Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 12.djvu/78

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. xn. JULY 25, 1903.

It seems impracticable to trace the earliest typewritten will, but I understand that the earliest cases passed the seal without any difficulty being suggested. It is generally admitted that such documents stand no more risk of fraudulent alteration than those pre- pared by hand. Typewritten cheques have passed through the Bank. Is the typewriter in use at the Record Office and the British Museum? The King's Privy Purse depart- ment and secretaries use the machines, and doubtless they are in use in the other depart- ments of the royal households. Was this first introduced after the King's accession? Dates of the actual introduction of type- writing into the public departments will oblige. FEED. HITCHIN-KEMP.

6, Beechfield Road, Catford, S.E.

[Probate of a will issued from the Personal Application department at Somerset House only a month ago was not typewritten.]

" KAIMAKAM." (9 th S. xii. 27.)

THE Italian words quoted by your corre- spondent occur (with a slight difference) in the opera " L' Italiana in Algeri : Melo- dramma Giocoso in Due Atti di Angelo Anelli, posto in Musica da Gioachino Rossini, e riduzione per Canto e Piano di Luigi Truzzi," to be obtained of Ricordi at Milan, and at 265, Regent Street, London.

The story of this opera is shortly as follows : Mustafa, the Bey of Algiers, becoming tired of his wife Elvira, wishes to have some Italian lady brought to him. He decides to marry Elvira to a young Italian captive and favourite, Lindoro. But Lindoro is in love with Isabella, an Italian lady, who, while seeking Lindoro, is wrecked with her com- panion Taddeo on the coast of Algiers, and is carried before Mustafa, who is struck with her beauty. She encourages Mustafa, and finds he has a wife whom he wishes to cast off and to marry to an Italian slave, who, when introduced to Isabella, proves to be her lost Lindoro. Taddeo, haying passed himself off as Isabella's uncle, is made much of by Mustafa. Isabella works on the suscepti- bilities of Mustafa, and, after thoroughly befooling him, pretending to invest him with the office of Pappataci, and dressing him up in a ridiculous costume, succeeds in obtaining the liberty of herself, Lindoro, Taddeo, and the other Italian ^ slaves, and departs with her friends, leaving Mustafa to become reconciled with his wife.

In Act II. sc. ii. Lindoro informs Mustafa that Isabella, to render Mustafa more worthy of her love, has formed a design, amidst the solemnities of music and by the light of the torches of love, to create him her Pappataci. Then occurs the trio between Lindoro (tenor), Mustafa (basso), and Taddeo (buffo). Mustafa begins :

Pappataci ! che mai sen to ? La ringrazio, Son conteutp. Ma di grazia, Pappataci, Che vuol poi significar ?

He is told " it is given in Italy to those who never tire of the fair sex. Italian women are amiable, and are born to be loved "; he is " Kaimaka/i e Pappataci," and as such " Del dormire, mangiar, e bere, ber dormire, e poi mangiar," &c., to all of which Mustafa replies,

Bella vita! Oh! Che piacere piu non so bramar."

1 know the music in this opera well, and have sung in this charmingly graceful and melodious trio in public several times with Italians to the splendid accompanist, that incomparable maestro Signer Romano, who still lives in London.

I know of no Italian "song" with the words in it as quoted by your correspondent. Possibly he has confused Mozart with Rossini, and the opera * II Ratto dal Seraglio ' with a role. C. MASON.
 * L' Italiana in Algeri,' in which Ronconi took

29, Emperor's Gate, S.W.

U AND V : VV : DouBLE-U (9 th S. xii. 29). It is impossible to discuss this in a moderate compass. Of course the u in M.E. lauerock was pronounced as the v in lave, or as the / (v) in the A.-S. Idferce. Why not simply look out lark in the * H.E.D.' ? I should say that the old pronunciations of York and Hoivden were not the least like the modern ones. It is a great mistake to pronounce Latin like modern English ; and it is still more misleading to pronounce Middle English as if it were modern English. The whole question is a vast one ; but a few elementary notions, sufficient to avoid all the worst errors, may be gathered from my very cheap
 * Primer of English Etymology.'

WALTER W. SKEAT.

In the north of Scotland there are the place-names "Kilravock " and " Avoch," pro- nounced respectively " Kilrauck " and " Auch."

R. B-R.

EARLIEST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER (9 th S. xii. 29). In reply to MR. ARTHUR'S query, the only copy known to be in existence of But- ter's Certaine Neives of this Present Week of 2 August, 1622, is in the extensive collection