Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/229

 9*s.iLSEPT.iv98.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

221

LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1898.

CONTENTS. -No. 38.

NOTES : Robert Burton on Tobacco, 221 Heysbam Anti quities, 222 Inclusive Superlative, 223 The Soudan ' Crockford's Clerical Directory'" Afficher" Compound Adjectives in Poetry. 224 Modern Changes of Name Addams of Beaulieu Bolton House, 225.

QUERIES : Some Arthurian Puzzles The Poet Paolo Boll: "In Dominicis Augusti" " Bob-baw," 226 English Translation Hobert Wilks Motto 'Lyra Innocentium " Bale " " Hooligan " Roman Catholic Silver Plate W. Pennington Poem on Abraham Lincoln " Honour- able" Town Drummer, 227 The Organ Princess Louise of Bohemia Fountairi-Inkhorns Rev. Edward Ashburner Authors Wanted, 228.

REPLIES : Epitaph Oriental Palmistrv, 229 Regent Square, St.. Pancras Cordwainer " Ringing -out" A Reed painted to look like Iron Sakesper " Broach- ing the admiral" Richmond Park "Dutfin" Rubens and Raphael, 230 "Horny-handed sons o! toil " Book-Borrowing B. R. Haydon " Sable shroud' "Paying through the nose" Upham, 231 The Ploughing of the Emperor of China Kingston-upon- Thames, 232 The Six Clerks in Chancery Moon through Coloured Glass, 233 " The key of the street" Col. Wall " Sumer is y-cumen in "Entrance into Churchyards, 234 Gordon Family Musical " Writing Engine " Lapsus Calami Pattens, 235 Arms of See of Worcester Thoroton Gould Alice Ferrers Through-stone. 23rf " Perform'd " " Rider "Syntax of a Preface Smith's 'Cyclopaedia,' 237 Cecil Trade Routes " Modestest" " Scouring" of Land, 238.

NOTES ON BOOKS: Mockler- Ferryman's 'Imperial Africa,' Vol. I. Lang's Scott's ' Monastery' Peacock's 'Lincolnshire Tales ' Ellice's 'Place-Names' Murray's ' Small Brass Cup,' &c. '{Yorkshire Archaeological Journal.'

Notices to Correspondents.

ROBERT BURTON ON TOBACCO. THERE are several passages in 'The Anatomy of Melancholy ' in which the writer expresses his opinion regarding this plant with all the emphasis that marks his style. These I pro- pose to bring together in this paper, as I feel sure they will prove interesting to the readers of 'N. & Q.' In the first, Burton ranks it among those things which tipplers take for the purpose of exciting thirst :

"They invent new tricks, as sausages, anchovies, tobacco, caviare, pickled oysters, herrings, fuma- does," &C.-P. 148.

" (Some men's whole delight is, to take tobacco and drink all day long in a tavern or alehouse, to discourse, sing, jest, roar, talk of a cock and bull over a pot," &c. P. 345.

" Flourishing wits, and men of good parts, good fashion, and good worth, basely prostitute them- selves to every rogue's company, to take tobacco and drink, to roar and sing scurrilous songs in base places." P. 373.

"If he can hawk and hunt, ride a horse, play at cards and dice, swagger, drink, swear, take tobacco with a grace, sing, dance, wear his clothes in fashion, court and please his mistress, talk big fustian, insult, scorn, strut, contemn others, and use a little inimical and apish compliment above the rest, he is a complete (Egregiam ver6 laudem), a well-qualified gentleman ; these are most of their employments, this their greatest commendation." P. 383.

It is as a drug or simple that tobacco is valued by Burton. He says :

" I know that many are of opinion our northern simples are weak, imperfect, not so well concocted, of such force, as those in southern parts, not so fit to be used in physic, and will therefore fetch their drugs afar off : senna, cassia out of Egypt, rhubarb from Barbary, aloes from Socotra : turbith, agaric, mirabolanes, hermodactils, from the East Indies, tobacco from the West." P. 430.

The votaries of the soothing herb must have grown very numerous in our country in those far-off days, for mine author saith, when discoursing of jealousy, that

"Germany hath not so many drunkards, England tobacconists, France dancers, Holland mariners, as Italy alone hath jealous husbands." P. 630.

It will be observed that the word tobacco- nists, as used by Burton, would seem to mean users or abusers of the weed rather than vendors of it.

The last extract I have to make will form a fit ending to my note. It would have rejoiced the heart of King James I., whose 4 Counterblaste to Tobacco' (1604) Burton had probably read, and of whom he speaks in terms of extravagant eulogy. As a speci- men of his macaronic style, I may be allowed to quote his words :

" He is our amulet, our sun, our sole comfort and refuge, our Ptolemy, our common Maecenas, Jacobus mnnijicus, Jacobus paciftcus, mysta Musarum, Rex Plafonicus: Grande decun, cohimenque nostrum: a famous scholar himself, and the sole patron, pillar, and sustainer of learning." P. 210.

This must have been written in 1625, just after the king's death, for Burton adds :

"But he is now gone, the sun of ours is set, and yet no night follows, Sol occubuit, nox nulla sequuta est. We have such another in his room, aureux alter. Avulsiis, simili frondescit virga metallo, and long may he reign and flourish amongst us."

No subsequent reference is made by Burton to the unfortunate Charles.

The author of 'The Anatomy of Melancholy' calls himself "a loose, plain, rude writer"(p. 11), and I think that description of his style may well apply to the last passage I have to quote from nis wonderful book on the present occasion :

"Tobacco, divine, rare, superexcellent tobacco, which goes far beyond all the panaceas, potable jold, and philosopher's stones, a sovereign remedy icrb, if it be well qualified, opportunely taken, and medicinally used ; out as it is commonly abused by most men, which take it as tinkers do ale, 'tis a )lague, a mischief, a violent purger of goods, lands, lealth, hellish, devilish, and damned tobacco, the ruin and overthrow of body and soul." P. 441, )t. ii. sec. 4, mem. 2, subs. 2.
 * o all diseases. A good vomit, I confess, a virtuous

JOHN T. CURRY.