gives him a place in his ' Later English Poets,' i. 405. It is remark- able, however, to find the latter editor of opinion that " ' The Chase ' will preserve the writer's name and reputation when his other works are neglected," and presently quoting from him as sole specimen of his accomplish- ment his 'Address to his Elbow-chair, New- clothed.' Campbell, in his 'Specimens of the British Poets,' v. 97, mentions only * The Chase' as the work by which the poet is known, and cites his 'Bacchus Triumphant: a Tale,' as illustrative of his quality. It is odd to find the Rev. George Gilfillan, a generous anthologist, excluding Somerville altogether from his 'Less-known English