Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 4.djvu/133

 9»s. iv. SEPT. 16, 221 NOTES AND QUERIES. LONDON. SATVRDAy, SEPTEMBER 16. 1899. CONTENTS.-No. 90. NOTES :—Shakespeariana, 221—"Vole," 222-Quenes in 1798—Ringing Bells during a Thunderstorm, 223—Alpha betic Apophthegms—Driving the Commons In 1574, 221— Venison for the City—"Bucks" and "Good Fellows" in 1778-Curious Inn Signs-Mr. Quiller-Couch, 225—Strik- ing Replica—Commonest Surname—Henbane—Eccentric Measurement—Geo. Chapman—Deceased Wife's Sister- Monster from the Tiber, 226. QUERIES j—Fray Paolo de la Magdalena—" Griff-graft"'— Authorized Version—Riddle—Carillons on Church Bells— Garrick Medal, 227-Poultry—Bottle at Ship Launches— "Hard"—Chodowlecky, 228—"The congeniality of great minds "—Christianity in Roman Britain—Hoos and Crom- well—' For Remembrance '—Author of Poem—Geo. Mor- land—Capt. Muschamp, 229-Epitaph—Authors Wanted, 230. REPLIES :-Swansea, 230—'Red, White, and Blue'-'A Great Historic Peerage,' 231—Hawker MSS.—"A reel In a bottle"—"The island of the innocent," 232—Quarre A!il>ey—"Mays" — Roman Numerals: 1900 — Bermudas Company-St. Gobinet—Gallows Birds and others, 233— "Like a thresher"—"Hill me up!"—Black Jews—"Per- fidious Albion," 231-Scarlet in the Hunting Field— Rolllng-plns as Charms—Beevor Family—Usury—"Un- earned increment," 235—"Karoo" — "Godbrother" — Langtoft's 'Chronicle,' 236—Artists' Mistakes — "Puts no«t up to mean nowt"—Source of Quotation—Mr. Salnthill and his Basque Studies, 237—National Nick- names—Selectmen—Mrs. Catherine Macaulay, 238. and Growth of Village Communities in India.' Notices to Correspondents. igii SHAKESPEARIANA. 'ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA,'III. x. 9-11 (9th 8. iii. 362, 422; iv. 141).—I have not at the moment access to a copy of the First Folio in the original edition; but after a careful examination of the passage in Chatto <fe Windus's facsimile, I see no reason for re- garding the letter usually read as u in ribaudred"as an inverted n. But even if it were so beyond doubt, I do not think that that fact would "almost amount to demon- stration of the correctness "of MR. THISELTON'S view that we ought to read " riband-red " for " ribaudred." Every case of type contains a number of mis-sorts of all kinds. Mis-sorts of n for u and of u for n are, owing to the similarity of the letters, more likely to be made and less likely to be detected than mis- sorts of other kinds. The printing, therefore, of an inverted n would simply prove that it had been mis-sorted, and that compositor and proof-reader had failed to detect the mistake; mother words it is of no importance from the point of view of textual criticism whether the letter in question is u (as I think) or inverted n (as ME. THISELTON thinks). F. W. READ. While writing, I have before me letters from two of the most accepted authorities on the text of Shakespeare, one English and the other American. The resultof their personal inspection of original copies of the Folio establishes the existence ot the peculiarity in the type to which I drew attention; but, curiously enough, this peculiarity appears to vary in degree as between different copies. I was not aware of Gould's conjecture when writing my previous notes on this subject; nor have I any knowledge of the ground upon which he based it. It seems to me, however, that "red" is absolutely essential to the force of the passagp. A recent purchase of a copy of Minsheu's Guide into Tongues' (edition 1627) has led me to look up therein the word 'Riband.' The old lexicographer refers us to "fillet." which he explains as synonymous with "haire-lace"; and, again, he tells us that lace' is equivalent to "riband." This series of explanations, indeed, partakes of a circular character; but I think we may fairly gather that "ribands" were chiefly used for binding and adorning hair—a practice which may bo observed at the present day in the case of horses at fairs. I may add that I think trie word "nag" does suggest the idea of lewdness; but in that case an epithet importing the same idea seems superfluous. ALFRED E. THISELTON. 'TEMPEST,' II. i. 278-80 (9th S. iii. 63).— Surely "twenty consciences" cannot be twisted to mean those of Antonio's followers. The meaning is clear enough. It is a simple hyperbole. Sebastian has asked him if tis conscience did not stand in the way of his usurpation. He replies that if he had had "twenty consciences" they would have nelted away in view of so great a prize as the throne of Milan. J. FOSTER PALMER. ' ROMEO AND JULIET,' II. ii.— At lovers' perjuries, They say, Jove laughs. Malone says that this is originally from Ovid. Apollodorus, himself earlier than Ovid, joints to a more distant original. If no other commentator has noticed his remark, I may be allowed to mention it. He is telling the story of lo, and he says that when Hera accused her husband of corrupting lo, Zeus— although he had already corrupted her— swore solemnly that he had not done so. Then Apollodorus quotes Hesiod, who says that, M-i-iusi.' of the above-mentioned perjury, •he oaths of lovers do not attract the wrath of the gods, Sid ^rjo-ii/'HerioSos OVK ej