Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/144

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. IL AUG. is, w.

LONDON TOPOGRAPHY, PENTONVILLE (8 th S. x. 174, 246, 520). There is still a turning called Hermes Hill, nearly continuing Hermes Street northward ; and I fancy Dr. De Vanlangin's house is standing complete, only divided into smaller ones. It faces \vest, with windows quite in the style of 1750. Some high board schools shut out all view.

E. L. G.

THE BACON FAMILY (8 th S. xii. 147 ; 9 th S. i. 435). It appears Du Bartas wrote the name " Baccon "; it varied considerably in ancient documents, even reaching Bacoun, nor have we any valid authority for its origin. I would suggest a corruption of Bacton, a place-name in Norfolk. The original Bacons claimed relationship to the Glanvilles, and their foundation of Bromholm Abbey (1113), is described as in Bacton parish. A. HALL.

13, Paternoster Row, E.G.

"Two is COMPANY" (8 th S. xii. 268). The phrase "Two's company and three 's trum- pery" is cited in the Oxford dictionary as a proverb or proverbial saying, s. v. ' Company,' 1, d. The authority given is "Mrs. Parr, ' Adam and Eve,' ix. 124 " ; date 1880.

JAMES D. BUTLER.

DOLOR AS A CHRISTIAN NAME (8 th S. xi. 388, 473). The following extracts from the Barnstaple parish register respecting a pre- decessor of mine in the head mastership of the Barnstaple Grammar School, seems to me to support the conjecture of F. J. P. that the name Dolor was given on account of " the dolorous state of affairs surrounding the boy's cradle."

" Dolorosus, son of Mr. Humfrye Jeff'erte was baptised June the 12th 1589."

" Mr. Humfrye Jeffert skoolem r was buried June 14th 1589."

THOS. WAINWRIGHT.

Barnstaple.

MALLET FAMILY (8 th S. xii. 447; 9 th S. i. 31). Chauncy (ii. 115) mentions a William Mallet, of Horseheath, in the county of Cambridge, 2 Henry V., as having a daughter Dionese, who married William de Alington of Botesham. M.A.OxoN.

"GOD TEMPERS THE WIND TO THE SHORN

LAMB " (9 th S. i. 400, 491). With reference to the remarks of KILLIGREW on this subject, perhaps it may interest your correspondent to know that I have in my possession a copy (purchased for the sake of the illustrations) of the latest published edition of ' A Senti- mental Journey through France and Italy,' by Lawrence Sterne (London, Bliss, Sands

& Co., 1897), in which the quotation " God tempers the wind " is printed in italics (vide p. 408) ; and that in my copy of ' The Works of Laurence Sterne' (London, Henry G. Bohn, 1865), Maria's expression, " God tampers the wind to the shorn lamb" is also italicized (vide p. 472). I need hardly call attention to the fact that George Herbert has in his ' Jacula Prudentum,' " To a close-shorn sheep God gives wind to measure."

HENRY GERALD HOPE. Clapham, S.W.

Sterne was an unscrupulous poacher, and in this instance not only snared his bird but dressed it up with fresh feathers. I have not George Herbert's 'Jacula Prudentum,' 1640, but think the apothegm is "To a close-shorn shepe God gives wind by measure." This seems more appropriate, as it is riot usual, if at all customary, to shear lambs. Henri Etienne, a century and a half before Sterne, seems to be. the first known author of the sentiment. Some of the authors from whom Sterne levied contributions were Eabelais, Beroulde Sieur de Verville, Theodore Agrippa D'Aubigne, Bouchet's ' Evening Conferences,' 'Les Penseesde Bruscamville,'Tabarin Gabriel John, and others. GEORGE WHITE.

Ashley House, Epsom.

"RANTER" (8 th S. xii. 386; 9 th S. i. 134, 234). The following are extracts from the ' Memoirs of James Lackington, the Book- seller,' 1794. At p. 110, speaking of Methodist prayer meetings :

" It is impossible for you to form any just idea of these assemblies, except you had been present at them : one wheedles and coaxes the Divine Being in his addresses ; another is amourous and luscious ; and a third so rude and commanding that he will even tell the Deity that he must be a liar if he does not grant all they ask. In this manner will they work up one another's imagination until they may actually be said to be in a state of intoxication, when it often happens that some of them recollect a text of Scripture such as, ' Thy sins are forgiven thee,' or ' Go and sin no more,' and then they de- clare themselves to be born again, or to be sancti- fied, &c."

At p. 112, speaking of Methodist love feasts, he says :

" At these times the spirit is supposed to be very powerfully at work amongst them, and such an unison of sighing and f/roaniiif/ succeeds that you would think they had all lost their senses. In this frantic state, men apply to themselves such texts of Scripture as happen to come into their heads."

W. B. H.

With reference to the correspondence in 'N. & Q.' on the application of this term, I beg to remark that I have come across the word in my copy of the delightful edition of