Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/130

 122

NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. v. FEB. 17, 1900.

note by F. N., 4 N. & Q.,' 9 th S. iii. 446) by another, or, as everybody prefers to say, another one. Hurry up or you will lose it.

The cyclist says lighting-up time is seven o'clock. Lighting up also has the authority of the L.C.C. in their park notices about cycling. I am not learned in matters feminine, but I have been informed that Frenchwomen "gather up" their skirts very prettily to cross the road. " Gathered up" is Scriptural, and is commonly used (' Encyclo. Brit.,' ninth edition, 1882, vol. xiv. p. 510). I have had to dig up these instances from books, and tried not to double up the pages.

In these days of travelling we are informed in "The Coach- Horn, and what to Blow and How. By an Old Guard " (1887, p. 19), that " all the coaches are well loaded up." I have lately (since X. Y. Z.'s note : I had never given the matter a thought before) read or heard all the examples I give used by professional men. A few days ago a Q.C., M.P., was telling me he had seen "a lock-up shop to let." I expressed some doubt, when he said it was "labelled up " on the agent's printed placard. No doubt the instances I give of the un- necessary use of " up " will be duly " indexed up " by some one.

Every day one sees similar expressions used in the works of contemporary writers, ""-^ "^ "forward on," "added on," "opened

such out,

followed on." Bourdillon

Histoire de France,' 1897,* says

in 'I Tote "I cannot

let this little work go out into the world." This we might " reduce down " to " go " only. Dean Alford in 'The Queen's English,' 1889, p. 5, says : " nor, indeed, as late down as Elizabeth." The 'Penny Cyclopaedia,' 1842, vol. xxii. p. 412, says "extended out"; and Murray's 'Handbook for France,' 1844, p. 196, says "excavated out" of the rock. I thought dive meant to go down, and yet Wallace Dunlop, C.B., says " dive downwards " (' Plate- Swimming,' p. 56). The Times of 9 Novem- ber, 1886, p. 10, col. 6, says, "by reason of the killing off of the clovers." Printed off (Wheatley, ' What is an Index?' p. 170) may, perhaps, be considered a technical expres- sion, and may be " marked off." " During the last week's training the work should be slackened down" (Wilson, 'Swimming Instructor.' 1883, p. 120). "Separating off* the English Church (Green's ' Short History,' p. 841, index, col. 1). The careful navigation was proved by his

ance is entirely spoiled by the too frequent use oJ italics and several varieties of ugly types, and absurd over-punctuation.
 * A work beautifully printed, and yet its appear-

'slowing down." The following may be ' telegraphed on " to Somerset House. I am glad to observe that on their forms an affi- davit has to be sworn, but when the lawj^er writes about it, he says it has to be " sworn

But if X. Y. Z. objects to "full up," what will he say to the misuse of the word " nego- iating'"? The 'Encyclopaedia Britannica,' ninth edition, vol. xii., 1881, p. 197, says : ' For the successful negotiation of brooks a bold horse is required." This instance vshows this slang has been in use some time. The Standard, 4 March, 1899, p. 5, col. 6, says : ' His horse bolted when about to negotiate a Pence." Is there anything in our language more repulsive than this sporting English 1 One last instance. The Daily Telegraph of 18 January, 1899,* printed an article entitled "Omnibus Stopping Places. By a Lady Passenger." I should not hesitate to say this iady was dressed as a man. She says : "Fleet Street was negotiated at a walking pace with a ' slowing down ' at Bouverie Street for a man alighting."

I should like to be a purist, but fear the language will go its own wayward way.

RALPH THOMAS.

HORACE WALPOLE AND HIS EDITORS.

(Continued from ante, p. 62.)

IN a letter to Montagu of 17 March, 1761 (Cunningham's ed., vol. iii. p. 386), Wai pole writes in reference to a new batch of peers and promotions :

" No joy ever exceeded your cousin's and Doding- ton's. The former came last night to Lady Hils- borough's to display his triumph. The latter too was there and advanced to me. I said ' I was coming to wish you joy.' 'I concluded so,' replied he, 'and came to receive it.' He left a good card at Lady Harrington's,! ' A very young Lord to wait on Lady Harrington, to make her the first offer of himself.' I believe she Mail be satisfied with the Exchequer."

issue of this paper so dated. It is dated in a literary manner January 18, 1899, instead of in a business-like way 18 January, 1899. The advan- tage of thus separating the two eighteens is appa- rent. Why nearly all our newspapers are dated with the month put before the day I cannot imagine. In his ' Modern English Biography,' with its thousands of dates, Mr. F. Boase has had to falsify all the newspaper dates ; and I have found myself compelled, much against my will because I like to cite with accuracy to do the same. The form January 18, 1899, is very liable to error, and, moreover, the sequence is not logical, as is day, month, year.
 * I have to falsify all these dates ; there is no

f Wrongly printed "Petersham" in Wright's and Cunningham's editions.