Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/184

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. v. MARCH 3, 1900.

' N. & Q.,' as an example of the strange way in which a writer's meaning may be misap- prehended. It is difficult to understand how any reader could think that the curious co- incidence recorded is a " possible solution " of any problem, or that it was contributed in order to "suggest" such solution :

" What is the origin of the well-known phrase ' hanky-panky ' ? A possible solution is suggested hy a correspondent in the current Notes and Queries. In the Monthly Mirror of July, 1796, there is re- corded the marriage of Capt. Hankey, of the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, to Miss Pankey, of Bedford Square."

F. W. READ.

Is it not a libel upon what there is no reason to consider other than the fair names of Capt. Hankey of the Guards and Miss Pankey of Bedford Square to assume, from the coincidence of the names with our word "hanky-panky," that there was any of the latter about their marriage ceremony as recorded in the Monthly Mirror of July, 1796 1 The word is generally associated with trickery, as " hanky-panky tricks." Of what ante-nuptial " hanky-panky " was this happy couple guilty that their names should be thus besmirched ? Yet in the newspapers of and about 23 January the phrase is repeatedly, and without a particle of evidence, attributed, as to its origin, to this coincidence of names. The word I understand to be merely an imitation of the meaningless formulas of jugglery (' Cent. Diet.'), a reduplicative, like "hugger-mugger," "jiggery-pokery," &c., lack- ing any definite etymological origin, and denoting shuffling conduct, chicanery. There is a book on conjuring entitled 'Hanky- panky.' " Hanky-panky/' and " hocus-pocus " are each one-half almost pure Hindustanee (' The English Gypsies and their Language ') ; and Barrere and Leland inform us that "the Gypsies use 'huckeny ' and 'hunky' to signify

deceit In Gypsy, ' huckeny-pokee,' or'ponkee,'

means the adroit substitution by sleight-of-hand of a bundle containing lead or stone for another con- taining money or valuables."

" Hankin " is commercial slang for the im- position upon others of bad work for good in short, for trade trickery.

J. HOLDEN MACMlCHAEL.

ENIGMA BY W. M. PRAED (9 th S. v. 26, 75). In Knight's Penny Magazine, a little periodi- cal issued in 1846, may be found no fewer than fourteen poetical enigmas by this author, and the key is given to them by artistic designs at the side. * Sir Hilary's Prayer ' is, however, accompanied by an engraving, the upper part of which represents a knight in armour, with shield and sword, looking upwards, whilst

the lower part depicts ladies lamenting over the dead on the battle-field, as they are said to have done at Chevy Chace. The little periodical was one of great merit, but was dis- continued after a short career of some six months, as it was " caviare to the general," and not much appreciated by the reading public.

Whether a complete collection of the enigmas by Winthrop Mack worth Praed has ever been published I cannot say ; but the New Monthly Magazine of former years contains several which are signed $*, and are not found in the above-named periodical. JOHN PICKFOED, M.A.

Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge.

[Most, if not all of them are, we believe, in Praed's 'Collected Poetical Works.']

BROTHERS MAYOR AND TOWN CLERK AT SAME TIME (9 th S. v. 8). Nathaniel Clayton was elected Town Clerk of Newcastle-upon- Tyne in July, 1785, and resigned his office on 23 Dec., 1822, when he was succeeded by his son, John Clayton, the well-known antiquary. During Nathaniel Clayton's town clerkship his elder brother, Robert, was Mayor of New- castle three times, namely, in 1804-5, 1812-3, and 1817-8. Early in our history we find father and son filling these respective offices. Sir John Marley, the Royalist Mayor at the siege of Newcastle in 1644, was re-elected to that office after the Restoration, i. e., at Michaelmas, 1661. On 14 June following his son, Robert Marley, was elected Town Clerk, and filled the post till May, 1675.

RICHARD WELFORD.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

MR. HUGHES quotes Mr. E. Windeatt as Town Clerk, and his brother, Mr. T. W. Win- deatt, as Mayor of Totnes. He might have added that Mr. F. K. Windeatt succeeded his father (on the latter being appointed Mayor last November) as borough magistrates' clerk in the same ancient town. The family triplet, however, has just been broken, for Mr. (Lieut.) F. K. Windeatt has resigned his position, pro tern., and is now on his way, as a volunteer, to the front in South Africa. The genial gentleman in question bears the local reputation of being the best marks- man in Totnes. HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter.

RATE OF THE SUN'S MOTION (9 th S. v. 89). The answer to DR. SMYTHE PALMER'S query is not quite so simple as it may seem. For the time in question will be affected, not only by the declination of the sun and the latitude of the place of observation, but the apparent duration of rising or setting will to some