Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 3.djvu/439

 9 th S. III. JUNE 3, '99.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

433

meet we must put on the gloves, the one that gives the first knockdown blow to have his way.

COL. PRIDEAUX pays me the undeserved compliment of saying I seem only "a little' inconsistent. I have gone far beyond this 1 am absolutely inconsistent unless by acci- dent. I have entirely discarded any attempt to be consistent, and consider it either im- possible or not worth straining a straw for if obtainable. What consistency is there in our language or grammar ? There is no con- sistency in nature. What we want is useful- ness. KALPH THOMAS.

P.S. Since this note was written I have seen Mr. Falconer Madan, who, I think, sug- gests a course which will obviate our violat- ing ideas which we have in common with H.I.M. the Emperor of Russia. Mr. Madan proposes jmlinym, to express that the name is written backwards, instead of (intmym. It is from palindrome, or for short, o/wwmywi, but shorter, nalinym. If MR. MARSHALL approves of this, we can have peace with honour.

BROWNE-MILL (9 th S. iii. 347). Information about the descendants of Dr. Browne-Mill might be obtained from some old residents of Bath, or from some of the antiquaries interested in its history. The widow of Baron Browne - Mill, physician to Louis XVIII., married in 1844, at Walcot Church, Bath, the Rev. Michael Hobart Seymour. This appointment as physician to the French king will account for the illuminated French patent of nobility relating to Dr. Browne- Mill which is in the possession of MR. TUER. W. P. COURTNEY. Reform Club.

KELTIC WORDS (9 th S. ii. 387 ; iii. 193, 258). I had no idea of setting up Whitaker as an authority. His opinion, no doubt, was erroneous. But Johnson's was equally so ; and Johnson ought to have known. He was, apparently, led away by prejudice. The only authority I indicated as a reliable one was the author of the ' Etymological Dictionary.' J. FOSTER PALMER.

8, Royal Avenue, S.W.

"INFORMATION AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OFFICE " (9 th S. iii. 327). I have in my posses- sion a prospectus of this institution, founded by Lord Truro 1 Jan., 1884. The title it bears is "The Universal Knowledge and Information Office," and the address is 19, Southampton Street, Blooms bury Square, W.C. Not long ago it may be two or three years the sum of ten shillings was offered in a public print,

the name of which I forget, for a copy of this prospectus. I have also, a letter from the management, dated 20 March, 1890. This was followed by another letter, giving me such information as could be obtained about a matter of inquiry. There was a small preliminary fee in every case, and an additional fee for the investigation.

C. LAWRENCE FORD, B.A. 3, Sydney Buildings, Bath.

BEES AND ROSE -LEAVES (8 th S. xii. 128, 194). There is an interesting article, ad- mirably illustrated, on 'British Bees,' by Fred. Enoch, F.L.S., F.R.S., &c., in Knowledge for April, 1898, in which mention is made of the rose-cutting bee. CELER ET AUDAX.

" Kiss THE ROD " (9 th S. iii. 228). To kiss the rod is part of the penance imposed on Reynard by Grimbert ; vide the ' History of Reynard the Fox,' translated and printed by William Caxton, 1481 A.D. (Arber's "English Scholar's Library"), cap. xii., "How reynard shroef hym." C. S. HARRIS.

"BAILEY" (9 th S. iii. 269, 293). There seems but little doubt that " bailey " in the amusing extract quoted by MR. HEMS is a name for a sort of enclosure for pigs, and perhaps the old villager is right. In the 'Encyclopaedic Dictionary,' under 'Bailey,' we are referred to " bail " and " bayl," from Latin ballium. The significations for these are : (1) The same as " bailey." (2) A bar or pole to separate horses in a stable ; when the pole is suspended from the ceiling it is called a swinging-bail. (3) A framework for securing a cow by the head while she is being milked. This last meaning is of Australian vogue. From the explanation of the aggrieved old lady it would seem the several styes were parted off, so to speak, probably by a sort of railing, and the space within this enclosure is the " bailey " so termed. As to " bailey," to which reference is made in the foregoing explanation, MR. HEMS will find this fully xplained in the 'Encyclopedic' and in Wright's ' Provincial Dictionary.'

C. P. HALE. [Full information is, of course, in the 'H.E.D.']

" UNDER THE BEARD OF GEORDIE BUCHANAN " ,9 th S. iii. 327). In 1570 Buchanan was ap- Dointed one of the preceptors of the young King of Scotland, then only four years of age. Fie was a stern disciplinarian as well as a man of independent spirit, and discharged the duties of his office with a strictness and severity which left an indelible impression on he mind of the king. Buchanan boxed the